Discharge of wastewater treatment plants to Great Lakes.

What is it about?

Wastewater treatment plants are among the important pathways by which Chemicals of Emerging Concern (Pharmaceuticals, Personal Care Products and Endocrine Disrupting Compounds) enter the Great Lakes, with concentrations highest in the vicinity of wastewater discharges. Treated sewage is often discharged into the nearshore waters, which also provide a source of drinking water to the public.

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Why is it important?

Chemicals of emerging concern include new compounds that have gained entry into the environment or those that have been recently characterized due to increases in concentrations in the environment or improvements in analytical techniques. In the United States and Canada, few of these compounds have regulations governing their release. Of concern is the uncertainty of potential adverse effects on wildlife and humans due to chronic exposure to low concentrations of these compounds. Some of these chemicals are accumulating in sediments, birds, fish, and other aquatic life, as well as in humans.The International Joint Commission addressed the need to assess the effectiveness of existing wastewater treatment technologies in the basin to remove CEC, as well as to gain insight on potential advanced technologies to improve their removal.

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