Senators calls for hearings on drugged drinking water.
As was widely reported this week, the Associated Press recently released the results of an investigation indicating that pharmaceutical drugs are at detectable levels in most municipal fresh water supplies. Although the drug levels are well below those used for medical purposes, it was reported that they are high enough to potentially cause health problems in humans. Interestingly, the United States is not the only country to face this problem. Similar studies have shown traces of pharmaceuticals in the water supplies of other developed nations, including Japan, Germany and Canada, among others. (Since the more wealthy a country, the more likely they are to have access to pharmaceuticals.)
The source of these drugs is believed to be human urine. Apparently, when people take pharmaceuticals, there are parts of the drugs that are not completely broken down by the body, which are then removed by the kidneys, released into the toilet and then flushed back into the world. Because municipal water treatment plants fail to remove these traces from their reservoir water, it then is re-introduced into humans via centrally supplied drinking water.
Senators Boxer and Lautenberg, of California and New Jersey (Dems), respectively, have both called for hearings on this matter. The EPA’s spokesman indicated that “we encourage all Americans to be responsible when disposing of prescription drugs.” This response seemed a little odd given the fact that the drugs are apparently released through urine rather than improper garbage disposal. We wonder what exactly the EPA wants individuals to do other than pressure their local water plants to more thoroughly purify the water supply?
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