The active ingredient in most birth control pills is ending up in the drinking water supply in most countries around the world.

The damage to wildlife can be readily seen and the broader concern, of course, is whether or not there is an effect on human biology, as well.

Ecological systems may be at risk along with the health of people everywhere.

The problem is effectively removing ethinyl estradiol can be quite costly. Governmental estimates put the cost of upgrading about 1,360 wastewater treatment plants across England and Wales so they can comply with a proposed limit at between $41 billion and $47 billion (€32 billion and €37 billion), according to Richard Owen, a professor at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom.