[Pharmwaste] News: U.S. Households Flushing More Organic Material Than Expected Down the Drain

[Jason R Vogel]

Hadn't seen this posted here yet and thought it was interesting:  
http://www1.umn.edu/news/news-releases/2009/UR_CONTENT_118942.html





U of Minnesota Three-State Survey Finds U.S. Households Flushing More 
Organic Material Than Expected Down the Drain
 
MEDIA NOTE:  
 
Contacts: 
Nina Shepherd, Water Resources Center, (612) 599-1148, shep001 at umn.edu 
Patty Mattern, University News Service, (612) 624-2801
MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (06/03/2009) ?  
Households are flushing more organic material?including medicines and 
cleaning and personal care products?down the drain compared to historic 
data, according to researchers at the University of Minnesota?s Water 
Resources Center (WRC). 
The yearlong monitoring of households in Colorado, Florida and Minnesota 
reinforces concerns that Americans in general may be adding more 
household chemicals and pharmaceuticals to waste water.
 
This pilot study, done by the U of Minnesota's Water Resources Center 
Onsite Sewage Treatment Program team and the Colorado School of Mines, 
sampled the wastewater of 16 households in three states ?Minnesota, 
Florida and Colorado?for one year beginning in fall 2006. By adding a 
mechanical diverter to the homes? building sewer, researchers were able to 
sample water both seasonally and around the clock during a seven-day 
period for each home.
 
In addition to an increase in medicines and organic chemicals in the 
wastewater, researchers found caffeine in all samples that were 
tested; salicylic acid (the active compound in aspirin) was in about three 
quarters of samples, ibuprofen in half, and detergent additives and 
plasticizers in more than three quarters. Researchers also found that 
water use did not vary from season to season, but was affected by the 
household?s age, with younger households using nearly twice the amount of 
water per person than households with occupants 55 and older.
 
The good news is a decrease in the amount of oil and grease flushed down 
the drain. Concentrations of phosphates were also down?due to 
phosphate-free detergents and household cleansers?while the amount of 
nitrogen in household wastewater remained the same.
 
?It?s a little like going through someone?s trash can?you get a snapshot 
of what?s being used inside the home,? said WRC research assistant Jessica 
Wittwer, who was the field sampler for Minnesota. ?While fewer households 
are flushing oils and grease down the drain, households across the board 
are using more pharmaceuticals and stronger, anti-microbial and 
nonbiodegradable cleansers. The concern with pharmaceuticals and 
nonbiodegradable chemicals is their long-term effect on the larger 
ecosystem and food chain.?
 
The Water Resource Center is affiliated with the university?s College of 
Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences and University 
of Minnesota Extension. For more information, visit wrc.umn.edu.
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