Fact Check: "Aborted Babies are Being Flushed Into America's Drinking Water"
What We Know
The claim that aborted babies are being flushed into America's drinking water is rooted in concerns about the disposal of fetal remains from abortion procedures. Pro-life advocates, including U.S. Senator James Lankford, have raised alarms about the potential environmental risks associated with the abortion drug mifepristone and its byproducts, suggesting that these could contaminate water supplies (Lankford Urges EPA to Investigate Environmental Risks of ...). However, there is no credible evidence to support the assertion that fetal remains are being directly flushed into drinking water systems.
A report by Liberty Counsel Action claims that abortion centers dispose of fetal remains in public water systems, but this assertion lacks substantiation and is primarily based on advocacy rather than scientific evidence (Aborted Babies are Being Flushed Into America’s Drinking Water). Furthermore, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not confirmed any widespread contamination of drinking water due to the disposal of fetal remains from abortion clinics.
Analysis
The sources supporting the claim are primarily from advocacy groups and political figures with a vested interest in anti-abortion rhetoric. For instance, the report from Liberty Counsel Action does not provide verifiable data or scientific studies to back its claims about the disposal practices of abortion clinics. Instead, it relies on anecdotal evidence and alarmist language to draw attention to the issue (Aborted Babies are Being Flushed Into America’s Drinking Water).
Moreover, the environmental concerns raised by Senator Lankford regarding mifepristone focus on its chemical byproducts rather than the physical remains of aborted fetuses. The EPA has stated that while pharmaceuticals can enter the environment through various means, including excretion and improper disposal, there is no direct evidence linking these practices to the contamination of drinking water with fetal remains (Lankford Urges EPA to Investigate Environmental Risks of ...).
Additionally, the claim has been critiqued by various fact-checking organizations, which emphasize that while there are legitimate concerns about pharmaceutical waste in water systems, the specific claim about aborted babies being flushed is misleading and lacks credible support (Anti-abortion advocates turn to the environment).
Conclusion
The claim that aborted babies are being flushed into America's drinking water is False. The assertion is based on unverified reports and lacks credible scientific evidence. While there are ongoing discussions about the environmental impact of pharmaceutical waste, including that from abortion drugs, there is no substantiated claim that fetal remains are being disposed of in a manner that contaminates drinking water supplies.
Sources
- Spontaneous Abortions Possibly Related to Ingestion of ...
- Lankford Urges EPA to Investigate Environmental Risks of ...
- HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - Maine Legislature
- The next abortion fight could be over wastewater regulation
- Home - Abortion In Our Water
- Stop Dumping Abortion Medical Waste | Opinion
- Aborted Babies are Being Flushed Into America’s Drinking Water
- Anti-abortion advocates turn to the environment