Revealed: The Drugs That Are Poisoning Scotland's Water

1st August 2022

Article from The Ferret.

Medicinal drugs have polluted Scotland's waterways in breach of safety levels more than 2,300 times over seven years, according to data released by the Scottish Government's environment watchdog.

Ponds, streams, rivers and firths across the country have been contaminated with 26 drugs, including ibuprofen, oestrogen, antibiotics, painkillers, anti-depressants, anaesthetics and caffeine. In the worst cases, recorded concentrations were hundreds or thousands of times higher than those deemed safe.

According to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa), drug pollution can damage and kill wildlife by interfering with growth, behaviour and reproduction. It can also endanger human health by helping viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites to develop resistance to drugs.

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