Pharmaceuticals In Waterways Raise Concern For Wildlife, Hum

[SETIsLady]

Washington — Academics, state officials and environmental advocates are starting to question whether massive amounts of discarded pharmaceuticals, which are often flushed down the drain, pose a threat to the nation's aquatic life and possibly to people.

In waterways from the Potomac to the Brazos River in Texas, researchers have found fish laden with estrogen and antidepressants, and many show evidence of major neurological or physiological changes.

No one has seen evidence of effects on human health, but a number are asking publicly why the federal government is not taking a more aggressive approach to what they see as a looming problem.

In October 2002, Maine's Department of Environmental Protection asked federal scientists to analyze water samples to determine to what extent prescription drugs had seeped into the state's waterways. Worried that discarded birth-control pills, antidepressants and other drugs could affect the state's fishing industry and public health, the department's Ann Pistell hoped the federal Environmental Protection Agency's Northeast regional office could give her a speedy answer

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Something like this never even crossed my mind until I read this article.

[Devastated]

I don't think it's all from "DISCARDS." Doesn't anybody urinate or defecate any more? Many pills don't absorb all the way. Some that do leave their chemicals in the bloodstream, which are later "eliminated," not discarded.

[SETIsLady]

I don't think it's all from "DISCARDS." Doesn't anybody urinate or defecate any more? Many pills don't absorb all the way. Some that do leave their chemicals in the bloodstream, which are later "eliminated," not discarded.

Agreed Dev...but definetely something to be aware of .

[Joolz]

Something like this never even crossed my mind until I read this article.

Oh, it has crossed my mind... in fact, has been on my mind for the past 25-30 years.

And while I agree with you, Dev, that not ALL of it is coming from the pharmaceutical companies, I think the vast majority of it is coming from their callous carelessness, and we must begin somewhere to demand accountability for this degradation of the natural world before it destroys us all.

[SETIsLady]

Oh, it has crossed my mind... in fact, has been on my mind for the past 25-30 years.

And while I agree with you, Dev, that not ALL of it is coming from the pharmaceutical companies, I think the vast majority of it is coming from their callous carelessness, and we must begin somewhere to demand accountability for this degradation of the natural world before it destroys us all.

Yes Joolz, thats exactly what I mean by it never crossed my mind...I am very enviromentally conscience. But they got me on this one...i will be paying more attention to this from now on.

[Devastated]

we must begin somewhere to demand accountability for this degradation of the natural world before it destroys us all.

Demand away.