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De gevaren van dumpingen en lozingen van drugsproductieafval voor de kwaliteit van drinkwaterbronnen
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Series / Report no.
Open Access
Type
Report
Language
nl
Date
2022-12-15
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Title
De gevaren van dumpingen en lozingen van drugsproductieafval voor de kwaliteit van drinkwaterbronnen
Translated Title
The risks of synthetic drug production waste being dumped posed to drinking water source quality
Published in
Abstract
In Nederland worden in illegale laboratoria veel synthetische drugs gemaakt, zoals amfetamine en XTC (Ecstacy (3,4-Methylenedioxy Methamphetamine)). Het afval wordt onder andere in vaten in de natuur en op straat gedumpt, of op het riool geloosd. Veel van deze stoffen zijn schadelijk voor de gezondheid. Elk jaar ontdekt de politie in Nederland ongeveer 200 dumpingen van dit soort afval. Dat gebeurt ook in de buurt van waterwinningen; de meeste in de zuidelijke provincies en in het oosten van het land. Het RIVM heeft daarom in kaart gebracht in hoeverre dit schadelijk kan zijn voor de kwaliteit van het drinkwater.
Hieruit blijkt dat ongeveer 20 procent van de dumpingen plaatsvindt in de buurt van of in gebieden waar water uit de grond wordt gehaald voor de bereiding van drinkwater (grondwaterbeschermingsgebieden). Daarnaast zijn in gezuiverd rioolwater van enkele rioolwaterzuiveringsinstallaties (rwzi’s) in het zuiden van Nederland regelmatig sporen of zelfs hoge concentraties van synthetisch drugs gevonden. Deze stoffen zijn ook in enkele oppervlaktewateren gevonden. Deze verontreinigingen kunnen invloed hebben op de kwaliteit van het water dat wordt gewonnen voor de drinkwaterbereiding.
Het afval van de drugsproductie is vaak een mengsel van stoffen waarmee de synthetische drugs worden gemaakt. Voorbeelden zijn oplosmiddelen, zuren en basen, en de stoffen om de drugs van te maken. Deze schadelijke stoffen worden niet standaard gemeten in het Nederlandse watersysteem. Het RIVM beveelt aan om dat op meerdere plekken in de waterketen te doen. Dat wil zeggen: in gezuiverd rioolwater, grondwater, oppervlaktewater en op de plekken waar water wordt gewonnen voor de bereiding van drinkwater.
Met meer meetgegevens kan beter worden beoordeeld hoe de stoffen zich verspreiden, of mensen eraan blootstaan via drinkwater en welke schadelijke effecten dat kan hebben. Ook wordt aanbevolen om te bepalen tot welke concentraties in drinkwater deze stoffen gezondheidskundig zeker veilig zijn (drinkwaterrichtwaardes).
Verder is het belangrijk dat de partijen die als eerste bij een dumping zijn (politie en brandweer) goed communiceren met drinkwaterbedrijven en waterschappen. Het RIVM beveelt aan om een protocol te ontwikkelen zodat duidelijk is wie op zo’n moment welke maatregelen kan nemen. Als de betrokken partijen elkaar beter en sneller kunnen vinden, kan de schade van de dumpingen worden verminderd.
A lot of synthetic drugs, such as amphetamine and ecstasy, are produced in illegal labs in the Netherlands. The waste is dumped in nature or on the street in drums, for example, or discharged into the sewerage system. Many of these substances are harmful to health. The Dutch police find approximately 200 instances of these kinds of waste being dumped each year. It also happens in the vicinity of water extraction sites, most of these being in the southern provinces and in the east of the country. Consequently, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has charted the extent of the potential risk to drinking water quality. Revealing that around 20 percent of these instances of dumping synthetic drug production waste occur near to or in areas where water is extracted from the ground for the purposes of drinking water preparation (groundwater protection areas). Moreover, traces or even high concentrations of synthetic drugs are frequently found in treated sewage from several sewage treatment plants in the south of the Netherlands. These substances have been found in some bodies of surface water too. Such contamination can adversely affect the quality of the water extracted for the purposes of drinking water preparation. The drug production waste often comprises a mixture of substances used to make the synthetic drugs. Examples include solvents, acids and bases, and the substances required to make the drugs. It is not standard practice to measure levels of these harmful substances in the Netherlands’ water system. RIVM recommends doing so at several points in the water chain, i.e. in treated sewage, groundwater, surface water and where water is extracted for the purposes of drinking water preparation. A greater volume of measurement data will enable better assessments to be made of substance distribution, human exposure through drinking water and the potential harmful effects thereof. Another recommendation is to calculate the maximum concentration levels at which these substances are definitely safe in drinking water (health threshold values). It is also important for the parties who are the first to arrive at the scene of the dumping (police and fire service) to communicate properly with drinking water companies and water boards. RIVM recommends developing a protocol to ensure clarity on who can take what measures in such circumstances. Better, faster coordination between the parties involved will make it possible to reduce the harm caused by drug production waste dumping.
A lot of synthetic drugs, such as amphetamine and ecstasy, are produced in illegal labs in the Netherlands. The waste is dumped in nature or on the street in drums, for example, or discharged into the sewerage system. Many of these substances are harmful to health. The Dutch police find approximately 200 instances of these kinds of waste being dumped each year. It also happens in the vicinity of water extraction sites, most of these being in the southern provinces and in the east of the country. Consequently, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has charted the extent of the potential risk to drinking water quality. Revealing that around 20 percent of these instances of dumping synthetic drug production waste occur near to or in areas where water is extracted from the ground for the purposes of drinking water preparation (groundwater protection areas). Moreover, traces or even high concentrations of synthetic drugs are frequently found in treated sewage from several sewage treatment plants in the south of the Netherlands. These substances have been found in some bodies of surface water too. Such contamination can adversely affect the quality of the water extracted for the purposes of drinking water preparation. The drug production waste often comprises a mixture of substances used to make the synthetic drugs. Examples include solvents, acids and bases, and the substances required to make the drugs. It is not standard practice to measure levels of these harmful substances in the Netherlands’ water system. RIVM recommends doing so at several points in the water chain, i.e. in treated sewage, groundwater, surface water and where water is extracted for the purposes of drinking water preparation. A greater volume of measurement data will enable better assessments to be made of substance distribution, human exposure through drinking water and the potential harmful effects thereof. Another recommendation is to calculate the maximum concentration levels at which these substances are definitely safe in drinking water (health threshold values). It is also important for the parties who are the first to arrive at the scene of the dumping (police and fire service) to communicate properly with drinking water companies and water boards. RIVM recommends developing a protocol to ensure clarity on who can take what measures in such circumstances. Better, faster coordination between the parties involved will make it possible to reduce the harm caused by drug production waste dumping.
Description
Publisher
Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu RIVM