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Estrogen-Like Compounds in U.S. Rivers

Dumping that unused medication down the toilet might seem like a safe way of disposing it, but think about this: Once it swirls its way down your pipes, it ends up in the local sewage system, then makes its way into local waterways. Eventually, those pills you thought you disposed of could end up back in your drinking water.

Flushed-away medications are just one pollutant researchers are studying as they try to discover what’s changing the sex of fish in our nation’s rivers, and, more importantly, what this means to humans who ultimately drink the water these intersexed fish have been living in.

One recent survey of small-mouthed bass in the Potomac River found that virtually all of the male fish had undergone a sex change, so that they now carry eggs in their testes. While many kinds of fish are in fact hermaphrodites, bass are not, and the change isn’t normal.

Scientists aren’t positive what caused the change, but unused medications – along with other pollutants – are high on the list of suspects. Many pollutants have endocrine-disrupting properties, meaning they mimic estrogen’s role in the body and can affect the enzymes that produce sex hormones. Other suspects are antibacterial soaps, toothpaste, sunscreen and other products that wash into our rivers and streams.

While scientists study the problem, there are a few things consumers can do: Call your local government to find out if your community has a program for the safe disposal of unused medication and stop using antibacterial soaps, which are no more effective at preventing illness than regular soap, despite marketing claims.

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To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org