The National Take Back Initiative is a program in the United States that allows people to return extra or outdated medicines. These events happen twice each year, once in the spring and once in the fall. The program is organized by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Water pollution can affect sex characteristics in humans and animals. These pollutants are found in many water sources, such as fountains and oceans. Some common pollutants include endocrine disruptor chemicals (EDCs) found in birth control and Bisphenol A (BPA).
Triclosan, sometimes called TCS, is a substance used in some consumer products like toothpaste, soaps, detergents, toys, and surgical cleaning supplies. It works similarly to another substance called triclocarban. Scientists are still studying whether Triclosan is effective as an antimicrobial, whether it might cause bacteria to become resistant to it, and whether it could affect hormone development.
Endocrine disruptors, also called hormonally active agents, endocrine disrupting chemicals, or endocrine disrupting compounds, are chemicals that can interfere with the body’s hormone systems. These chemicals may lead to health problems such as changes in sperm quality and fertility, issues with sex organs, endometriosis, early puberty, changes in nervous system or immune function, certain cancers, breathing difficulties, metabolic problems, diabetes, obesity, heart issues, growth problems, learning disabilities, and other challenges. These chemicals are found in many household and industrial products.
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are chemicals that are hard to break down through chemical, biological, or sunlight processes. These substances are harmful and can damage human health and the environment worldwide. Because they can travel through wind and water, many POPs created in one country can harm people and animals far away from where they are used or released.
Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is a colorless, tasteless, and nearly odorless solid chemical, known as an organochloride. It was first created in 1874 by the Austrian chemist Othmar Zeidler. Later, in 1939, the Swiss chemist Paul Hermann Müller discovered that DDT could kill insects very effectively.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are chemical compounds with the formula C₁₂H₁₀−ₓClₓ. They were once used in making carbonless copy paper, as heat transfer fluids, and as cooling and insulating fluids in electrical equipment. PCBs are very harmful and can cause cancer.
Bioaccumulation is the slow buildup of substances, such as pesticides or chemicals, inside a living thing. This happens when an organism takes in a substance faster than it can break it down or remove it from the body. If a harmful substance stays in the body for a long time, it increases the chance of long-term health problems, even if the amount of the substance in the environment is low.
Mercury methylation is the process of creating methylmercury (MeHg). This process can happen without living organisms (abiotically) or with the help of living organisms (biotically). When living organisms are involved, the main types of bacteria that add methyl groups to mercury are sulfate-reducing bacteria and iron-reducing bacteria.
Fish allergy occurs when the immune system overreacts to proteins in fish. Symptoms may appear quickly or take hours to days to develop. Rapid symptoms can include anaphylaxis, a serious condition that needs epinephrine treatment.