ANTONIO CONTO
Chemsafe, Colleretto Giacosa (TO), Italy

On November 11, 2019, the EU Commission published a communication regarding “European Union Strategic Approach to Pharmaceuticals into the Environment”.

This very important document sums up the ways and active pharmaceutical substance may enter into the environment beyond the elective route of release from the human patients after or during the therapeutic use. Pharmaceuticals mainly reach the environment through:

• the discharge of effluent from urban waste water (sewage) treatment plants – containing excreted pharmaceuticals as well as unused pharmaceuticals thrown away into sinks and toilets, despite the existence of collection schemes;
• the spreading of animal manure;
• aquaculture, in which pharmaceuticals are often dispensed with the animal feed.

Other sources are:

• the discharge of effluent from manufacturing plants (especially those outside the Union);
• the spreading of sewage sludge, i.e. containing pharmaceuticals removed from waste water;
• grazing livestock;
• the treatment of pets;
• improper disposal into l ...
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