Rivers in North Yorkshire are facing a 'hidden threat' of having pharmaceutical pollution in the watercourses, a study has shown.
New research from the University of York and the Rivers Trust has revealed widespread contamination of rivers in the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors.
Pollution in the rivers includes antidepressants, anti-inflammatory substances, and diabetes treatments being detected.
In the Yorkshire Dales, six sites were monitored in both summer and winter, with pharmaceuticals found in five of these places - the only place where they weren't detected was at Barden Bridge on the River Wharfe.
Elsewhere, several locations of the River Swale saw pharmaceuticals, including caffeine, although the research suggested that the Yorkshire Dales was one of the least polluted areas that was sampled out of 54 rivers in England.
In the North York Moors, pharmaceuticals were found in all nine of the locations monitored, with the most contaminated site listed as the River Esk at Glaisdale.
This regional data was part of a national study that found pharmaceuticals in river water at 52 out of 54 locations monitored across all ten national parks in England.
Some pharmaceuticals were found at levels of concern for the health of freshwater organisms and for humans who come into contact with the water.
Although researchers found that levels of pharmaceutical pollution were generally lower in national parks than in rivers in UK cities, it did identify alarming exceptions.
Professor Alistair Boxall, from the University of York’s Department of Environment and Geography, said: “Given the unique ecological value of these protected areas, our research highlights that the presence of these pharmaceuticals is concerning.
"Our National Parks are true hotspots for biodiversity and essential for our physical health and mental well-being - so we need to act swiftly to protect these irreplaceable environments and ensure the health of wildlife and visitors alike.”
Professor Boxall is asking the government, local authorities and the water industry to work together to improve monitoring in national parks, for further investment in treatment technologies to protect rivers in the National Parks, and a further exploration of the potential impact of pharmaceuticals on the health of park ecosystems.
The Environment Agency said it is working to identify how pharmaceuticals affect the water.
A spokesperson said: “We are working closely with other regulators and the water industry on a series of 'chemical investigation programmes' to better understand how pharmaceutical compounds affect our water environment.
“We have developed an early warning system to identify contaminants of emerging concern to ensure any potential risks are considered to surface waters, groundwater and soils.
“We are also collaborating with the pharmaceuticals and veterinary medicines industry via a UK cross-government platform for discussing and exchanging knowledge on pharmaceuticals in the environment.”
According to researchers, the "potential impacts on human health should not be understated".
Dr Rob Collins, Director of Policy and Science at the Rivers Trust, highlights that several approaches need to be taken to address the issue.
He said: "Whilst we need to see greater investment into traditional wastewater treatment, more natural treatment technologies such as wetlands can also play an important role, particularly in these more rural environments where there is the room to implement such nature-based solutions.
"It is also important that the maintenance and management of septic tanks is improved, and that new Government rules on this are enforced.”
He added that “we, the public, can also play our part; few people are aware of medicine take-back schemes whereby any unopened, unused and out-of-date medicines, can be taken to the local pharmacy, rather than flushed down the toilet and into the sewer system”.
In a national capacity, campaigners have warned about an "ugly truth" about national parks and pollution.
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Dr Rose O’Neill, chief executive of Campaign for National Parks, said: “It's a perversity of the broken water system that the situation within National Parks is worse than elsewhere.
"Despite being internationally recognised as protected areas for nature, many sewage works within National Parks operate to much weaker standards than those in towns and cities.
"The blight of water pollution should be addressed everywhere - and the clean-up needs to start in National Parks.
“The government must ensure the highest standards are met and ensure companies and regulators are held accountable to bring National Park waterways, loved and enjoyed by millions, back to full health.
"National Parks should be full of pristine waterways brimming with wildlife but the ugly truth is every single river and lake is polluted."
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