Today the Cape Cod Times reports that the disposal of medicine is a hotly debated issue for the local board of health in Cape Cod, Massacusetts. When a health official revealed that Cape Cod Hospital regularly flushes narcotics down the drain (in accordance with federal rules), Yarmouth Board of Health member William Snowden said, “You’ve got to stop that, please! It’s unacceptable!”

Sometimes referred to as “emerging contaminants” in water, pharmaceuticals and personal care products have people concerned across the country, especially in communities like Cape Cod, where all drinking water comes from a single source and is highly sensitive to contamination. Many of these contaminants act as endocrine disruptors (even is small amounts), damaging the balance of hormones in humans as well as animals.

When drugs and personal care products are flushed down the toilet, they end up in our water supply – and water treatment facilities are not equipped to remove these contaminants. Chronic exposure to these contaminants over time can have adverse effects. For example, male fish in the Potamac River are beginning to develop eggs in their testes due to endocrine disruptors in the water. In humans, endocrine disruptors may cause developmental defects and fertility problems.

Officials are currently discussing alternative ways of disposing of dangerous medications. In the meantime, however, hospitals continue to flush drugs down the drain. You can remove endorcrine disruptors from your water with home water filters.

Tags: pharmaceutical pollution

This entry was posted on Sunday, March 14th, 2010 at 3:15 pm and is filed under Chemical Contamination. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.