Serious Water Contamination from Pesticides Used on Pets, Ignored by Regulators, Again Confirmed – Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog
Serious Water Contamination from Pesticides Used on Pets, Ignored ... Beyond Pesticides
sdgtalks
The Environmental Contamination Resulting from the Use of Pesticides on Pets for Fleas and Ticks
(Beyond Pesticides, August 23, 2023)
The use of pesticides on pets for fleas and ticks (parasiticides) has been traced to environmental contamination in a study that confirms earlier work both by the authors and internationally, according to researchers Rosemary Perkins, a veterinary surgeon, and David Goulson, PhD at the University of Sussex. The results are published in their recent study, “To flea or not to flea: survey of UK companion animal ectoparasiticide usage and activities affecting pathways to the environment,” which concludes that, “[T]he potential cumulative impact of parasiticide emissions [into the environment] from many millions of pets treated multiple times each year is of serious concern.”
Background
The UK provides an opportunity to pinpoint water contamination from pet use for ectoparasites (e.g., fleas and ticks) of hazardous pesticides since, unlike in the U.S., the country has banned outdoor use of those chemicals commonly detected—the insecticides fipronil and imidacloprid (the same neonicotinoid bug killer tied to devastating losses of bees and other organisms). These findings confirm the historical peer reviewed scientific literature and defy the assumption of regulators that home or veterinary use of pesticides do not reach levels of concern for environmental contamination, either through exposure from down-the-drain (DTD) contamination or direct environmental transfer.
Previous Studies
In 2016, a study of eight San Francisco Bay (San Francisco, CA, USA) wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) reached a dramatic conclusion: “This first regional study on fiprole and imidacloprid occurrences in raw and treated California sewage revealed ubiquity and marked persistence to conventional treatment of both phenylpyrazole and neonicotinoid compounds. Flea and tick control agents for pets are identified as potential sources of pesticides in sewage meriting further investigation and inclusion in chemical-specific risk assessments.” In 2020, a team of researchers, including Dr. Goulson, found widespread contamination of English waterways with imidacloprid and fipronil, which they attributed to veterinary use, given the fact, in part, that the chemicals had by that time been banned for outdoor uses in the UK.
Environmental Exposure Routes
In the study, the authors identify numerous environmental exposure routes from ectoparasiticide (to treat insects on the body’s surface) pet use through:
- Down the drain and waste water treatment plants
- Swimming and bathing after application
- Urine and stool after systemic absorption of the chemicals
- Washing of treated animals’ bedding and other contacted textiles
- Owners’ washing of hands
- Shedding hair and skin
The data cited in the literature identifies significant environmental exposure that is overlooked or simply assumed to be low by regulators. As the authors note: “Further studies are required to quantify the load entering the environment through various pathways for the different parasiticides—including studies providing reliable emissions fractions for the routes and activities described above, and studies investigating the frequency of emitting activities. This study aims to shed light on the frequency of activities that are likely to lead to transfer of ectoparasiticides from pets to the environment, with a focus on DTD and direct pathways to waterways, including bathing of dogs (Teerlink, Hernandez & Budd, 2017), washing of their bedding (Jacobs et al., 2001) and swimming (Diepens et al., 2023).”
Implications in the U.S.
In the U.S., the cumulative environmental exposure pathway associated with pet use of pesticides raises issues of elevated exposure to aquatic systems and adverse impact on the aquatic food web. As disclosed in the Beyond Pesticides piece Poisoned Waterways, alarms began to go off when the EPA found in its 2017 risk assessment for the most widely used neonicotinoid, imidacloprid, that, “[C]oncentrations of imidacloprid detected in streams, rivers, lakes and drainage canals routinely exceed acute and chronic toxicity endpoints derived for freshwater invertebrates.” The agency evaluated an expanded universe of adverse effects data and finds that acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term) toxicity endpoints are lower (adverse effects beginning at 0.65 µg/L (micrograms per liter)-acute and 0.01 µg/L-chronic effects) than previously established aquatic life benchmarks (adverse effects from 34.5 µg/L-acute and 1.05µg/L-chronic effects). In its 2017 risk assessment, EPA finds risks from imidacloprid exposure to ecologically important organisms not previously evaluated as part of its regulatory review. Despite its acknowledgement that current benchmarks are not adequately protective, EPA describes its review process as requiring studies of the most sensitive organisms and a range of publicly available environmental laboratory and field studies. The addition of the veterinary use exposure pathway raises serious concerns in an environment that is already at or beyond the threshold of concern for aquatic life.
Study Findings
The pet study sets up a framework for quantifying the pathways of contamination as a result of veterinary use of parasiticides. The study authors generated 1,009 complete questionnaire responses on ectoparasiticide use data, looking at both use of oral medications (more popular among dog owners) and spot-on treatments (more popular among cat owners). This followed a pilot survey of 155 respondents (sample size of 385 people/household) from June to July, 2020. Participants were recruited from social media, over 18 years old, and included a mix of cat and dog owners. Over 81% of pet owners report that they were advised by veterinarians to use prophylactic flea/tick treatment throughout the year. Over 7% were advised to only use the chemicals during the warmer months. The study documents frequency of bathing and swimming of treated pets, and bed washing. The authors estimate the volume of use of the pesticides, with 9.4 million doses of imidacloprid (the most popular ectoparasiticide), with over one-third treated pets swimming at least once a month and over half being bathed once a month.
Conclusion
The study is indicative of exposure pathways of ectoparasiticides that, if not considered in the regulatory review of these chemicals, are missed as critical issues of environmental impact by regulators.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
- SDG 14: Life Below Water
- SDG 15: Life on Land
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials.
- SDG 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution.
- SDG 15.9: By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
The article does not explicitly mention specific indicators. However, potential indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets include:
- Concentration of pesticides in waterways
- Frequency of contamination events
- Extent of environmental exposure to pesticides
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials. | – Concentration of pesticides in waterways – Frequency of contamination events – Extent of environmental exposure to pesticides |
| SDG 14: Life Below Water | 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution. | – Concentration of pesticides in waterways – Frequency of contamination events – Extent of environmental exposure to pesticides |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | 15.9: By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts. | – Concentration of pesticides in waterways – Frequency of contamination events – Extent of environmental exposure to pesticides |
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: beyondpesticides.org
Join us, as fellow seekers of change, on a transformative journey at https://sdgtalks.ai/welcome, where you can become a member and actively contribute to shaping a brighter future.
