Fish caught near wastewater treatment plants serving Orlando and four other major U.S. cities had residues of pharmaceuticals in them, according to a new report.
Earlier research by the Environmental Protection Agency, has confirmed fish absorb medicines because the rivers they live in are contaminated with traces of drugs that are not removed in sewage treatment plants.
Much of the contamination comes from the unmetabolized residues of pharmaceuticals that people have taken and excreted; unused medications dumped down the drain also contribute to the problem.