Investigation reveals pharmaceutical waste in U.S. waterways

NEW YORK An investigation by the Associated Press has found that drug makers in the United States have dumped 271 million or more lbs. of compounds used in pharmaceuticals into waterways, including those that provide drinking water.

The catch is, it’s legal.

AP said that the federal government and industry officials don’t normally keep tabs on how much gets into the water, but it did look at federal records dating back 20 years that give an idea. Because of the lack of testing, it’s unclear how many of those 271 million lbs. come from drug makers and how many come from manufacturers that use such chemicals that appear in drugs as nitroglycerin and lithium, according to AP.

The investigation follows a previous AP investigation that found pharmaceutical contamination in the drinking water of 51 million Americans.