Environmental Pharmaceutical Pollution

Drugs contaminating the earth is on the rise because there is more and more drugs being used. Drugs usage from 1993-2003 has rose 73%. The United States EPA in 2000 named pharmaceuticals and personal care products as one of the top five "emerging" contaminants. The contaminants are microorganisms and chemicals. In 2002 the United States performed a survey on the waterways and concluded that evidence of these contaminants is on the rise. Some affects on the wildlife is Wild Geese becoming resistant to ampicillin and Vultures in India dying from Diclofenac. Concentrations of six components in sunscreen have been found in fish. These contaminants are finding there way to the environment by sewage systems and landfills. Pharmaceuticals are entering the environment because 54% of people throw there medicine in the trash and 35% flush it down the toilet. Research has found that 13 medications found in drinking water inhibits cell growth and causes changes in human embryonic cells. Medications in the United States are disposed of because medications are discontinued and nursing homes use billions of dollars of medication. Ways to reduce medications in nature are to educate consumers how to dispose of meds, not to prescribe more medication than being used, and stop using drugs that harm the environment.

http://www.teleosis.org/presentations/environmental_burden.ppt
http://www.environmental-expert.com/resultEachPressRelease.aspx?cid=8819&codi=47077&lr=1
http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/06/02/16/pharmaceutical-pollution-what-it-is-and-how-pharmaceutical-pollution-threatens-your-health.htm