Concerns raised about coastal levels of flame-retardant chemicals

Concerns raised about coastal levels of flame-retardant chemicals

U.S. study finds widespread, high concentrations near Southern California and Chicago, as well as Alaska.

Flame-retardant chemicals that have been linked to reproductive and neurological problems in animals have seeped into coastal environments even in remote regions and have been found in high concentrations off populated areas such as Chicago and Southern California, a federal study revealed Tuesday.

“This is a wake-up call for Americans concerned about the health of our coastal waters and their personal health,” said John H. Dunnigan, assistant administrator of the National Ocean Service, a branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which released the report.

The study, part of the Mussel Watch Program, was the most comprehensive look at the nationwide presence of chemicals called polybrominated diphenyl ethers, used in a variety of commercial goods since the 1970s as a fire retardant.

High levels of the chemicals were found in sediment and shellfish samples in areas including the Pacific Northwest’s Puget Sound; the Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla., coast; New York’s Hudson-Raritan Estuary; Lake Michigan off Milwaukee, Chicago and Gary, Ind.; and off remote shores in Alaska. The highest concentrations were near industrial centers.

The new report builds on a 1996 study that reported levels of the chemicals in limited areas.

via Concerns raised about coastal levels of flame-retardant chemicals – Los Angeles Times.