Sludge Watch ==> Aging population is polluting with trace amounts of drugs

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

In Canada, just like in the United States, the people who run sewage 
treatment plants and the regulators who enforce environmental standards 
refuse to act on the problem of pharmaceuticals and personal care products 
contamination of water.

Here in Toronto, the governmental indifference is palpable in this report.  
Municipal and provincial staffers act as though impact on human health and 
drinking supply is the only issue.  In the environment, male fish are 
growing eggs sacks.  Our sewage treatment plants are causing some species to 
stop reproducing.

The public needs to step into the debate.  It isn't ok to allow human sewage 
to be the biggest polluter of the environment in the richest nations on 
earth.



Tue, May 20, 2008
Aging population is 'polluting' with trace amounts of drugs
By SHARON LEM  The Toronto Sun



More evidence of low concentrations of personal care products, 
pharmaceutical drugs and cleaning fluids are showing up in the environment 
and water and governments need to take action soon, a Trent University 
professor says.

The chemicals are neutering fish, affecting egg production, and having an 
impact on other aquatic organisms, says Prof. Chris Metcalfe, director of 
the Institute for Watershed Science at Trent.

"We need to improve water treatment technology and do things like set up 
disposal programs for out of date drugs and find ways to reduce the risks," 
Metcalfe said.

Trace levels of drugs were found in water treatment plants and the 
environment.

"Anything we might use in homes from cleaning products, perfumes to 
chemicals in antibacterial soaps and mouthwashes winds up going down the 
drain," Metcalfe said. "As the population grows and ages and more people are 
taking drugs, we will probably wind up with higher concentrations appearing 
in drinking water and aquatic systems.



"Municipalities have to invest in infrastructure to upgrade technology in 
drinking water treatment plants. All levels of governments should become 
more involved," he said.

The City of Toronto is aware of the issue but doesn't rate the risk as high.

"With respect to the operation of treatment facilities there is no plan to 
do anything differently," says Lou Di Gioronimo, general manager of 
Toronto's water.

"It's still a new issue and the levels are so small -- it's parts per 
billion so there's nothing to be worried about," Di Gioronimo said.

"There's no evidence it affects drinking water at this time. There's just 
not a lot of information anywhere in the world with respect to this," 
Ontario environment ministry spokesman John Steele says.

"The government of Canada is taking action on sewage dumping and sewage 
treatment, which often can contain trace quantities of pharmaceuticals and 
personal products. Our government is taking action to ban the dumping of raw 
sewage and to improve treatment across Canada," said Garry Keller, spokesman 
for federal Environment Minister John Baird.

Trent University is hosting a conference for Great Lakes research with 
environmental activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the keynote speaker on 
Thursday

http://torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2008/05/20/5614526-sun.html