Are medicines in the water?

Yes, medicines have been found in very small amounts in many surface waters throughout the U.S. and internationally. The U.S. Geological Survey tested 139 streams throughout the U.S. for the presence of 95 chemicals in 1999 – 2000 and found:

• 80% of streams contained 1+ of these chemicals

• 50% of streams contained 7+ chemicals

• 34% of streams contained 10+ chemicals

  Of these 95 chemicals:

• 33 are known or suspected to be hormonally active

• 46 are pharmaceutically active (have the ability to affect living matter) 

How do medicines get into the water?

Pharmaceuticals enter the water when they are flushed down toilets and put into sinks, put into the garbage, or when humans and animals pass drugs through their bodies. Excretion of medicines (that pass through our bodies) is the largest source of the pollution, and more difficult to prevent from entering sewage or septic tanks. For more detailed information on how pharmaceuticals and personal care products get into the environment, check out http://www.epa.gov/ppcp/basic2.html.

Upgrading wastewater treatment plants to treat/manage medicine waste is estimated to cost billions. This still would not address the issue for septic systems. And what’s more, pharmaceutical solids, if successfully captured in sewage treatment, can make their way back into the environment through land application of biosolids.

There is increasing environmental concern regarding the disposal of pharmaceuticals in landfills, in addition to the concerns of misuse and poisoning associated with trash disposal, transport, and handling. The liquid leachate that is captured from landfills is often sent to wastewater treatment plants that don’t effectively extract pharmaceutical chemicals and results in discharge into the environment. There is also concern that landfill liners may leak over time resulting in discharge of pharmaceutical contaminants to the ground water.

What is the problem with having medicines in the water?

Part of the problem is that we don’t have a clear understanding of the risk involved. Of particular concern is the potential for endocrine disruption, disruption to hormone systems affecting many life functions.