Research is finding that the hormone in birth control pills is getting into water and affecting the reproduction of fish. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:
Transcript
Research is finding that the hormone in birth control pills is getting into water and
affecting the reproduction of fish. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester
Graham reports:
Researchers had already noted that fish near sewer plants were affected by the estrogen from birth
control pills that passes through a woman’s body. Further research for Fisheries and Oceans
Canada reveals that levels of estrogen even lower than found downstream of some U.S. sewer
plants can have dramatic effect on fish. Karen Kidd is the lead scientist.
“And what we’re finding is that the males are all becoming feminized. And
we’re seeing declines in numbers
in one of our minnow species as well.”
That minnow species has declined more than 95-percent. The scientists say if the estrogen in the
water is affecting the fish… there might be human implications as well.
For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, this is Lester Graham.