[Pharmwaste] New Studies in Impact of Minute Amts of Drugs on Aquatic Life

[Sarah Pratt]

Pharmaceuticals in the Environment
Pharmaceuticals have been found in the environment at levels that are =
known to cause long-term toxic effects, yet for most pharmaceutical =
substances, we have no data on the long-term effects of exposure to human =
health or the environment.=20

Stockholm County Council has developed a system for environmental =
classification of pharmaceutical substances. The system operates by =
assessing the environmental hazard of the pharmaceutical substance in the =
aquatic environment in terms of its persistence, its potential to =
bioaccumulation and its eco-toxicity (PBT).http://www.janusinfo.se/imcms/se=
rvlet/GetDoc?meta_id=3D7236=20
=20
 See a brochure with the list of 159 active substances classified on their =
PBT potential.
http://www.noharm.org/details.cfm?ID=3D1027&type=3Ddocument

Additionally, the Medical Products Agency of Sweden issued a study on the =
environmental effects of pharmaceuticals. Read  excerpts from the  MPA =
study.=20
http://www.noharm.org/details.cfm?ID=3D1026&type=3Ddocument




Sarah Pratt
Hazardous Materials Specialist
San Mateo County Environmental Health
455 County Center, 4th Floor
Redwood City, CA 94063
Ph: (650) 599-1325
Fax: (650- 363-7882
Email: spratt@co.sanmateo.ca.us

>>> "Charlotte Smith" <csmith@pharmecology.com> 5/30/2005 10:49:16 PM >>>
A story in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel  on Sunday, May 29th, 2005
provides dramatic information on the effects of minute amounts of drugs
added to aquatic environments. The story can be accessed at
http://www.jsonline.com/alive/news/may05/329670.asp.=20
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Charlotte A. Smith, R. Ph., M.S., HEM
President
PharmEcology Associates, LLC
200 S. Executive Drive, Suite 101
Brookfield, WI 53005
262-814-2635
Fax 414-479-9941
www.pharmecology.com <http://www.pharmecology.com/>=20
H2E Champion for Change Award
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