Residues of birth control pills, antibiotics, blood-pressure medications, antidepressants, painkillers, shampoos, bleach, and a host of other compounds are making their way into waterways across the country. 

The water contaminants - called emerging contaminants -  enter water bodies after being flushed down a toilet, washed down a drain, or as rainwater runoff from garbage dumps. EPA researchers note they are ubiquitous in our environment and many scientists are profoundly concerned they will adversely impact public health and the environment. 

A number of states and localities around the country have started discouraging pharmacies, hospitals, nursing homes and residents from disposing of drugs down drains and toilets. Some are even starting “pharmaceutical take-back locations” in drugstores or even police stations.  Others are adding pharmaceuticals to the list of hazardous household waste, like leftover paint or insecticides, periodically collected for safe disposal, often by incineration.  

Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration started looking into the effects of residues of antibiotics and antiseptics in water, not just to see if they might affect people but also to assess their potential to encourage the development of drug-resistant bacteria.  More on this story