Pharmaceutical input and Elimination from local sources

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In the western world (highly developed. densely populated) people are used to consume and inevitably also dispose medicines or pharmaceuticals in private households or hospitals that are connected to public sewer systems (see Annex to chapter 1). Purification is normally designed as an end-of-pipe solution in treatment plants for mixed waste water. focussing on defined parameters. The wide range of pharmaceutical substances or residues is hereby usually not considered. But some negative effects (e.g. of hormones on the reproduction of fish) have already been proven and the potential risks of pharmaceuticals on aquatic ecosystems is giving reason to growing concerns. The PILLS partnership aims to find out. whether the separation and treatment of concentrated. pharmaceutically burdened waste water from highly concentrated waste water point sources (such as hospitals. old people’s homes) can be regarded as a sustainable. cost-effective step in the reduction of overall discharge of such substances into the aquatic system. The projects' results will be disseminated to the public in order to raise the awareness for this problem (e.g. to protect waste water from contamination with pharmaceuticals also in households). Since measures at treatment plants are “end-of-pipe” approaches and probably very cost intensive. they should be regarded as last technical step to take. after avoidance. Therefore communication measures leading to avoid water pollution are also important. The aim of the project is a) to gain comparable (scientific and practical) solutions to treat different types of point sources that can also be transferred to other locations and b) to take the problem to a broad discussion about protective measures as well as about the responsibility of individuals. water boards. suppliers. hospitals or health service providers to avoid the pollution of water resources.

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