Waste water treatment pains - pharmaceuticals in our water environment - Svenskt Vatten publishes a new report today
At 18 locations in Sweden, residues of the environmentally harmful drug diclofenac have been measured in levels above limit values for lakes, waterways and coastal areas. In addition, there are a further 109 locations that are at risk of exceeding these limits.
The cost of eliminating these substances from the environment will skyrocket for the general public unless we make a shift to introduce extended producer responsibility so the pharmaceutical manufacturers can pay their fair share for the waste water treatment. Svenskt Vatten also urges pharmacies and the grocery trade to stop selling the over-the-counter pharmaceuticals that contain hazardous pollutants, such as diclofenac.