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<p>The United Kingdom’s national action plan for antimicrobial resistance (AMR), published
on 24 January 2019, takes a fully integrated and comprehensive One-Health approach
for tackling AMR, and includes challenging five-year commitments across human and
animal health, agriculture, the environment and food.</p><p>Without more research
into AMR in the environment we cannot design effective interventions to minimise risk
and protect public health, food production and natural ecosystems. The national action
plan therefore includes commitments to deepen our understanding about AMR in the environment,
including a specific commitment to explore the establishment of a river catchment-based
research programme with clear standards for sample collection, analysis and review,
with the aim of delivering AMR monitoring data that can be used to evaluate existing
management interventions and inform new policy initiatives.</p><p>The Environment
Agency is working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and
water companies to undertake an extensive programme of investigations to assess a
wide range of chemicals entering rivers through wastewater treatment works. As part
of this programme, levels of four antibiotics have been monitored in treated sewage
effluent in order to quantify levels. The choice of antibiotics was based on the levels
of prescription and environmental toxicity studies. Outputs will inform the development
of future policy and regulatory decisions.</p><p>The Department is establishing a
UK AMR national action plan delivery board which will drive and oversee delivery of
this work.</p><p><strong> </strong></p>
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