In the last decade, national and statewide studies have revealed that many chemicals with known or suggested endocrine-disrupting potential to adversely affect developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune systems in wildlife. These chemicals include pharmaceuticals, personal care products, chemicals associated with wastewater effluent, and a variety of industrial compounds. Apart from the disquieting realization that wastewater chemicals and drugs are detectable in much of our surface water, there is a growing concern that even at low concentrations, chemicals, or mixtures of them, may adversely affect fish, wildlife, ecosystems and possibly human health.

A new study released by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency confirms that lakes and streams across Minnesota are contaminated by pharmaceuticals, cosmetic ingredients, and endocrine-disrupting compounds. This is the latest study in a series investigating the presence of these chemicals in Minnesota’s surface water:

• Pharmaceuticals, Personal Care Products and Endocrine Active Chemical Monitoring in Lakes and Rivers — 2013 (tdr-g1-18) 
• Dozens of common drugs turning up in our lake water (CBS Minnesota video).
• EPA Study Find Increased Drug Levels in Drinking Water (YouTube; 1:07 video)

Don’t flush unwanted drugs and cosmetic down the drain. Better alternatives include taking the drugs to medication collection sites listed in the Anoka County Sheriff Presctiption Drug Takeback Program brochure.