How much do you think about the stuff that goes down your drains? Would you ever consider a medicine you take potentially harmful to someone 100 miles downriver?
A recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funded study analyzed fish tissue from five major U.S. wastewater treatment plants. The fact that researchers discovered pharmaceutical residue in the tissue has encouraged the EPA to expand water research all over the country.
In testing the fish for 24 pharmaceuticals and 12 chemicals often found in personal products, the scientists found seven drugs and two personal product chemicals in each of the five locations. A control sample taken from New Mexico’s Gila River Wilderness Area, which is free of human pollution, displayed none of the chemical traces.
The residue in the fish contained traces of drugs used to treat allergies, high blood pressure, depression, high cholesterol, and more. Other studies have found evidence of antibiotics, birth control, cancer treatment, and tranquilizers in various water supplies.
These elements come from homes, industries, and farms, from both excess supplies that have been thrown out or washed away, and human and animal waste. Traces of the drugs do not necessarily get removed at sewage treatment plants, and runoff from garbage gets into the groundwater. In this way, the drugs can eventually reappear in our drinking water.
At this point, the small amount of pharmaceuticals that might be in your water is probably not going to hurt you. However, there is a debate in the scientific community about the actual effects of such trace concentrations in the water supply.
Some say that the miniscule amount of drug material in the water is harmless, and won’t hurt humans. Others argue that the long-term effects are unknown, and that we should be wary, as the concentration may increase.
The more immediate concern is what is happening to the life underwater. There is a suggested link between anti-depressant contaminated water and altered sperm count and mating habits in marine life. Additionally, fish in both Britain and the U.S. are exhibiting deformed reproductive systems, which may be due to heightened levels of estrogen from women’s hormone therapy drugs.
Because the long-term effects of introducing pharmaceuticals into the environment are truly unknown, we should all pay attention to what we are putting in our bodies and down our drains. No matter how detached from nature we may feel, the systems of our bodies and cities continue to mingle with those of the earth.
Have extremely expensive chemo drugs on hand aft husband’s death, some diab pills, etc., and called pharmacy, consumer groups, Dr office, insur co., senior citizen org, nurses, & no one could tell me proper way to dispose of them. Most told me to dump in toilet or garbage disposal but that does concern me. Bad enough no one permitted to use these medicines, but don’t want to be contaminating water supply. There should be some guidance as how to handle this. We recycle trash & hazardous material — couldn’t we have a place to drop off pharmaceuticals since this seems to be an issue more & more, and then maybe consumers wouldn’t have to dump in toilet?
We have known for a long time that a large portion of a drug taken into our bodies is not utilized by the body. Some is stored as a toxin in the body but a larger portion is urinated out and goes into the liquid waste of the city’s treatment plants. Of course these plants are not designed to remove drugs. I am in favour of cleaning up our environment but I think drugs are the most damaging of all our pollutants. Global warming, I think is being used to keep us busy while the pharmaceuticals do their damage behind our backs. Nature will clean up a lot but these man made chemicals poison the world faster then nature can clean it up. I think our main health issues come because of drugs. I have never read of a case that drugs cured any ailment. The body must heal itself by growing new healthy tissue to replace damaged tissue. Our bodies grow from the nutrients we ingest. In my way of thinking drugs only give some relief while the healing is taking place but in turn they cause more damage in other areas. I thing drugs are a lose-lose situation every time we turn around.
Frank Berg
Hi J. Kramer –
If you’re wondering about ways to get rid of unused drugs, there are a few options out there. Look online for various donation programs, or visit a local pharmacy to ask about special disposal methods they may have. I have also heard about the following method for disposal in your own home:
1. Remove the prescription drugs from their original containers.
2. Mix the drugs with an undesirable substance such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter.
3. Put this unsavory mixture into a plain, sturdy container, such as an empty can or bag so that children or pets won’t accidentally ingest them.
4. Throw the container in the trash.
Hope that helps!