Betamethasone

Detailed information

Fass environmental information

Fass environmental information for Betnovat (betamethasone) from GSK (downloaded 2024-10-18).

Hazard

Persistence: "Inherent degradability: 28% primary degradation in 28 days (OECD 302C) ... Abiotic degradation Hydrolysis: 50% degradation (pH 7) = 6.5 days (TAD 3.09). [...] The phrase “betamethasone valerate is potentially persistent” is thus chosen."

Bioaccumulation: Log P = 3,60 (OECD 107).

Toxicity: There is data for 1 trophic level, water flea (Daphnia magna) 1900 microg/L.

Risk

Risk of environmental impact of betamethasone valerate cannot be excluded, since there is not sufficient ecotoxicity data available.

Report Goodpoint 2020

Comparative assessment of environmental risk when using the corticosteroids betamethasone, budesonide, hydrocortisone and prednisolone from a Swedish perspective.

The use of both betamethasone and budesonide poses an environmental risk, and exchange with synthetic glucocorticoids with a lower environmental risk is to be advocated in cases where it is possible from a clinical perspective. Hydrocortisone and prednisolone have a lower environmental risk but are rarely medically interchangeable alternatives to betamethasone and budesonide. Note that corresponding environmental risk assessments have not been made for other synthetic glucocorticoids that are available on the Swedish market, and which could possibly constitute exchange alternatives. No actions are recommended with regard to replacement of hydrocortisone and prednisolone as their use poses a low environmental risk given the current state of knowledge.