Also recreational drugs.

> In a new [~2009] review study, Castiglioni and colleague Ettore Zuccato found that illegal drugs have become "widespread" in surface water in some of Europe's populated areas.

> Likewise, in 2005, Zuccato found that a daily influx of cocaine travels down the Po River, Italy's longest river.

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/11/091112-drin...

The same is true for sewer water in Dutch cities (Amsterdam, Utrecht, Eindhoven, etc). Scientists can trace which drugs are popular where.

EDIT quickly found some sources (in Dutch) [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]. Some are double, but its been tested for a while. Also, at least [3] and [5] are based on European investigation so English source should be available too.

[1] https://www.kwrwater.nl/projecten/drugs-in-het-riool/

[2] https://nos.nl/artikel/2148110-rioolonderzoek-meer-cocaine-g...

[3] http://www.omroepbrabant.nl/?news/213383832/Waterschap+gaat+...

[4] https://www.parool.nl/amsterdam/meeste-cocaine-in-amsterdams...

[5] https://www.ed.nl/eindhoven/cocaeniuml-ne-en-amfetamine-rest...

To the fact that you find this normal enough to not be shocking.

If I've know about something problematic for many years, it's no longer "shocking". But I don't necessarily consider such stuff "normal". The situation is still abnormal. Chronically so.

I see articles like these as useful reminders that human actions have consequences which need to be understood and mitigated if they are bad enough.

We don't want to become numb to the signs of systematic and widespread problems.

On the general topic of pollution and what it takes to organize effective responses, a friend recommended this article https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/10/magazine/the-lawyer-who-b...