Micropollutants web database launched in Texas

The Texas Tech University Center for Water Law and Policy Center has launched the Micropollutants Clearinghouse (www.micropollutants.org), a website that provides an online, publically accessible, research resource on the legal, regulatory, institutional, policy and related scientific aspects of micropollutants in freshwater systems.

The Micropollutants Clearinghouse project, one of a trio of projects funded by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is designed as a dynamic and robust database of documents, reports, information, analyses, articles, and other materials that:

  • relate to micropollutants — such as pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors and personal care products — that affect fresh water quality
  • address existing, proposed and alternative legal, regulatory and institutional mechanisms for dealing with water quality issues
  • present the scientific underpinning for such mechanisms
  • address related decision-making mechanisms or processes.
  • Types of content will typically be governmental, NGO, and IGO reports; peer-reviewed literature; professional articles; books and monographs, news stories, conference material, websites and other material.

    The Micropollutants Clearinghouse was developed as part of a study grant provided through the EPA that was designed to

  • develop this database.
  • undertake a field study in Lubbock, Texas, focused on improving understanding of the fate, transport and presence of mixtures of micropollutants in the environment.
  • analyze existing and alternative legal and regulatory strategies for addressing the presence and effects of micropollutants in freshwater systems.
  • As the outcomes and work-product of the remaining two projects are finalized, they also will be presented on the new website.