[Pharmwaste] FW: Chemicals in water altering genders offish(*LakePepin, Peedee and Potomac Rivers)

Thu Feb 4 11:43:29 EST 2010

Agree. I think it might also depend on the chemistry of the individual drugs
- and other substances as well. Some might bind to solids which would be
pumped out....

Sue Dayton

Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League

North Carolina Healthy Communities Program

PO BOX 44

Saxapahaw, NC 27340

(336) 525-2003

sdayton at swcp.com

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
-  Martin Luther King Jr.

  _____  

From: Reibstein, Rick (EEA) [mailto:Rick.Reibstein at state.ma.us] 
Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 11:08 AM
To: Sue Dayton; 'Reibstein, Rick (EEA)'; 'Howard Anderson';
pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] FW: Chemicals in water altering genders
offish(*LakePepin, Peedee and Potomac Rivers)

Septic systems allow for the discharge into the leach field of anything that
floats, so what gets sent to the WWTP is only what settles.  I don't know
what percentage of excreted pharmaceuticals is going into the leach field.
My understanding is that if it's a leach field close to the surface where
there's high biological activity there might be a lot of biodegradation
before it reaches anyone's wellhead.  But if it's deeper it could travel
with less degradation.  

From: Sue Dayton [mailto:sdayton at swcp.com] 
Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 10:59 AM
To: 'Reibstein, Rick (EEA)'; 'Howard Anderson';
pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] FW: Chemicals in water altering genders
offish(*LakePepin, Peedee and Potomac Rivers)

Rick:

I live in a rural community, and have a septic system in my yard. When it
gets Floyd's Septic takes it to the regional WWTP - along with the leachate
from the county landfill. And from there it gets spread on farmlands.

Sue Dayton

Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League

North Carolina Healthy Communities Program

PO BOX 44

Saxapahaw, NC 27340

(336) 525-2003

sdayton at swcp.com

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
-  Martin Luther King Jr.

  _____  

From: Reibstein, Rick (EEA) [mailto:Rick.Reibstein at state.ma.us] 
Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 8:23 AM
To: Sue Dayton; 'Howard Anderson'; pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] FW: Chemicals in water altering genders
offish(*LakePepin, Peedee and Potomac Rivers)

Don't forget septic discharges.  Not everything goes to sewer.

From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Sue Dayton
Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 6:04 PM
To: 'Howard Anderson'; pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] FW: Chemicals in water altering genders of
fish(*LakePepin, Peedee and Potomac Rivers)

Howard:

This is more complex than you think. I work on sludge issues here in NC -
the spreading of sewage sludge on farmlands (where this stuff concentrates)
that's being given to farmers to use as a fertilizer free of charge from
WWTPs. Our sewage systems aren't going to do a .... thing unless they are
TOLD to do so by state and/or federal regulators. They aren't being told nor
will they acknowledge that there's a problem.  

Sue Dayton

Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League

North Carolina Healthy Communities Program

PO BOX 44

Saxapahaw, NC 27340

(336) 525-2003

sdayton at swcp.com

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
-  Martin Luther King Jr.

  _____  

From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Howard
Anderson
Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 5:55 PM
To: 'Sue Dayton'; pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] FW: Chemicals in water altering genders of
fish(*LakePepin, Peedee and Potomac Rivers)

Dear Pharmwaste List:

Remember that over  99% of these drugs come from excretions by those of us
who take the drugs and excrete metabolites, or in many cases largely
unchanged drug. We should concentrate our efforts on teaching our sewage
systems to render the chemicals benign. Sometimes we spend a lot of time and
money trying to solve 1 percent of the problem, when we should be better
served solving the 99 percent. Then the extra 1 percent would come along, as
a matter of course.

Sincerely,

Howard

Howard C. Anderson, Jr.,R.Ph.

Executive Director

North Dakota Board of Pharmacy

1906 E. Broadway Ave.

P.O. Box 1354

Bismarck, ND  58502-1354

Phone (701) 328-9535

Fax (701) 328-9536

Web site www.nodakpharmacy.com

  _____  

From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Sue Dayton
Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 1:22 PM
To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: [Pharmwaste] FW: Chemicals in water altering genders of fish
(*LakePepin, Peedee and Potomac Rivers)

The "generating source" for these hormone-disrupting chemicals found in
rivers and streams is PEOPLE as part of the never-ending waste stream from
homes, businesses, restaurants, hospitals, research labs, veterinary
clinics, funeral homes, nursing homes, and industry which takes a brief stop
at the local wastewater treatment plant before these unregulated and
untested and unremoved hormone disrupting chemicals are discharged as
effluent into surface waters and onto farmlands via sewage sludge (aka,
biosolids) where the chemicals are found to concentrate. The problem may not
just be affecting smallmouth bass, carp, catfish and sturgeon, but humans as
well seen through research studies showing decreasing sperm counts in men. A
video is also available for viewing at this link. Thoughts, anyone? -- Sue

.........................................................

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/25/eveningnews/main5778106.shtml

COLUMBIA, Mo., Nov. 25, 2009 

Chemicals in Water Alter Gender of Fish

Pollution Brings Worrying Signs for Fish Populations; Worse, Most U.S.
Drinking Water Comes from the Same Sources

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