An investigation by the Associated Press (AP) has found that the American water supply has increasingly become a dumping ground for pharmaceutical ingredients by industry and consumers. The AP calculated that at least 271 million pounds of pharmaceuticals have been legally released into waterways that often provide drinking water, and the federal government has done little about it. Many active ingredients can be found in drinking water, including lithium (used to treat people with bipolar disorders), as well as the antiseptics phenol and hydrogen peroxide. The latter two account for 92% of the 271 million pounds of chemicals discharged by drug companies because they are often used to clean equipment at facilities.