With the abundance of rain we have received the past few weeks, the antiquated waste water system design has often resulted in the combination of sewage and storm water overwhelming the system's capacity and pouring into our communities' surface waters. This worries many people because solid sewage waste, such as feces, tampons, and condoms, end up floating our rivers and lake. Fortunately there is some good news regarding Buffalo's aging sewer infrastructure.
While the visible signs of overflows are nauseating enough, there is more floating than our eyes can see. Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (or PPCPs), which get flushed down with our waste after working their way through our bodies, are being detected in the water. And unfortunately, currently, there are no municipal sewage treatment plants that are engineered specifically to remove all PPCPs.
According to the EPA, some PPCPs are not easily broken down, processed, and fully absorbed by our bodies, and thus enter domestic sewers. The list of PPCPs includes a diverse collection of thousands of chemical substances, including prescription and over-the-counter therapeutic drugs, veterinary drugs, fragrances, lotions, and cosmetics. So is there a reason to be concerned? Can the left over chemicals that have passed through or washed off our bodies have a negative impact on humans?
Unfortunately, since the detection of these chemicals is relatively recent and sometimes at such low levels, scientists are not sure. According to the EPA, however, there are several serious concerns that warrant further study: resistance to antibiotics, the unknown consequences of many PPCPs, and the impacts of low-level exposures in drinking water, especially in scenarios such as a pregnant woman unknowingly exposing her unborn child.
Whether the presence of pharmaceuticals and other personal care products in our waters has an impact on humans, the impact on fish, invertebrates, water fowl, and aquatic mammals is a completely different story. Many aquatic species, especially fish, live in an environment where they, and their offspring, are continually exposed to these chemicals, even if it is at low levels. Some research has shown that PPCPs can cause the disruption of a species endocrine system by natural and synthetic sex steroids found in water.
It is also important to note that there are other sources of PPCPs in our water. Agricultural runoff that includes the hormones and antibiotics that are commonly used in today's industrial agricultural economy also contribute to the problem. Other sources include pharmaceutical manufacturing and hospital residues, illegal drugs, and veterinary drugs,
After reading all of this, it is understandable to feel a sense of helplessness. However, there are changes we can all make as individuals such as proper disposal of expired medications - seeking out organic or less toxic chemicals to use in our daily lives, and using an inexpensive filtering water pitcher, or facet filter on your kitchen tap. Upgrading sewers to ensure that no raw waste is overflowing into our streams and Great Lakes will make a big dent in reducing the PPCPs entering our environment, as much as 90% of the endocrine disrupting compounds according to a 2007 Environment Canada report, but it won't solve the problem alone. More must be done.
It is important that concerns are expressed in the policy making process. As the United States and Canada begin the process to renew the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, we the public must insist that new and emerging threats like Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products, which the two countries didn't even think to include in the last agreement decades ago, are adequately addressed in the guiding binational environmental policy for our Great Lakes.
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While the visible signs of overflows are nauseating enough, there is more floating than our eyes can see. Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (or PPCPs), which get flushed down with our waste after working their way through our bodies, are being detected in the water. And unfortunately, currently, there are no municipal sewage treatment plants that are engineered specifically to remove all PPCPs.
According to the EPA, some PPCPs are not easily broken down, processed, and fully absorbed by our bodies, and thus enter domestic sewers. The list of PPCPs includes a diverse collection of thousands of chemical substances, including prescription and over-the-counter therapeutic drugs, veterinary drugs, fragrances, lotions, and cosmetics. So is there a reason to be concerned? Can the left over chemicals that have passed through or washed off our bodies have a negative impact on humans?
Unfortunately, since the detection of these chemicals is relatively recent and sometimes at such low levels, scientists are not sure. According to the EPA, however, there are several serious concerns that warrant further study: resistance to antibiotics, the unknown consequences of many PPCPs, and the impacts of low-level exposures in drinking water, especially in scenarios such as a pregnant woman unknowingly exposing her unborn child.
Whether the presence of pharmaceuticals and other personal care products in our waters has an impact on humans, the impact on fish, invertebrates, water fowl, and aquatic mammals is a completely different story. Many aquatic species, especially fish, live in an environment where they, and their offspring, are continually exposed to these chemicals, even if it is at low levels. Some research has shown that PPCPs can cause the disruption of a species endocrine system by natural and synthetic sex steroids found in water.
It is also important to note that there are other sources of PPCPs in our water. Agricultural runoff that includes the hormones and antibiotics that are commonly used in today's industrial agricultural economy also contribute to the problem. Other sources include pharmaceutical manufacturing and hospital residues, illegal drugs, and veterinary drugs,
After reading all of this, it is understandable to feel a sense of helplessness. However, there are changes we can all make as individuals such as proper disposal of expired medications - seeking out organic or less toxic chemicals to use in our daily lives, and using an inexpensive filtering water pitcher, or facet filter on your kitchen tap. Upgrading sewers to ensure that no raw waste is overflowing into our streams and Great Lakes will make a big dent in reducing the PPCPs entering our environment, as much as 90% of the endocrine disrupting compounds according to a 2007 Environment Canada report, but it won't solve the problem alone. More must be done.
It is important that concerns are expressed in the policy making process. As the United States and Canada begin the process to renew the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, we the public must insist that new and emerging threats like Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products, which the two countries didn't even think to include in the last agreement decades ago, are adequately addressed in the guiding binational environmental policy for our Great Lakes.
I remember when the City of Buffalo's drinking water was declared the cleanest! And because I am alive to remember that, the condition that life-sustaining drinking water is in now is extremely frightening. And at this rate, it shouldn't be long, (if it isn't already true), that those home faucet water purifying gadets will be emitting chemicals to eliminate other chemicals...