Roadmap to deal with river pollution from flea treatment chemicals

The Government has published a roadmap to address the presence of chemicals from pet flea treatment in waterways.

The initiative by the cross-departmental Pharmaceuticals in the Environment (PiE) Group focuses primarily on two chemicals which may be causing environmental harm: fipronil and imidacloprid.  

The roadmap has three stages: 

• Short-term – The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) will collaborate with veterinary professionals and industry stakeholders to improve pet owner awareness about the appropriate use and disposal of flea and tick treatments.

• Medium-term – The group will build a comprehensive understanding of the environmental impacts of the chemicals, alongside evaluating potential consequences of changing use patterns on animal and human health. The VMD has commissioned scientific research investigating how these substances enter rivers and streams and is working closely with the Environment Agency to assess the environmental risks they pose.

• Long-term – Based on the evidence collected, the PiE Group will support a review of international environmental risk assessment guidelines and consider future regulatory approaches to mitigate environmental risks.

More widely, the PiE Group aims to develop a coordinated strategy to reduce the environmental impact of pharmaceuticals from human, veterinary, agricultural, and non-agricultural sources.