This past week, the Associated Press released a startling study concerning our drinking water. Apparently, at least 271 million pounds of 22 pharmaceutical compounds was found in the tested water. The compounds come from two governmental lists: the EPA monitors them as industrial chemicals that are released into rivers, lakes and other bodies of water under federal pollution laws, while the Food and Drug Administration classifies them as active pharmaceutical ingredients.
For a long time, Injuryboard members have been identifying the issues out there with pharmaceutical companies:
Some of the information is quite troubling, but adding the dumping into our water should create nightmares. Think about being drugged and not even knowing it. Emerging research also has shown that human cells fail to grow normally in the laboratory when exposed to trace concentrations of certain drugs. This has caused some scientists to believe that even exposure to small amounts of the drugs, over decades, could cause harm to humans.
The investigation will hopefully continue as to the source of all of this drugging. There are indications that some of it comes from consumers disposing of their drugs. 250 million pounds of pharmaceuticals and contaminated packaging are thrown away each year by hospitals and long-term care facilities. But, "It doesn't pass the straight-face test to say pharmaceutical manufacturers are not emitting any of the compounds they're creating," said Kyla Bennett, a former 10-year EPA enforcement officer and current ecologist and environmental attorney.
Have an opinion about this post? Please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Another disgusting display of mega-corporate greed and irresponsibility that needs to be remedied sooner than later. I would hope to see some reports of possible higher instances of illnesses of people in the areas near these facilities. If they show a trend of problems caused then the companies need to be held accountable. This may not be as bad as Asbestos Quebec, but lets hope we dont see a town renamed Neurohazard Maryland.
Tough to link , those cases can become money eaters, there are a number of stories about that. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.
Keep up with the latest updates using your favorite RSS reader
Your question will be referred to an attorney near you. If your question is of a legal nature, then by submitting this form you agree you are not forming a formal attorney / client relationship. Read our full privacy policy.
Looking for an InjuryBoard attorney closer to home? Click here.
Enter your email address if you would like to receive email notifications when comments are made on this post.
Find an InjuryBoard Blog in your area:
Alabama
Birmingham
Gadsden
Huntsville
Mobile
Montgomery
Alaska
Anchorage
Fairbanks
Arizona
Chandler
Phoenix
Scottsdale
Tucson
Arkansas
Bentonville
El Dorado
Jonesboro
Little Rock
Mountain Home
California
Bakersfield
Chico
Fresno
Glendale
Huntington Beach
Lancaster
Long Beach
Los Angeles
Modesto
Novato
Oakland
Orange County
Redding
Sacramento
San Diego
San Diego County
San Francisco
San Jose
San Luis Obispo
Santa Clarita
Stockton
Ventura
Colorado
Colorado Springs
Denver
Fort Collins
Grand Junction
Connecticut
Hartford
New Haven
Waterbury
District of Columbia
Metro D.C.
Washington
Florida
Central Florida
Fort Lauderdale
Ft. Myers
Gainesville, Ocala & Daytona Beach
Jacksonville
Melbourne
Miami
Orlando
Pensacola
Sarasota
Tallahassee
Tampa Bay
West Palm Beach
Georgia
Atlanta
Hawaii
Honolulu
Idaho
Boise
Illinois
Chicago
Chicago-Land
Cook County
Rockford & Moline
Springfield
Indiana
Bloomington
Indianapolis
Iowa
Council Bluffs
Davenport
Des Moines
Fort Dodge
Waterloo
Kansas
Topeka
Wichita
Kentucky
Bowling Green
Louisville
Paducah
Louisiana
Baton Rouge
Lafayette
New Orleans
Maine
Bangor & Augusta
Maryland
Baltimore
Massachusetts
Boston
Cape Cod
Stoughton / Canton
Michigan
Detroit
Grand Rapids
Lansing
Traverse City
Minnesota
Minneapolis
St. Cloud
Mississippi
Biloxi & Gulfport
Tupelo
Missouri
Jefferson City
Kansas City
St. Louis
Montana
Missoula
Nebraska
Lincoln
Omaha
Nevada
Las Vegas
Reno
New Hampshire
New Jersey
Bergen County
Cherry Hill
Jersey City
Newark
Trenton
New York
Buffalo
Long Island
New York City
Northern New York
Syracuse
North Carolina
Charlotte
Fayetteville
Greensboro
Greenville, OBX & Rocky Mount
Raleigh
Wilmington
Ohio
Akron
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Columbus
Dayton
Findlay
Sandusky
Toledo
Oklahoma
Oklahoma City
Tulsa
Oregon
Portland
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia
Rhode Island
Providence
South Carolina
Charleston
Columbia
Florence / Myrtle Beach
Greenville
Spartanburg
Tennessee
Chattanooga
Nashville
Texas
Austin
Beaumont
Brownsville
Corpus Christi
Dallas
Galveston Bay
Houston
Laredo
McAllen
North Dallas
San Antonio
Tyler
Victoria
Waco
Utah
Salt Lake City
Vermont
Virginia
Charlottesville
Fairfax, Leesburg & Loudoun
Norfolk, Portsmouth & Hampton
Northern Virginia
Richmond
Roanoke
Virginia Beach, Chesapeake & Suffolk
Everett
King County
Olympia
Seattle
Tacoma
Vancouver
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Milwaukee
Wyoming
Cheyenne