Emerging contaminants include chemicals from prescription drugs, antibiotics, recreational drugs, herbicides and even personal care products.
Samples collected by CLEAR’s community scientists are analyzed by the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee’s Zilber School of Public Health for a laundry list of 85+ chemicals.
Pharmaceuticals
Compounds from common prescription medications (such as anti-seizure medication Carbamazepine and diabetes medication Metformin) are found in our water samples. These compounds are not removed during the wastewater treatment process and enter our waters in “treated” wastewater. We do not suggest you stop taking prescription medications; however, we do suggest you take unused meds to a local medication take back drop off location.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics are used to treat ear, urinary, respiratory, intestinal bacterial infections and more. A consequence of more medications in our waters could be the potential to create “drug-resistant bacteria.” A 2017 study by the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute labeled the city’s harbor a “hot spot” for the growth of fecal bacteria resistant to antibiotics.
Recreational Drugs
Recreational drugs can include compounds from illegal drugs like cocaine, including the metabolite Benzoylecgonine (aka a byproduct of the body breaking down the drug into a different substance). Also included in this category is caffeine, which can be found in coffee, tea and energy drink. In our samples, caffeine can be found in waterways without wastewater treatment plants. This clues us in that there are faulty sanitary pipes, leaking sanitary waste into storm drains and rivers.
Personal Care Products
Even our morning routines or daily chores can impact our local waterways. Personal care and household cleaning products, including soaps, sanitizers, sunscreens and toothpastes, can include emerging contaminants. Steer clear of ingredient lists that include tricolosan and triclocarban. Not all products are required to include ingredient lists, to avoid unknown ingredients buy more natural products with minimal ingredients.
Herbicides
Herbicides or “weed killers”, are used in both large scale applications (like on farm fields and golf courses) and small applications like on our lawns at home. Overapplication or rainfall can carry herbicides from fields and lawns into storm drains, which discharge into local rivers and streams. Try to reduce herbicide use and never apply herbicide when there is rain in the forecast.
PFAS
More and more is being learned about emerging contaminants and their sources. PFAS, or Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of 5000+ manmade chemicals that are beginning to gain attention. These chemicals can be found in firefighting foams, non-stick cookware, stain resistant coatings on furniture/carpeting and water resistant, clothing, to name a few sources. CLEAR’s analysis currently does not test for PFAS in our samples.
