Background Information
The terms Pharmaceuticals, Personal Care Products, and Medications (both Prescribed and Over-the-Counter) are referenced inter-changeably on this web site. This page provides background information on Pharmaceuticals, Personal Care Products, and Medications as pollutants and outlines the problems/issues involved.
Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products as Pollutants
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products were first called "PPCPs" only a few years ago, but these bioactive chemicals (substances that have an effect on living tissue) have been around for decades. Their effect on the environment is now recognized as an important area of research.
PPCPs include:
- Prescription and over-the counter therapeutic drugs
- Veterinary drugs
- Fragrances
- Cosmetics
- Sun-screen products
- Diagnostic agents
- Nutraceuticals (e.g., vitamins)
Sources of PPCPs:
- Human activity
- Residues from pharmaceutical manufacturing (well defined and controlled)
- Residues from hospitals
- Illicit drugs
- Veterinary drug use, especially antibiotics and steroids
- Agribusiness
The importance of individuals directly contributing to the combined load of chemicals in the environment has been largely unrecognized. PPCPs in the environment illustrate the immediate connection of the actions/activities of individuals with their environment.
Individuals add PPCPs to the environment through excretion (the elimination of waste material from the body) and bathing, and disposal of unwanted medications to sewers and trash. In February 2007, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy issued the first consumer guidance for the Proper Disposal of Prescription Drugs. Proper disposal of drugs is a straightforward way for individuals to prevent pollution.
Some PPCPs are easily broken down by the human body, sewage treatment processes, or degrade quickly in the environment. Other PPCPs are not and they may be found in the environment, especially lakes and streams. PPCPs can make their way into the soil and into aquatic environments via sewage, treated sewage sludge (biosolids), and irrigation with reclaimed water.
Please read the PPCPs Frequent Questions for more details and background information.
The poster Origins and Fate of PPCPs in the Environment 
(poster, 284 kb) illustrates the origins/sources of PPCPs.
Proper Pharmaceutical Drug Disposal Brochures
- Proper Disposal Brochure, Front (4.95 mb)
- Proper Disposal Brochure, Back (5.91 mb)
Additional Links and Resources
- Pharmaceutical Waste Management - Issues and Options for Health Systems
- Managing Pharmaceutical Waste: A Discussion Guide for Health-System Pharmacists
* Note: Some of the files on this page require the Adobe Acrobat Reader.