A new publication co-authored by OHBP steering group member Prof Sharon Pfleger has concluded: “We need a scientifically sound Environmental Sustainability Assessment (ESA) system for pharmaceuticals, with consensus from all stakeholders, which is tiered, robust, harmonised, and adaptable to different contexts.” The publication in Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy is an output from an international workshop … Continue reading New Publication: The need to harmonise environmental sustainability assessments for pharmaceuticals
Category: Publications
A critical review of septic tanks as a pathway for active pharmaceutical ingredients to the aquatic environment – existing knowledge and future perspectives on their monitoring and management
Researchers from Robert Gordon University with Scottish Water published a new review on the role of septic tanks as an important source of pharmaceutical pollution in the water environment. Septic tanks are an understudied but frequently employed decentralised wastewater treatment system in remote and rural areas of Scotland. Pharmaceuticals and other organic contaminants cannot be … Continue reading A critical review of septic tanks as a pathway for active pharmaceutical ingredients to the aquatic environment – existing knowledge and future perspectives on their monitoring and management
Publication: From medicine cabinets to ecosystems: a Europe-wide assessment of household pharmaceutical waste disposal practices
A new study published in Frontiers in Pharmacology provides a unique, expert-based overview from 35 European countries on how household pharmaceutical waste is managed in practice. Members of the OHBP contributed to the pan-European study and were involved in the stakeholder engagement activities to provide expertise and resources on medicine waste disposal practices in Scotland … Continue reading Publication: From medicine cabinets to ecosystems: a Europe-wide assessment of household pharmaceutical waste disposal practices
New Publication: Pharmaceutical pollution from health care: a systems-based strategy for mitigating risks to public and environmental health
The OHBP is proud to have contributed to this new research led by the Pharma Pollution Hub providing a roadmap for high-income countries to transform the way they supply, use and dispose of pharmaceuticals. The UK case study highlights the complexity, resilience, and unsustainability of the current UK health care pharmaceutical system, and the need … Continue reading New Publication: Pharmaceutical pollution from health care: a systems-based strategy for mitigating risks to public and environmental health
IJPP Guest Editor: The climate, nature, and pollution crises – how more sustainable medicines use can make a difference
OHBP co-founder Sharon Pfleger (NHS Highland) served as Guest Editor for the International Journal of Pharmacy Practice (IJPP). Her term as Guest Editor (2024-2025) included the call for papers for a special themed collection on the climate, nature and pollution crises and how sustainable medicines use can make a difference. The call welcomed original research … Continue reading IJPP Guest Editor: The climate, nature, and pollution crises – how more sustainable medicines use can make a difference
ET&C Letter: Environmental Sustainability Assessment of Pharmaceuticals: Time to Acknowledge Pollution
A letter published in ES&T Letters calls for environmental sustainability assessment tools to start acknowledging chemical pollution. Many tools, including the tool under development by the British Standards Institute (PAS 2090), largely focus on carbon emissions and overlook pollution. The publication was led by Kelly Thornber (CEO Pharma Pollution Hub), and co-authored by OHBP co-founder … Continue reading ET&C Letter: Environmental Sustainability Assessment of Pharmaceuticals: Time to Acknowledge Pollution
UK Cross-government Pharmaceuticals in the Environment Group – Roadmap to address the presence of pet flea and tick treatments in UK waterways
A new roadmap led by the UK cross-government Pharmaceuticals in the Environment Group, outlining key actions to address levels of flea and tick treatments in the environment, was published this week. The key strategies seek to address the presence of fipronil and imidacloprid (active pharmaceutical ingredients in many flea and tick treatments) in rivers and … Continue reading UK Cross-government Pharmaceuticals in the Environment Group – Roadmap to address the presence of pet flea and tick treatments in UK waterways
Trifluoroacetic Acid Found Across UK Rivers: New Report Reveals Widespread PFAS Contamination
A new study led by researchers at the University of York reveals the extent of Trifluoroacetic Acid (TFA) contamination across UK surface waters. Published by environmental charity Fidra, the report is the first comprehensive assessment of TFA presence in UK rivers—and the results are sobering. TFA is an ultrashort-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS)—a group … Continue reading Trifluoroacetic Acid Found Across UK Rivers: New Report Reveals Widespread PFAS Contamination
New Publication: Do you think medicines can be prescribed in a more eco-directed, greener way? Public and prescriber focus groups on the impact of pharmaceuticals in Scotland’s water environment
Researchers on the UKRI MRC funded eco-directed prescribing pilot project published a new article “Do you think medicines can be prescribed in a more eco-directed, greener way? A qualitative study based on public and prescriber focus groups on the impact of pharmaceuticals in Scotland’s water environment” in The BMJ Open. This qualitative study explored public and prescriber awareness of … Continue reading New Publication: Do you think medicines can be prescribed in a more eco-directed, greener way? Public and prescriber focus groups on the impact of pharmaceuticals in Scotland’s water environment
New Publication: Co-developing frameworks towards environmentally directed pharmaceutical prescribing in Scotland – A mixed methods study
Researchers on the UKRI MRC funded eco-directed prescribing pilot project published a new article "Co-developing frameworks towards environmentally directed pharmaceutical prescribing in Scotland - A mixed methods study" in Science of the Total Environment. The research team included transdisciplinary researchers and experts in environmental science and modelling, public health, and qualitative health services research from … Continue reading New Publication: Co-developing frameworks towards environmentally directed pharmaceutical prescribing in Scotland – A mixed methods study