Where It Comes From
Excreted by people and livestock; wastewater effluent and biosolids; runoff from manure‑amended fields; discharges from pharmaceutical manufacturing [3][5].
How You Are Exposed
Drinking or swimming in water affected by sewage or farm runoff; eating fish from impacted waters; medical use of estrogen therapy [1][3].
Why It Matters
Steroidal estrogens (including estrone) are known human carcinogens and can disrupt reproductive and developmental systems; very low levels harm aquatic life [1][2][3].
Who Is at Risk
People using estrogen medications; pregnant people, infants, and adolescents (developing hormonal systems); communities near wastewater discharges or large animal operations that rely on local surface or groundwater [1][2][3][5].
How to Lower Your Exposure
Do not flush medications; use take‑back programs; consider certified activated carbon or reverse‑osmosis filters to reduce estrogens in drinking water; follow local fish advisories [3][4].
References
- [1]NTP. Report on Carcinogens, 15th Ed. Estrogens, Steroidal. U.S. DHHS.
- [2]WHO/UNEP. State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals 2012.
- [3]WHO. Pharmaceuticals in Drinking-water. 2011.
- [4]U.S. EPA. Collecting and Disposing of Unwanted Medicines.
- [5]U.S. EPA. Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) in Water.