The State of Us - The cocaine in Northern Ireland’s water
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Blue-green algae, pollutants – and cocaine?
The health of Northern Ireland’s lakes and rivers has been in the spotlight for some time and now scientists have found the widespread presence of drugs – including cocaine, painkillers and anti-depressants – in some of our major waterways.
And, while the water sampled is not the same stuff as comes out of our taps, it does point towards another pressure point for Northern Ireland’s marine environment.
Journalist Kathryn Torney and the study’s lead author Dr Billy Hunter joined Tara and Declan on the pink sofa to discuss some of the surprising findings and answer key questions – what does the level of cocaine tell us about drug abuse? What does increased levels of caffeine do to fish and other animals? And could more antibiotics in the water lead to more antibiotic resistance?
Get in touch: thestateofus@bbc.co.uk
Published on Tuesday, 9th December 2025.
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