 Our water supply is becoming increasingly contaminated -- and not just by big factories dumping pollutants into the rivers. It is consumers, often unwittingly, who are poisoning rivers and oceans by sending potentially toxic chemicals down the drain. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stated its researchers have found pharmaceuticals and personal care products -- or PPCPs -- in nearly every water supply they have tested.
The issue is not new. In the United Kingdom, the dangers of PPCPs were first recognized in the 1970s. In the U.S., however, it was another twenty years before the scientific community began to take notice, largely in response to the efforts of one scientist, Christian Daughton. Chief of the environmental chemistry branch of the EPA's Environmental Sciences Division, Daughton began reporting on the dangers of PPCPs in the water supply during the mid-1990s.
In 1999, Daughton co-wrote, with Thomas A. Ternes of the Institute for Water Research and Water Technology in Germany, the first comprehensive article on PPCPs in the U.S. water supply. The article "Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in the Environment: Agents of Subtle Change?" appeared in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
This landmark article discussed how "priority pollutants," such as agrochemicals, were "only one piece of the larger puzzle" of human-made environmental risk factors. Daughton and Ternes wrote:
"One large class of chemicals receiving comparatively little attention comprises the pharmaceuticals and active ingredients in personal care products (PPCPs), which are used in large amounts throughout the world; quantities of many are on par with agrochemicals. Escalating introduction to the marketplace of new pharmaceuticals is adding exponentially to the already large array of chemical classes, each with distinct modes of biochemical action, many of which are poorly understood."
The authors went on to write that exposure to PPCPs, especially for aquatic organisms, may be more chronic than exposure to pesticides and other industrial chemicals "because PPCPS are constantly infused into the environment wherever humans live or visit." Daughton and Ternes warned in 1999 that prolonged exposure "could lead to cumulative, insidious, adverse impacts" that may not appear until it is too late to intervene.
80 percent of U.S. waters contaminated with "emerging contaminants"That same year, the United States Geological Survey began surveying 139 streams across 30 states and found 80 percent of water samples contained residues of prescription and non-prescription drugs. In 2006, researchers on the project discovered "intersex fish" in the Potomac River. The fish were male but also carried eggs.
Researchers at the Great Lakes Water Institute in Milwaukee and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee are currently studying the effects of PPCPs on the fathead minnow, a fish native to Wisconsin. Preliminary data have shown lipid-regulating compounds, such as Lipitor or Zocor, are causing fish to deposit fat into their eggs which might affect reproduction.
"Pharmaceuticals are designed for a very specific mode of action," lead scientist Rebecca Klaper stated. Klaper said some of the male minnows are "missing a few steps" as they prepare for mating.
Researchers are calling the pollutants "emerging contaminants." The term encompasses personal care products, prescription drugs, pesticides, and other substances, some of which are known to affect human hormone production. Experts predict the incidence of emerging contaminants will continue to rise. Daughton writes in the Renewable Resources Journal, "New drug entities, many with mechanisms of action never before encountered by biological systems, can be expected to enjoy continued introduction to commerce. All will have the potential to enter the environment merely as a result of their daily use (e.g., introduction to surface and ground waters via excretion, bathing, or disposal to sewage systems)."
In an interview with National Public Radio earlier this month, Daughton said the types of PPCPS found most in the nation's water supply fall into two categories. First are the drugs used most often, such nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (Ibuprofen is one example). Next, "the ones that resist our metabolism -- that is they get excreted unchanged -- will have a measurable presence in waterways," said Daughton.
"We probably have an idea of an unknown fraction of these chemicals that actually occur," he said, "The issue really is one of people being exposed to something they ordinarily never would... fetal exposure or pregnant mothers, for example."
Pharmaceuticals are now an environmental pollutantSome pharmaceuticals enter the water stream when consumers flush them down the toilet -- for years a common practice in discarding unneeded or expired medication. Earlier this year The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) jointly released new guidelines for disposing prescription drugs. The new guidelines urge consumers to discard prescription drugs in the trash by mixing the drugs with "an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter."
The federal guidelines stopped short of advising all drugs be disposed of in this manner. Consumers were advised to continue flushing drugs including oxycodone, morphine sulfate, and stavudine -- presumably to keep these controlled substances out of the hands of children and drug abusers.
Some states and locales have set up programs by which consumers and medical facilities (such as nursing homes and hospitals) can dispose of prescription drugs. Take-back centers include pharmacies, police stations, and recycling centers. An early pilot program in Maine was considered a success: "This one-day event prevented more than 55,000 pills from making their way into our waters and helped educate consumers about the importance for proper disposal of medical waste," said Lynn Rubinstein, executive director of the Northeast Recycling Council, "We are hopeful that the success of this pilot will pave the way for similar projects in the future." In May 2006, residents of the San Francisco Bay Area dropped 3,634 pounds of medications during the area's inaugural "Safe Medicine Disposal Days" event.
While these take-back programs are commendable, they are not yet widely available. In Greg Critser's book, Generation Rx, Critser notes in America, the average number of prescriptions per person in 1993 was seven, but that had risen to 11 by 2000 and 12 in 2004. As the market for prescription drugs grows to include more and more children, plus aging baby boomers, the number of prescriptions per capita will likely increase. Even a small percentage of those drugs flushed into waterways poses a serious risk.
The threat posed by chemicals in personal care productsPrescription medications are not the only cause for concern. Consider parabens used in soaps, shampoos, moisturizers, and other personal care products. The EPA has reported that parabens -- methyl, propyl, butyl, and ethyl (alkyl-p-hydroxybenzoates) -- are endocrine disruptors. The EPA also stated "continual introduction of these benzoates (parabens) into sewage treatment systems and directly to recreational waters from the skin leads to the question of risk to aquatic organisms."
Don't count on the Food & Drug Administration to protect you from parabens. For cosmetic products, safety testing is not required. It is up to consumers to research ingredients and their effects. The Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Working Group (EWG) reports "An average adult is exposed to over 100 unique chemicals in personal care products every day -- these exposures add up." The EWG has created a database of ingredients and safety ratings for more than 14,800 personal care products.
A few years ago, Christian Daughton posed the question, "Is the introduction of new chemicals to commerce outrunning our ability to fully assess their significance in the environment or to human health?" I believe the answer is yes, and we -- as consumers and as stewards of the environment -- must evaluate the choices we make every day in consideration of the long-term effects of our prescription use, of our dependence on over-the-counter medications, and of our use of chemically charged personal care products.
Note: Be sure to take a look at our CounterThink cartoon, Pharmaceutical Terrorism, for a satirical look at this issue.
ResourcesThe EWG Skin Deep report: http://www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep
Official drug disposal policy:
http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/dru...
SafeMeds (medication disposal):
http://www.baywise.info/disposaldays/SF...
Author Greg Critser:
http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/boo...
###
About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health author and technology pioneer with a passion for sharing empowering information to help improve personal and planetary health He has authored and published thousands of articles, interviews, consumers guides, and books on topics like health and the environment, impacting the lives of millions of readers around the world who are experiencing phenomenal health benefits from reading his articles. Adams is an honest, independent journalist and accepts no money or commissions on the third-party products he writes about or the companies he promotes. In 2007, Adams launched EcoLEDs, a maker of super bright LED light bulbs that are 1000% more energy efficient than incandescent lights. He also launched an online retailer of environmentally-friendly products (BetterLifeGoods.com) and uses a portion of its profits to help fund non-profit endeavors. He's also the founder of a well known HTML email software company whose 'Email Marketing Director' software currently runs the NaturalNews subscription database. Adams is currently the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit, and regularly pursues cycling, nature photography, Capoeira and Pilates. Known as the 'Health Ranger,' Adams' personal health statistics and mission statements are located at www.HealthRanger.org
Related Articles
• Pure Water, Pure Consciousness: Finding a Water Filter That Works
• The Poisoning of America's Water Supplies
• Water: The World Is Facing a Dire Shortage of This Essential Element
• The Dangers of Dehydration (Part I)
• Water Restoration Act May Lead to Privatization of Water Supply
 |
Additional Resources:
water
personal care products
pharmaceuticals
|
Take Action: Support NaturalNews.com
 Email this article to a friend
 Share this article on: NewsVine | digg | del.icio.us
Permalink to this article: http://www.NaturalNews.com/021898.html
Reprinting this article: Non-commercial OK, cite NaturalNews.com with clickable link.
|
 |
 |
Receive our Natural Health Newsletter for FREE
 Subscribe now (it's free!) to win. We randomly choose a subscriber each month to send $100 in eco-home products or a RealGoods.com gift certificate (our choice). Plus, you'll receive FREE news, articles and action alerts from NaturalNews.com editors and join over 800,000 monthly readers who report extraordinary health improvements after becoming a subscriber!
- Receive breaking news alerts on natural health solutions, renewable energy, the environment, global warming and more.
- Receive a free instant download of our $29 Secret Sources guide that reveals top sources for little-known health and diet solutions.
|
|
 |
 |
Recommended Special Report:
 Seven Words that can Change the World
by Joseph R. Simonetta
Read this special report now...
"Seven Words That Can Change the World reveals the astonishing, simple truths that have the power to forever transform our world for the better while freeing our minds from the enslavement of limiting beliefs. This is not a text for the simple-minded; it is a guiding philosophy for the mindful, intelligent few who are wise enough to seek out -- and recognize -- the higher simplicities of truly purposeful living." - Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, editor of NaturalNews.com
|
More on NaturalNews.com:
• Streaming Health Ranger Videos
• CounterThink Cartoons
• FREE Special Reports
• Podcasts
|
 |
|
 |
 |
NEW 6-CD audio set reveals amazing new protocol for reversing cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease and more. Click to learn more. |
 |
Own the first 8 Health Ranger Report audio programs on 6 CDs. Covers weight loss, ADHD, vaccinations, processed meats, bone health and more. Click to learn more. |
Featured Videos
Short clip on Aspartame
A short clip on aspartame from the documentary All Jacked Up.
Click here to view now...
Exclusive video on Aspartame
The dangers of aspartame! Exclusive interview footage from Cori Brackett of Sweet Remedy.
Click here to view now...
Exclusive Footage from All Jacked Up!
See interview footage featuring the Health Ranger in the upcoming junk food film, All Jacked Up.
Click here to view now...
Drug Ad Parody
See the Health Ranger's satire parody of Merck's cholesterol drug ad.
Click here to view now... |
Honeybees Go on Strike
The Corn Ethanol Biofuels Sham
The Plan for the Food Supply
|
|
Read recommendations on supplement companies, health food manufacturers and personal care product makers that you can trust. Our 100% independent review list tells you who to trust and who to avoid in the natural health industry. Click to read. |
|
Printable Version
