World leaders and experts call for action to protect the environment from antimicrobial pollution

The Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance  called on all countries to reduce the amount of antimicrobial waste entering the environment. This includes researching and implementing measures to safely dispose of antimicrobial waste from food, human health and animal health systems, and manufacturing facilities.

The Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance includes heads of state, government ministers, and leaders from private sector and civil society. 

The Global Leaders Group’s statement calls for all countries to improve measures  for the management and disposal of antimicrobial-containing waste and runoff from manufacturing sites, farms, hospitals and other sources.

Antimicrobials given to humans, animals and plants are entering the environment and water sources (including drinking water sources) via wastewater, waste, run-off and sewage and through this spreading drug-resistant organisms and antimicrobial resistance.

This could fuel a rise in the emergence and spread of ‘superbugs’ that are resistant to several types of antimicrobial drugs (additional information here). It could also harm organisms in the environment.