Can Medical Research on Animals be Justified?

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A little-discussed problem with the use of animals in medical research is the environmental impact. Yet the use and disposal of millions of animals each year greatly diminishes the quality of our air, soil, and water.

Air contamination is produced by the emission of gases and particulates resulting from incineration of animal carcasses that typically contain experimental chemicals, drugs, and other toxins. The resulting release of toxic substances is related in part to processes common to all industrial incinerators, and in part to toxins specifically produced by the incineration of animal carcasses.

Incinerator gases can cause or exacerbate respiratory and cardiovascular diseases such as asthma and bronchitis and decrease resistance to infections and contribute to smog, acid rain, and ozone formation. Exposure to airborne incinerator particulates is also associated with increased risk for asthma, stroke, and heart disease.

Soil contamination occurs both from incinerator residues and water runoff from testing facilities. Ground water contamination is caused secondarily by soil contamination, and also by the runoff of drug- and toxin-containing animal waste and other debris related to drug and animal testing.

The growing problem of drugs in public water supplies is exacerbated by animal waste that may contain experimental drugs and chemicals with unknown toxicities. Public water treatment facilities are almost universally incapable of filtering out the drugs, hormones, and chemical solvents in wastewater from animal testing facilities.