Royal London Asset Management calls for water companies to help protect public health against the risks of antimicrobial resistance

• The World Health Organisation lists antimicrobial resistance amongst the top 10 threats for global health, an estimated 10 million lives could be lost globally each year by 2050.
• Human antibiotic use has increased by 36% this century, and 80% of antibiotics consumed by humans are excreted without being metabolised, entering the environment and contributing to the development of resistant bacteria.
• Wastewater is recognised as a significant contributor to antimicrobial resistance and Royal London Asset Management is encouraging water companies to help mitigate the spread of AMR and ensure the safety of water resources. 

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a process described by the World Health Organisation as when 'bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines'. 

Wastewater is a major issue to address when it comes to protecting public health against AMR and Royal London Asset Management is striving to gain further recognition for this growing concern.

Wastewater serves as a convergence point for various sources, including agricultural run-off, pharmaceutical manufacturing discharge, domestic outflows and hospital effluents, meaning water ends up as the place where antibiotic discharge and microbes gather. This makes water an environment where resistant genes can be transferred between microbes and consequently a significant contributor to AMR.

Additionally, there is an important effect on areas adjacent to water treatment plants as wastewater is strongly linked to increased levels of antimicrobial resistance in river bacteria. Environments that facilitate microbial interaction are conducive to the spread of resistance, thereby increasing the likelihood that pathogens harmful to humans will acquire resistant genes.

Carlota Garcia-Manas, Head of Climate Transition and ESG Engagement, said: 

"Wastewater treatment plants can play a pivotal role in mitigating the spread of AMR by serving as an effective barrier that reduces the discharge of antibiotic resistant genes into the environment. Although wastewater treatment plants have seen technological advancements, historically, these facilities were not specifically designed with AMR in mind.

"AMR is a topic that is increasingly recognised as a significant threat to public health. We are committed to continuing our engagement with water companies to ensure the adoption of best practice and the crucial role they can play in mitigating the spread of AMR and ensuring the safety of water resources."

More generally, it is also anticipated that AMR will be exacerbated by other problems such as climate change, flooding and human migration. Overcrowding resulting from migration can amplify AMR transmission, while higher temperatures will induce physiological stress to animals, leading to more infectious diseases that require antibiotic treatment. 

Carlota Garcia-Manas continued:

"As signatories to the Investor Action on AMR Public Investor Statement, we support the seven key asks* of global policymakers and hope progress will be forthcoming at the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AMR later this month. We will continue to engage with various stakeholders as it is crucial that we address this systemic risk to mitigate its far-reaching consequences and use our influence to help protect public health."