
Apteeki tagastamata jäetud vanad ravimid sattuvad loodusesse
Old medications not returned to the pharmacy end up in nature
Vanad ravimid, mida inimesed ei vii apteeki tagasi, satuvad sageli loodusesse. See võib mõjutada keskkonda ja tervist.
Old medications that people do not return to the pharmacy often end up in nature. This can affect the environment and health.
Medications can be found in Estonian water bodies. If people do not return old medications to the pharmacy or waste station, they may end up in the trash or toilet. From there, the medications can reach nature and harm the environment.
Nearly 2,200 tons of medications reach the Baltic Sea annually. This is about 30 percent of all sold medications. In Estonia, people are still accustomed to disposing of medications improperly. They often do not return them to the pharmacy.
Scientists have found nearly 4,600 different medications in Estonian water bodies. These include medications for diabetes, painkillers, and antibiotics. The most commonly found medication is metformin, which is used to treat diabetes.
Medications can affect both people and animals. For example, hormones can cause changes in fish populations. Only females may develop from fish larvae.
Medication residues also reach crops. When medications are used to treat animals, they can also end up on people's dinner tables. Medication residues are also found in groundwater, which is the main water source in Estonia.
Current purification systems cannot remove all medication residues. However, the quality of drinking water in Estonia is good, and the content of medication residues is very low. Nevertheless, it is important to address medication residues as their amount in the environment is increasing.