Environmental impact of synthetic drug production: analysis of groundwater samples for contaminants derived from illicit synthetic drug production waste : Background paper commissioned by the EMCDDA

The Netherlands and Belgium are known major producers of synthetic psychoactive drugs such as MDMA, amphetamine and, more recently, methamphetamine. The present study shows that as a result of the illicit production of these synthetic drugs, large volumes of chemical waste are generated and encountered in the environment after disposal. It is estimated that between 25 and 43 kilograms of (liquid) drug production waste is generated per kilogram of produced drug. Knowledge on the composition and the emission of synthetic drug production waste is limited. However, emissions onto or into soil and surface water pose a particular environmental risk. In a field study that was performed as part of the current project, residues of drug production waste, including the produced MDMA, amphetamine and methamphetamine as well as several known by-products, were encountered in the surface water and sediment of a former, remediated drug production waste dump location. Concentration patterns followed a trend, with the highest concentrations in the sediment and water near the former point of emission and lower concentrations found further away from this location. The current literature review and field study illustrate that knowledge on the occurrence and fate of drug production waste residues in surface waters, soils, sediments and groundwater remains limited, and that field research of dump locations is hampered by restrictions to site accessibility. The current remediation strategies applied by local authorities when drug production waste is encountered may overlook the environmental aspects and risks associated with the emission of such residues.