Group D

Group DEnvSc 210

Chittenden, Ferry, Foster, Primm, Siebert, Southwell

Management of Pharmaceuticalsand

Personal Care Products

The human impact on aquatic ecosystems is extensive in magnitude, scope and duration. From over depletion to blatant source pollution, humans have been degrading water quality and depleting the quantity of potable water for centuries. The impacts are beginning to intensify, and are not easily remedied.

Previous Regulations

Protect aquatic system from:

DDT

Mercury

There is a new class of Contaminants

Pharmaceuticals & Personal Care

Products

• Widespread

• Long term effects unknown on ecosystem

• “Impossible to Regulate”

Rivers, Lakes & Aquifers IN DANGER

Sources: Agriculture & Hospital Waste

European Union vs United States

EU• Implementing

Regulations• World Leader• Banned exports of

Mercury• Enforce Recycling of

batteries• Required risk assessment

of all new medicines

USA• “Recognized” as

“possible threat”• NO legislations to

regulate everyday contaminants at present

• Lack of funding due to military spending and no market incentive

• EPA 2007 “lack of studies to determine long term threats”

How clean is our water?How clean is our water?

Present regulation doesn’t regulate every day contaminants, which have a cumulative effect:

BIOACCUMULATION

Waste / accumulation increase with population & usage increase.

Antibiotics

Steroids(Hormones)

HomesAnimal FeedlotsVeterinary Clinics

kills beneficial organisms

creates super viruses

prostate &breast cancer

link

CAFOs

http://www.themeatrix1.com/

CAFOs

• Over 238,000 operating in US• Count for over half of the 500,000,000

tons of manure through feeding operations• Natural and synthetic hormones are

spread into local water and soil by runoff. • They are overly destructive in the

ecosystems they contaminate. One study showed the masculinization of female fish downstream from a CAFO in 2004.

Hospital Waste

Regulated by• OSHA• EPA• DOT• State of Missouri

Practices not consistent between hospitals.

*in house vs. contracted processing/storage

*different levels of preparedness/willingness

to discuss

MUST ACT NOW!

• Long term effects unknown

• Cumulative damage

Must regulate/control disposal & waste streams.

End slide

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/ver/225/popup/index.php?cl=2390728