The Belgian city of Antwerp’s waste water contains the highest cocaine levels of 21 European cities measured, pipping London and Amsterdam, media quoted new research as showing today.

According to the preliminary findings of a study yet to be published, the west Belgian city was Europe’s biggest user of the drug, “just” beating the readings of London and Amsterdam, Antwerp University researcher Alexander Van Nuijs was quoted as telling the Dutch-language Gazet van Antwerpen
newspaper.

“We scanned the used water of 21 European cities for traces of cocaine, amphetamines, ecstasy, heroin and methadone,” he said.

“The results will only be announced later in the year, but I can say that Antwerp, of all the cities, had the highest cocaine reading.”

There was a “very big” difference between the cocaine levels measured in the sewage water of Antwerp
and that of Scandinavian cities, the researcher added.

Of course, these figures are of concern, as are the findings of the diversity of POMs in wastewater and natural waters. Common sense, and indeed every validated research study, shows that the source is the excretion in urine of the administered dose not, in Antwerp – the disposal of contaminated solid wastes including perhaps rolled up €10 notes!

And so it is with clinical wastes. The aggressive, divisive and obstructive attitude of certain EA individuals, that is scientifically unfounded and tainted with suspicion of an unacceptable conflict of interest if not Misconduct in Public Office, is used as a threat to waste permitting applicants – do as we say or we will make mischief and create obstruction on suspicion of POM contamination in process wastewaters for ATT processing facilities.

Interestingly, though POM contamination of process wastewater and wastewater from bin washing has been leveled at applicants, concerns over the latter when operated at incineration plant have not, as far as I am aware, been raised as a matter of regulatory concern.

Of course, that contamination may be real and not apparent, but is likely to be infinitesimally small and fades into insignificance when set against drug levels in urine. But it is seen as a tool to manipulation of the regulatory process.