Topic: conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
Q6. Analyse the relationship between pharmaceutical waste and antimicrobial resistance. Suggest policy measures to reduce environmental exposure to antimicrobial residues. (10 M)
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: DTE
Growing global concern over antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and recent policy attention to pharmaceutical waste management, including UNEP guidance and India’s National Action Plan on AMR 2.0, highlight the environmental dimension of antibiotic pollution.
Key Demand of the question
The question requires analysing how improper pharmaceutical waste contributes to the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance through environmental pathways. It also demands suggesting policy measures that can reduce environmental exposure to antimicrobial residues.
Structure of the Answer
Introduction
Briefly highlight AMR as a major global public health threat and note that environmental contamination from pharmaceutical waste is increasingly recognised as a key driver of resistance.
Body
- Relationship between pharmaceutical waste and AMR: Indicate how environmental exposure to antimicrobial residues creates selective pressure that promotes resistant microorganisms.
- Policy measures to reduce environmental exposure: Suggest the need for regulatory, stewardship and safe pharmaceutical waste management systems to prevent antimicrobial residues from entering ecosystems.
Conclusion
Emphasise that addressing AMR requires integrating environmental governance, rational medicine use and safe pharmaceutical waste management within a One Health framework.
