Transcript http://www.nesc.wvu.edu/waterwedrink/PPCP_outreach/powerpoint.ppt

What’s In Our
WATER?
And what can we
do about it?
Pharmaceuticals and Personal
Care Products (PPCPs)
What’s in our WATER
Our water comes
from many
sources. And the
way we use it is
just one part of a
continuous cycle.
Water Cycle Diagram courtesy of ESA / AOES Medialab, www.esa.int
What’s in our WATER
Drugs and chemical
residues from
personal care
products are showing
up in waterways.
What’s in our WATER
Little is known about
the effect these
compounds may have
on people who drink
the water or the
aquatic wildlife in the
waterways.
What’s in our WATER
When people take
medicine, some of it
is absorbed, but
most of the
compounds pass
through the body
and are flushed
down the toilet.
What’s in our WATER
Wastewater treatment
plants don’t remove
pharmaceuticals from
the water that they
treat and discharge
into waterways.
What’s in our WATER
The potential for harm to human health
is not known at this time. But, there is
growing concern about how these drugs
and other compounds may affect people
over time and with repeated exposure
through everyday water use.
What’s in our WATER
And what can we do about it
Don’t flush unused
portions of
prescriptions down
the toilet.
What’s in our WATER
And what can we do about it
Some communities
have pharmaceutical
take-back programs.
Others have collection
sites where the drugs
can be destroyed.
What’s in our WATER
And what can we do about it
Make the drugs unpalatable by dumping
them in with wet coffee grounds, glue or
used kitty litter. Make them safe for
disposal in the landfill by putting them
into a leak-proof container, then throw
them in the trash.
What’s in our WATER
And what can we do about it
When using or buying
personal care products,
we can make
conscientious choices.
What’s in our WATER
And what can we do about it
Often we feel helpless
to make a difference,
but in this case, there
are things each of us
can do to help keep our
water safe and clean for
today and in the future.
Presented by:
Rural Community Assistance Partnership
Website: www.rcap.org
Phone: 888-321-7227
National Environmental Services Center
Website: www.nesc.wvu.edu
Phone: 800-624-8301
This presentation was made possible by Grant Number 90EF0066 from the Office of Community Services, Department of Health and Human Services.

Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the
Office of Community Services, Department of Health and Human Services.
Some images in this presentation © 2003-08 www.photos.com.