By John Chappell •
March 26, 2009
A recent study funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found fish caught downstream of wastewater treatment plants in five US cities had detectable amounts of pharmaceutical drug residues in their bodies.
Fish caught downstream from wastewater treatment plans in Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, Philadelphia, and Orlando were found to have residues from drugs designed to treat allergies, high blood pressure, bipolar disorder, and depression. The fish were compared to others caught in unpolluted waters in the Gila River Wilderness Area in New Mexico which were found to have no detectable amounts of the same pharmaceuticals.
Researchers conducting the study noted that it would take many thousands of meals of these tainted fish to actually equal a single recommended dose of any of the drugs, but when combined with mounting concern about traces of pharmaceuticals in drinking water, it raises the question of the amount of medications Americans are unknowingly ingesting through contaminated food and drink. This may not affect you unless you regularly eat fish caught from major rivers and streams, but remember that any fish you eat has the potential to be contaminated with pharmaceuticals, mercury, lead, or other chemicals.
By Jerry James Stone •
September 24, 2008
Senator Barbara Boxer called the hearing to explore how the administration has held up with respect to environmental integrity.
By Max Lindberg •
July 10, 2008
No Fishing Allowed and Drinking Well Water is Banned
In what was reported earlier as a minor situation, comes news that a uranium leak from one of France’s nuclear power plants has tainted well water and two rivers 30 miles from the tourist city of Avignon, which is currently hosting an arts festival.
According to published reports, the amount of untreated liquid uranium released amounted to 75kg, and was rated as a one on the one-to-seven scale of nuclear accidents. Interesting, just a one, and you can’t drink the water, cannot fish or swim in the two rivers.
The local government is said to have immediately banned the drinking of well water, told residents in Vaucluse not to fish, or eat fish caught from the rivers, ended all swimming and water sports and the irrigation of crops in nearby fields.
I am still waiting to hear back from a spokeswoman at the USDA to find out the answer to the question I posed last week: who is in charge of protecting us from crops affected by flood water? In the meantime, I got an alert from the Centers for Disease Control about contaminated water in Iowa. I can tell you, dear reader, that while you may not want to eat food grown along flooded riverbeds, you most definitely do not want to walk in that water, particularly if you have open sores or cuts on your feet and legs. Exposing a sore on your skin to contaminated water puts you at risk for a nasty infection.
