[Pharmwaste] FW: Research on Contaminants in Canadian and European
Waters?
Tenace, Laurie
Laurie.Tenace at dep.state.fl.us
Fri Jun 6 15:21:11 EDT 2008
(Forwarding an email from a non-member of the list serve )
Laurie J. Tenace
Environmental Specialist
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
2600 Blair Stone Road, MS 4555
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400
PH: (850) 245-8759
FAX: (850) 245-8811
Laurie.Tenace at dep.state.fl.us
Mercury web pages:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/mercury/default.htm
Unwanted Medications web pages:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/medications/default.htm
Please Note: Florida has a very broad public records law. Most written
communications to or from state officials regarding state business are public
records available to the public and media upon request. Your e-mail is
communications and may therefore be subject to public disclosure.
-----Original Message-----
From: Bethune.Nancy at epamail.epa.gov [mailto:Bethune.Nancy at epamail.epa.gov]
Sent: Friday, June 06, 2008 3:12 PM
To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: Research on Contaminants in Canadian and European Waters?
to: (Rachel G. Smith)
Rachel, I found the following report (which you can assess at the first
web-link) very informative. It has some information on the
concentration ranges of target compounds. You can also use the second
web-link and access the names, credentials, and e-mail addresses of
participants.
I have some additional information (specific to NC) for you as well.
Will try to phone next week. - Nancy
Assessment of Technologies for the Removal of Pharmaceuticals and
Personal Care Products in Sewage and Drinking Water Facilities to
Improve the Indirect Potable Water Reuse
http://poseidon.bafg.de/servlet/is/2888/Final-Report-POSEIDON-Feb_2005.pdf?co
mmand=downloadContent&filename=Final-Report-POSEIDON-Feb_2005.pdf
http://poseidon.bafg.de/servlet/is/2884/
Nancy Bethune, Environmental Engineer
Drinking Water Section
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
61 Forsyth Street, SW, Atlanta, GA 30303-3104
phone: 404-562-9379 fax: 404-562-9439
bethune.nancy at epa.gov
----- Forwarded by Nancy Bethune/R4/USEPA/US on 06/06/2008 02:39 PM
-----
pharmwaste-reque
st at lists.dep.sta
te.fl.us To
Sent by: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
pharmwaste-bounc cc
es at lists.dep.sta
te.fl.us Subject
Pharmwaste Digest, Vol 32, Issue
2
06/06/2008 08:09
AM
Please respond
to
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Today's Topics:
1. Vogue magazine talks water (Tenace, Laurie)
2. Research on Contaminants in Canadian and European
Waters?
(Rachel G. Smith)
3. USEPA approves 99 analytical methods (DeBiasi,Deborah)
4. RE: Research on Contaminants in Canadian and
EuropeanWaters?
(Volkman, Jennifer)
5. Researchers examine the metabolites of a popular
plasticizer
(DEHP) in sewage sludge (DeBiasi,Deborah)
----- Message from "Tenace, Laurie" <Laurie.Tenace at dep.state.fl.us> on
Tue, 3 Jun 2008 15:08:51 -0400 -----
To: <pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us>
Subject: [Pharmwaste] Vogue magazine talks water
It isn't where I'd go for this kind of article, but June's Vogue
magazine has
a good short article on water and what's in it titled "On the Water
Front".
This follows another article they ran in August 2007 titled "Infertile
Ground" about environmental reasons for infertility.
The news is spreading - now we need to get some men's magazines to write
about it!
Laurie J. Tenace
Environmental Specialist
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
2600 Blair Stone Road, MS 4555
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400
PH: (850) 245-8759
FAX: (850) 245-8811
Laurie.Tenace at dep.state.fl.us
Mercury web pages:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/mercury/default.htm
Unwanted Medications web pages:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/medications/default.htm
Please Note: Florida has a very broad public records law. Most written
communications to or from state officials regarding state business are
public
records available to the public and media upon request. Your e-mail is
communications and may therefore be subject to public disclosure.
The Department of Environmental
Protection values your feedback as a customer. DEP Secretary Michael W.
Sole is committed to continuously assessing and
improving the level and quality of services provided to you. Please take
a few minutes to comment on the quality of
service you received. Copy the url below to a web browser to complete
the DEP
survey:
http://survey.dep.state.fl.us/?refemail=Laurie.Tenace@dep.state.fl.us
Thank you in advance for completing the survey.
----- Message from "Rachel G. Smith" <Rachel.G.Smith at ncmail.net> on Thu,
05 Jun 2008 08:54:02 -0400 -----
To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject [Pharmwaste] Research on Contaminants in Canadian and European
: Waters?
Hello,
I was wondering if anyone has any kind of pre/post data from regions
where there has been a comprehensive drug return system in place for
some time (I'm thinking Canada and/or Europe).
I was reading through the responses of Dr. Shane A. Snyder of the
Southern Nevada Water Authority to questions posed by the Senate
Committee on Environment and Public Works. In Dr. Snyder's words, "the
majority of compounds detected in source waters are not the result of
improper disposal, but rather are attributable to human excretion of
non-metabolized medications."
I have, of course, heard this before, but usually from drug
manufacturers and not from an individual representing water treatment
facilities. It stands to reason that, if this statement is indeed the
case, then pre-return-program data would not differ considerably from
post-program data. At least that would be the closest we may be able to
get to a controlled experiment.
Does anybody have or know if this kind of data? If so, could you please
send it to me or let me know where I could get it.
In case you're wondering, I'm coming at this issue from an environmental
education perspective. We have very limited funds and, if some sort of
return mechanism were to be put in place in North Carolina, we would
want to make sure that dedicating funds to its promotion would be going
towards solving this issue.
I appreciate everyone's time and help in this matter!
Sincerely,
Rachel Golden Smith
--
Rachel Golden Smith
Adult Environmental Education Program Manager
Office of Environmental Education
NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources
1609 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1609
919-733-0711 (phone) 919-733-1616 (fax)
Rachel.G.Smith at ncmail.net
www.eenorthcarolina.org
Check out the Eco-Smart Consumer Blog!
----- Message from "DeBiasi,Deborah" <dldebiasi at deq.virginia.gov> on
Thu, 5 Jun 2008 09:59:13 -0400 -----
To: <pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us>
Subject: [Pharmwaste] USEPA approves 99 analytical methods
06/03/2008
USEPA approves 99 analytical methods
Source: AWWA WaterWeek Staff
USEPA has approved 99 alternative analytical methods water supplies can
use immediately to test for regulated contaminants.
Published in the June 3 Federal Register, the action is the agency's
first under its new "expedited approval" process for such test methods.
USEPA sought comment on the new process in April 2007, and the June 3
announcement describes mostly favorable comments, including from AWWA.
Intended to hasten what has been a protracted rulemaking process for
approving use of compliance methods, the expedited process allows new
methods to be considered for quick approval if they "have performance
characteristics that fall within the range of performance
characteristics obtained by the methods listed in regulation for the
same contaminant."
The 99 approved methods include dozens published in the 21st Edition of
Standard Methods as well as six ASTM methods, one USEPA method and one
commercial method. The EPA drinking water methods Web site contains a
new page that focuses on the expedited methods approval process
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/methods/expedited.html.
Regulation is here:
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-WATER/2008/June/Day-03/w12198.pdf
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 141
[EPA-HQ-OW-2006-0958; FRL-8573-7]
Expedited Approval of Alternative Test Procedures for the Analysis of
Contaminants Under the Safe Drinking Water Act; Analysis and Sampling
Procedures
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Final rule.
NEMI is a free, searchable clearinghouse of methods and procedures for
both regulatory and non-regulatory monitoring purposes for water,
sediment, air and tissues. It is funded by EPA and USGS
http://www.nemi.gov/
The new methods are listed in Appendix A to Subpart C in 40 CFR 141 and
on EPA's drinking water methods Web site at
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/methods/. A hard copy of the list of
methods is also available by calling the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at
(800) 426-4791.
Deborah L. DeBiasi
Email: dldebiasi at deq.virginia.gov
WEB site address: www.deq.virginia.gov
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
Office of Water Permit Programs
Industrial Pretreatment/Toxics Management Program
PPCPs, EDCs, and Microconstituents
Mail: P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218 (NEW!)
Location: 629 E. Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219
PH: 804-698-4028
FAX: 804-698-4032
----- Message from "Volkman, Jennifer" <Jennifer.Volkman at state.mn.us> on
Thu, 5 Jun 2008 12:16:13 -0500 -----
To: "Rachel G. Smith" <Rachel.G.Smith at ncmail.net>,
<pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us>
Subjec RE: [Pharmwaste] Research on Contaminants in Canadian and
t: EuropeanWaters?
I've given up on finding hard statistics and have started going with the
simple anecdotal approach...
If you just think about how much medication you take vs. how much you
throw out, you get an idea of the percentage that is excreted vs. that
which has the potential to be directly sewered. It will certainly vary
per household and the more prescriptions a person is on, the more likely
it is that the waste percentage will increase due to periodic
prescription adjustments. Either way, it is true that the majority of
what we measure in water is excreted. WQ programs here in MN are aware
of this and are working on treatment issues. Regardless, they feel very
strongly that MN needs a waste pharm collection system and that
prevention efforts by the healthcare industry are also parts of a whole
solution.
The group most interested in collecting waste pharms in MN right now is
law enforcement and this is due to the abuse potential of "controlled
substance" pharms (~10% of what is typically collected). Prescription
drug abuse continues to rise and with that, you can guess that related
crime has increased and that the elderly and others dependent on some of
these pharms are particularly vulnerable. These days, if your teen has
a party, you have to make sure you don't have any accessible CS in the
medicine cabinet, along with hiding the booze. I believe the greatest
benefit of pharm collection is a reduction in the amount of CS pharms
available for abuse. Law enforcement present at one event here in MN
estimated the street value of the CS they collected to be $20,000.
Based on the willingness of law enforcement to be a critical part of
collection activities here in MN, you should be able to work with law
enforcement in your area to gain support for your collection efforts.
Technically, only law enforcement can possess CS, so you need them
involved anyway. They can provide security and could be talked into
covering at least a portion of the costs for advertising, properly
managing the controlled substances or whatever else you can think of.
-----Original Message-----
From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Rachel G.
Smith
Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2008 7:54 AM
To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: [Pharmwaste] Research on Contaminants in Canadian and
EuropeanWaters?
Hello,
I was wondering if anyone has any kind of pre/post data from
regions where there has been a comprehensive drug return system in
place for some time (I'm thinking Canada and/or Europe).
I was reading through the responses of Dr. Shane A. Snyder of the
Southern Nevada Water Authority to questions posed by the Senate
Committee on Environment and Public Works. In Dr. Snyder's words,
"the majority of compounds detected in source waters are not the
result of improper disposal, but rather are attributable to human
excretion of non-metabolized medications."
I have, of course, heard this before, but usually from drug
manufacturers and not from an individual representing water
treatment facilities. It stands to reason that, if this statement
is indeed the case, then pre-return-program data would not differ
considerably from post-program data. At least that would be the
closest we may be able to get to a controlled experiment.
Does anybody have or know if this kind of data? If so, could you
please send it to me or let me know where I could get it.
In case you're wondering, I'm coming at this issue from an
environmental education perspective. We have very limited funds
and, if some sort of return mechanism were to be put in place in
North Carolina, we would want to make sure that dedicating funds
to its promotion would be going towards solving this issue.
I appreciate everyone's time and help in this matter!
Sincerely,
Rachel Golden Smith
--
Rachel Golden Smith
Adult Environmental Education Program Manager
Office of Environmental Education
NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources
1609 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1609
919-733-0711 (phone) 919-733-1616 (fax)
Rachel.G.Smith at ncmail.net
www.eenorthcarolina.org
Check out the Eco-Smart Consumer Blog!
----- Message from "DeBiasi,Deborah" <dldebiasi at deq.virginia.gov>
on Fri, 6 Jun 2008 12:02:55 -0400 -----
To: <pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us>, "H2E - Hospitals for a
Healthy Environment - Info Exchange Listserv"
<h2e at email.sparklist.com>
Subj [Pharmwaste] Researchers examine the metabolites of a popular
ect: plasticizer (DEHP) in sewage sludge
http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2008/jun/science/jp_plasticiz
ers.html
Environmental Science and Technology
Science News
June 4, 2008
Tracking plastic's breakdown products
Researchers examine the metabolites of a popular plasticizer in sewage
sludge.
A rapidly growing body of research has raised concerns about the safety
of phthalate plasticizers found in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products,
cosmetics, and medical devices. Now, scientists are gaining new insights
by looking not just at the parent compounds but at their metabolites as
well.
Scientists worry that infant boys exposed to phthalate plasticizers in
medical tubing and bags could experience abnormal development of the
reproductive tract. The most widely used plasticizer is DEHP, or
di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, and millions of tons are produced annually,
says Jim Nicell, an environmental engineer at McGill University
(Canada). When added to PVC, DEHP lubricates the brittle polymer,
providing it with the well-known flexibility that makes it ideal for use
in building materials, household furnishings, and medical devices such
as intravenous tubes and bags.
Because it is not chemically bound to the plastic polymer, fat-loving
DEHP readily migrates out of products and is now ubiquitous in the
environment, Nicell says. It has been found in human breast milk (
http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2006/jul/science/nl_plasticiz
ers.html
), blood, and urine as well as house dust, snow, and sewage sludge. The
European Commission has classified DEHP as a priority organic pollutant
and in 2006 proposed a water quality standard for DEHP of 1.3 micrograms
per liter, Nicell adds. Denmark limits the concentration of DEHP in
sludge used in agriculture to 50 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) dry
weight.
"Environmental fate studies tend to focus on the parent compound, but
the unanswered question is, what does it turn into?" Nicell asks.
Expecting that DEHP would eventually degrade into CO2 and water, Nicell
and his colleagues at McGill were surprised to find that soil
microorganisms break down DEHP into metabolites that exhibit acute
toxicity in standard tests.
Nicell's new study (
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18309214?dopt=Abstract) tracked for
the first time the DEHP breakdown products in sewage sludge and found
concentrations ranging from 1 to 228 mg/kg. "We don't have a handle on
what is the long-term impact associated with exposure to minute
concentrations, [when combined with] a whole bunch of other toxins or
endocrine disrupters, on the health and reproductive health of
organisms," Nicell says.
However, a burgeoning body of work on human exposure to DEHP has sprung
up during the past 8 years, notes Russ Hauser, an epidemiologist at
Harvard University. Humans oxidize DEHP into a different suite of
metabolites compared with those from soil microorganisms, starting with
MEHP (mono-ethylhexyl phthalate) and followed by four additional
oxidative metabolites.
In an earlier study published in November 2006 (
http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/22/3/688), Hauser and
his colleagues measured the concentration of DEHP metabolites in urine
samples collected from men at an infertility clinic and found a positive
association of MEHP with DNA damage in sperm. "When we adjusted our
statistical models for the oxidative metabolites, we found a strong and
consistent signal for MEHP that would otherwise have been missed,"
Hauser says.
Scientists have been able to establish DEHP and its breakdown products
as antiandrogenic in rodents, according to Shanna Swan, an
epidemiologist at the University of Rochester. Exposure to DEHP in utero
puts a damper on testosterone production in fetal male rats, which leads
to undescended testicles, penile deformations, and a shorter anogenital
distance.
The National Toxicology Program's Center for the Evaluation of Risks to
Human Reproduction concluded (
http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov/chemicals/dehp/DEHP-Monograph.pdf Size: 4.46
MB) in November 2006 that DEHP in medical devices raises serious and
significant concerns that normal development of the male reproductive
tract in humans could be undermined.
In 2005, Swan and her colleagues looked for and found shortening of
anogenital distance in human male infants, similar to that found in
exposed rats; the effect was associated with higher exposures to four
phthalates but not to DEHP. Swan is repeating the study with a larger
sample size and more DEHP metabolites than in the earlier study.
Because of the known reproductive and toxic effects in animals,
California has stepped in to regulate DEHP, explains Sam Delson, deputy
director for external and legislative affairs at the California EPA.
Beginning on January 1, 2009, California regulators will prohibit
manufacturers from using DEHP in any toy or child-care article and will
prohibit three other phthalates from being used in any toy or child-care
article intended for use by children under 3 years of age, if the item
can be placed in a child's mouth. The regulation is nearly identical to
one finalized in the EU in 2006. The U.S. Congress is close to approving
a bill (H.R. 4040
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-4040) that would
establish a federal ban on phthalates in children's toys.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002 (
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/psn/printer.cfm?id=77) recommended that
hospitals use alternatives to DEHP-containing plastics for vulnerable
populations such as premature baby boys, mothers pregnant with male
fetuses, and boys nearing puberty, says Ted Schettler, science director
for the Science and Environmental Health Network, an advocacy
organization. To date, FDA has resisted calls from a coalition that
includes the American Medical Association (the top advocacy group for
doctors) and leading hospitals to require manufacturers to label medical
devices that contain DEHP.
Given how much is known about the risks of DEHP from animal data and
that we have some understanding of the molecular mechanisms, serious
thought must be given to how to reduce human exposure, Hauser says.
"Health Care Without Harm [an advocacy group] has a position (
http://www.noharm.org/us/pvcDehp/issue) stating that people shouldn't be
exposed to DEHP and that we should be moving away from PVC medical
devices to those made out of alternative materials," Schettler adds.
—JANET PELLEY
Deborah L. DeBiasi
Email: dldebiasi at deq.virginia.gov
WEB site address: www.deq.virginia.gov
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
Office of Water Permit Programs
Industrial Pretreatment/Toxics Management Program
PPCPs, EDCs, and Microconstituents
Mail: P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218 (NEW!)
Location: 629 E. Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219
PH: 804-698-4028
FAX: 804-698-4032 _______________________________________________
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