[Pharmwaste] contaminants article from Oregon
PDeLeo at sdahq.org
PDeLeo at sdahq.org
Wed Oct 10 11:31:53 EDT 2007
The entire report that is the subject of this article is available on the
website for the Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership
(http://www.lcrep.org/pdfs/WaterSalmonReport.pdf). The report appears to
focus more on the "traditional" pollutants (PCBs, PAHs, PDBEs, DDT and
other pesticides). It appears that there is significant impact on the
Willamette River from theses compounds and lesser impact from personal care
products, at least not as much as this article appears to suggest.
The following key findings are reported for this study on the website under
What's New (http://www.lcrep.org/whats_new.htm)
Key findings from the report include:
-- PCBs, PAHs, and PBDEs are widespread in the lower river, both
geographically and in the food chain.
-- The urban and industrial portions of the lower river contribute
significantly to juvenile salmon’s toxic loads.
-- Juveniles from upriver salmon stocks are absorbing toxic contaminants
during their time in the lower Columbia River.
-- Juvenile salmon in the lower river are accumulating DDT in their tissue.
-- Juvenile salmon are exposed to estrogen-like compounds in the lower
river.
-- Copper concentrations were present at levels that could interfere with
salmon imprinting, homing, schooling, shoaling, predator detection,
predator avoidance, and spawning behavior.
-- The most frequently detected pesticides were atrazine, simazine, and
metolachlor, which are suspected hormone disruptors.
Paul DeLeo
Paul C. DeLeo, PhD.
Director, Environmental Safety
The Soap and Detergent Association
1500 K Street, N.W., Suite 300
Washington, DC 20005
pdeleo at sdahq.org
http://www.cleaning101.com
"Tenace, Laurie"
<Laurie.Tenace at de
p.state.fl.us> To
Sent by: <pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us>
pharmwaste-bounce cc
s at lists.dep.state
.fl.us Subject
[Pharmwaste] contaminants article
from Oregon
10/10/2007 10:55
AM
Study finds contaminants from everyday products in our waterways
http://www.katu.com/news/10402262.html
By Anita Kissee and KATU Web Staff
PORTLAND, Ore. - The caffeine in our morning cup of coffee, the chemicals
in
our shampoo, even our prescriptions - they are all ending up in our rivers
and hurting salmon, according to a recent study.
"The pharmaceuticals - for years we've been told to just flush them down
the
toilet and now we're finding out that's not the best way to dispose of
them,"
said Debrah Marriott from Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership, the
organization that put together the study.
Marriott said researchers set out to see what contaminants are in our local
waterways, specifically the Willamette and Columbia rivers, and how the
salmon are being affected.
Not surprisingly, they found longtime pollutants still hanging around, like
banned pesticides, but what they did not expect to find were chemicals from
products we use every day doing damage to salmon.
"They are actually seeing the gender of species change, of salmon changing
in
their own life cycle," said Marriott.
The most toxic spot of all that researchers found was right under the
Morrison Bridge.
The researchers said most of the pollutants were in low amounts, but still
significant enough to be passed up the food chain to people.
"We're not going to tell people not to drink coffee, not to wash their hair
or brush their teeth," said Marriott. "What we hope to do is just provide
consumers with better information about what ingredients are safer."
"A lot of the pollutants being found are things people can't change or are
not going to change," said Nina Bell with Northwest Environmental
Advocates.
Bell believes a broader approach is needed - more bans on products and
better
filters at wastewater treatment plants.
"This is a perfect example of the kind of thing that you really can't
control
at the source, you can only treat," said Bell.
But even that, said Marriott, is not a solution because it is expensive and
may not work. She believes it is up to consumers to think about ways, and
products, they can change.
The Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership plans to start a campaign soon
to help consumers select the safest options.
Laurie J. Tenace
Environmental Specialist
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
2600 Blair Stone Road, MS 4555
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400
PH: (850) 245-8759
FAX: (850) 245-8811
Laurie.Tenace at dep.state.fl.us
Mercury web pages:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/mercury/default.htm
Unwanted Medications web pages:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/medications/default.htm
Please Note: Florida has a very broad public records law. Most written
communications to or from state officials regarding state business are
public
records available to the public and media upon request. Your e-mail is
communications and may therefore be subject to public disclosure.
The Department of Environmental
Protection values your feedback as a customer. DEP Secretary Michael W.
Sole is committed to continuously assessing and
improving the level and quality of services provided to you. Please take a
few minutes to comment on the quality of
service you received. Copy the url below to a web browser to complete the
DEP
survey:
http://survey.dep.state.fl.us/?refemail=Laurie.Tenace@dep.state.fl.us Thank
you in advance for completing the survey.
_______________________________________________
Pharmwaste mailing list
Pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pharmwaste
More information about the Pharmwaste
mailing list