emerging contaminant threats and the great lakes
DESCRIPTION
Presentation by Lyman Welch for the 2011 Great Lakes Restoration Conference Session titled "Emerging Contaminant Threats and the Great Lakes." Chemical contaminants form a vast chemical soup in the Great Lakes, and from available data, we know exposure may be cause for concern. This workshop will discuss the threat of “emerging contaminants” in the Lakes, as well as give an overview of research, policy implications and recommendations for moving forward.TRANSCRIPT
Emerging Contaminant Threats and the Great Lakes
Woodward Ballroom CThursday, October 13
11:15-12:15
Emerging Contaminant Threats and the Great Lakes
Lyman C. Welch
Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition 7th Annual Great Lakes Restoration Conference
Detroit, MIOctober 12-14, , 2011
A Community that Cares for the Great LakesA Community that Cares for the Great Lakes
• Individuals• Businesses• Elected officials• Teachers and students• Environmental advocates • Policy leaders• Recreational enthusiasts• Civic organizations
The Alliance is the only independent policy organization working solely to improve the Great Lakes every day.
Formed in 1970, the Alliance for the Great Lakes is the oldest independent Great Lakes citizens' organization in North America. Our community today includes…
What’sWhat’s ahead? ahead?
What are emerging contaminants? Sources? Health and environmental impact?
What policy implications arise?
What tools for control are available?
What are the strategies to address emerging contaminant threats?
WhatWhat are emerging contaminants? Why are emerging contaminants? Why should we be concerned?should we be concerned?
Definitions vary
Natural or synthetic
Perceived, potential, or real threat to human health or environment
Lack of published standards or controls
Reasons for alarm
Emission and fate unknown
Health risks unknown
Lack of regulation
Emerging contaminants Sources Health and environmental impact
Policy implications
Control Tools
Action Plan
ClassesClasses of compounds identified as of compounds identified as “emerging contaminants”“emerging contaminants”
• Pharmaceuticals• Personal care products• Pesticides and herbicides• Haloginated and non-haloginated compounds• Synthetic fragrances• Phthalates• Bisphenol A • Phytoestrogens• Nanomaterials
Emerging contaminants Sources Health and environmental impact
Policy implications
Control Tools
Action Plan
ExposureExposure pathways pathways
• Drinking water– Treatment plant– Groundwater
• Inhalation or skin exposure from consumer products– Cosmetics– Contaminated food– Food containers leaching
contaminants
Emerging contaminants Sources Health and environmental impact
Policy implications
Control Tools
Action Plan
MultitudeMultitude of point and diffuse sources of point and diffuse sources
• Wastewater treatment facilities• Pharmaceutical manufacturing plants• Septic fields• Leaky infrastructure• Landfills• Application of biosolids onto
agricultural fields• General population use• Air, water transport
Emerging contaminants Sources Health and environmental impact
Policy implications
Control Tools
Action Plan
PublicPublic Health and Environmental Threats Health and Environmental Threats
• Endocrine disruption• Inflammation and cancer• Pre- and neonatal development risks• Bioaccumulation in aquatic food
webs• Resistant bacteria• Low-level chronic exposure• Synergistic effects of chemical
mixtures
Limited information on fate, persistence, epidemiological and ecological effects, for mixtures of chemicals and their byproducts
Emerging contaminants Sources Health and environmental impact
Policy implications
Control Tools
Action Plan
Most Most prevalentprevalent contaminants in the Great Lakes watershed contaminants in the Great Lakes watershedPharmaceuticals
antibiotics, hormones, pain relievers
– 0.001 – 0.26ug/L (closer to waste water facilities)
– 3.3 – 75 ng/g in sediments downstream from storm sewer outfalls)
Personal care productsInsect repellents, antiseptics, cosmetics
– DEET 1.1ug/L– Triclosan 34 ng/L– Musks 4.7ng/L in open waters,
41 ng/g in tributaries, 1 ug/g in fish (dry weight)
Industrial products
surfactants, coatings, flame retardants, plasticizers, pesticides, herbicides
– Perfluorinated acids 11 – 162 ng/L
– 50-460ng/g in biota indicating bioaccumulation
– Chlorinated paraffins 7.3 – 410ng/g in harbor sediments
– 5000ng/g in biota
– Phthalates 20ug/L (exceeds guidelines), 4030 – 29700ng/g in sediment (exceeds international standards)
– Bisphenol A 0.8ug/L, 6.1ng/g in sediments, 20 – 60 ng/g in sediments in tributaries
– Glyphosate (pesticide) 0.08 ug/L – 40ug/L varies with season, exceed standards for urban, suburban and agricultural systems
Policy ImplicationsPolicy Implications
• Safe Drinking Water Act – some emerging contaminants are included on the Contaminant Candidate List, but no new regulations have been added
• Clean Water Act – potential for regulation under provisions for state water quality standards and disposal of sewage sludge from waste water facilities
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration – requires environmental assessment of drugs that are expected to exceed 1 ppb in aquatic environments and have shown toxicity, regulates disposal of drug products
Emerging contaminants Sources Health and environmental impact
Policy implications
Control Tools
Action Plan
LitigationLitigation and other Regulatory Pathways and other Regulatory Pathways
• Petitions to EPA
– To include endocrine disrupting chemicals in the new water quality standards – not responded
– To ban Triclosan – 60 day public comment period Jan-Feb 2011, under review
• Petition to FDA– To challenge the 1 ppb exclusion rule – under review
• Ban due to international restrictions/public scrutiny– Phase out of flame retardant, decabromodiphenyl ether
Emerging contaminants Sources Health and environmental impact
Policy implications
Control Tools
Action Plan
ControllingControlling sources of emerging contaminants sources of emerging contaminants• Future tools for control
New water treatment
technologies
– “end of pipe” solution
– Expensive
– Unknown environmental impact
Changes in industrial behavior
– Chemical life cycle analysis
– Enforcement difficult
ContaminantActivated
sludgeCl disin-fection
UV disin-fection
Bisphenol A 78 72 85
DEET 54 23 64
Sulfamethoxazole 58 73 33
• Issues with current control methods
– Take-back programs address a small fraction of released drugs
– Removal efficiencies vary greatly among wastewater treatment methods and contaminants
Emerging contaminants Sources Health and environmental impact
Policy implications
Control Tools
Action Plan
ActionAction Plan Plan
• Research– National, multi-agency program– Assessment of fate, exposure, and health risks– Prioritization of chemicals
• Development of new treatment strategies– Research, evaluation, and standardization
• Change in production and consumption behavior– Decrease in use, public awareness
• Policy reform and regulation– Effective and realistic risk assessment for new
chemicals and emerging contaminants
Emerging contaminants Sources Health and environmental impact
Policy implications
Control Tools
Action Plan
We gratefully acknowledge the support of: We gratefully acknowledge the support of:
The Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust
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