271 million lbs of pharmaceuticals dumped into waterways...LEGALLY!!

[DaRizzle]

U.S. manufacturers, including major drugmakers, have legally released at least 271 million pounds of pharmaceuticals into waterways that often provide drinking water — contamination the federal government has consistently overlooked, according to an Associated Press investigation.

Hundreds of active pharmaceutical ingredients are used in a variety of manufacturing, including drugmaking: For example, lithium is used to make ceramics and treat bipolar disorder; nitroglycerin is a heart drug and also used in explosives; copper shows up in everything from pipes to contraceptives.

Federal and industry officials say they don't know the extent to which pharmaceuticals are released by U.S. manufacturers because no one tracks them — as drugs. But a close analysis of 20 years of federal records found that, in fact, the government unintentionally keeps data on a few, allowing a glimpse of the pharmaceuticals coming from factories.

As part of its ongoing PharmaWater investigation about trace concentrations of pharmaceuticals in drinking water, AP identified 22 compounds that show up on two lists: the EPA monitors them as industrial chemicals that are released into rivers, lakes and other bodies of water under federal pollution laws, while the Food and Drug Administration classifies them as active pharmaceutical ingredients.

The data don't show precisely how much of the 271 million pounds comes from drugmakers versus other manufacturers; also, the figure is a massive undercount because of the limited federal government tracking.

To date, drugmakers have dismissed the suggestion that their manufacturing contributes significantly to what's being found in water. Federal drug and water regulators agree.

But some researchers say the lack of required testing amounts to a 'don't ask, don't tell' policy about whether drugmakers are contributing to water pollution.

"It doesn't pass the straight-face test to say pharmaceutical manufacturers are not emitting any of the compounds they're creating," said Kyla Bennett, who spent 10 years as an EPA enforcement officer before becoming an ecologist and environmental attorney.

Pilot studies in the U.S. and abroad are now confirming those doubts.

Last year, the AP reported that trace amounts of a wide range of pharmaceuticals — including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones — have been found in American drinking water supplies. Including recent findings in Dallas, Cleveland and Maryland's Prince George's and Montgomery counties, pharmaceuticals have been detected in the drinking water of at least 51 million Americans.

Most cities and water providers still do not test. Some scientists say that wherever researchers look, they will find pharma-tainted water.

LINK

The human race is screwed...gotta bunch of morons driving the car

 

[Denny Crane]

From the thread title, I figured Shaq jumped in a river or something.

 

[mook]

Eventually the free market will take care of this. We certainly don't need more regulation.

Are all you economic conservatives out there with me?

 

[MARIS61]

LINK

The human race is screwed...gotta bunch of morons driving the car

What we have is Big Business, and Mom and Pop Business, deliberately polluting the world to save a few bucks on their bottom line.

As long as greed is a human trait we will all pay the price.

 

[Sinobas]

I always drink and cook with filtered water. At Fred Meyer, or Whole Foods, you can get water that is filtered via reverse osmosis(and a bunch of other yackady schmakedy)....It's only 35 cents a gallon, and you can use a refillable jug. I've gotten others to try it who had previously not liked water much(because they drank from the tap), and they say they've started craving water.

It also gets out the flouride and the chlorine, which are poisons.

But of course, what is released into our water systems usually ends up in our food...so this is not a good thing.
That's why I say fuck-pharma and be healthy naturally.

 

[julius]

No wonder I've had a boner for 4 hours now, and I'm in a really good mood, and my boobs look bigger now.

 

[TripTango]

No wonder I've had a boner for 4 hours now, and I'm in a really good mood, and my boobs look bigger now.

And don't forget about all that hair growth, drowsiness, and suppressed ovulation.

 

[julius]

And don't forget about all that hair growth, drowsiness, and suppressed ovulation.

That's not new though.

 

[MARIS61]

I always drink and cook with filtered water. At Fred Meyer, or Whole Foods, you can get water that is filtered via reverse osmosis(and a bunch of other yackady schmakedy)....It's only 35 cents a gallon, and you can use a refillable jug. I've gotten others to try it who had previously not liked water much(because they drank from the tap), and they say they've started craving water.

It also gets out the flouride and the chlorine, which are poisons.

But of course, what is released into our water systems usually ends up in our food...so this is not a good thing.
That's why I say fuck-pharma and be healthy naturally.

Is that how you get that lovely complexion?

 

[barfo]

There are some serious problems with that story. Polluters need to be put to death, but the authors here seem to be taking a few liberties with facts and logic.

barfo

 

[MrJayremmie]

If they could just drop some vicodin/percocet into the water... the world would be a much more peaceful place.

 

[Colonel Ronan]

I've gotten others to try it who had previously not liked water much(because they drank from the tap), and they say they've started craving water.

Sounds like its drugged.