Dec 01, 1998

Asian pollutants found in B.C., says report

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- Airborne pollutants from Asia linked to cancer and birth defects are believed to be a major source of contamination in fish stocks in four British Columbia lakes, an Environment Canada study says. Tests on burbot, a fresh-water cod, show concentrations of the pesticide toxaphene are well above acceptable limits for full-time fish predators such as osprey and otter, although they are still considered safe for human consumption. The study, part of the seven-year Fraser River Action Plan, was conducted at Moose Lake in Mount Robson provincial park, Stuart Lake at Fort St. James, Nicola Lake near Merritt and Kamloops Lake. It suggests airborne pollutants such as DDT and toxaphene -- both banned in Canada, but still used in developing countries for agriculture and mosquito control -- as well as banned PCBs, used in part as coolants in electrical transformers, can be found throughout British Columbia. The major source of the airborne pollutants is believed to be Asia, the study said. The Fraser River watershed research shows lakes located high in the mountains are at greatest risk, because the pollutants fall to earth with rain or snow and leach into fresh-water lakes in summer. The pollutants pose a health concern because they concentrate in human and animal tissues. The British Columbia studies are the first extensive survey of such pollutants throughout a watershed but the results are consistent with similar findings in Yukon, Arctic and Rocky Mountain national parks. The results show the need for "cradle-to-grave management" of chemicals, said Environment Canada spokesman Colin Gray. "It's a cautionary tale." The Canadian government plans to follow up its studies over the next three or four years in several lakes in the Coast Mountains, including the Greater Vancouver area, and on Vancouver Island, he said. Sandy Matheson, chief of Environment Canada's hazardous air pollution division in Ottawa, said efforts are under way to prohibit or restrict the use worldwide of 16 "persistent organic pollutants," including DDT, toxaphene and PCBs.

Metals, dioxins found in fertilizers

OLYMPIA -- Preliminary studies released Monday by the Washington State Department of Ecology show that heavy metals and dioxins are present in some fertilizers. At the same time, another new study of heavy metals in agricultural soils concludes that metals do not appear to pose a threat to human health or the environment in the region studied. Earlier this year, Washington passed the first law in the nation that set standards for heavy metals allowed in fertilizers sold to farmers and home consumers. During the past year, Ecology studied metals and dioxins in 51 fertilizers to enable the state to evaluate the adequacy of the new law, which is being used by the state Department of Agriculture to review all fertilizers sold in the state. Ecology also took soil samples to provide a limited but useful picture of metals and dioxins already present in state soils. The study found that levels of zinc and cadmium were higher in soil samples from land that has been farmed for many years compared to land in the same area that has never been farmed. However, all soil samples had metals levels at the low end of a range of background levels established in earlier studies. All samples of agricultural soils were taken in the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project. Dioxins are found in non-agricultural soils throughout the state at levels similar to those found in studies of other parts of the world, Ecology discovered. As expected, the highest levels were found in urban areas. A study of dioxin levels in agricultural soils may be conducted in 1999. Most fertilizers in the Ecology study have non-detectable or very low levels of dioxins, but three have dioxin levels high enough to merit further research into the source of dioxins found in those products. The state subjected all of the fertilizer samples to a heavy metals test that must be passed by waste-derived fertilizers and found that seven products failed this test for cadmium. Ecology is researching the products that failed in order to determine whether they include industrial waste. Any of the fertilizers that contain recycled industrial waste could be found in violation of hazardous waste regulations and removed from the market in Washington unless the manufacturer is able to reformulate the product. Several recommendations may come from the studies, but two are of particular interest to Ecology:

• Metals levels in state soils should be periodically monitored to ensure that levels do not become a concern in the future;
• Ecology will propose elimination of a federal exemption from hazardous waste regulations for steel mill flue dust. The exemption allows steel mill flue dust to bypass hazardous waste requirements when it is recycled into fertilizer. This proposed change, which must be subjected to a formal public process, would apply to Washington State only.

Final results and recommendations for action based on the new studies are expected in spring 1999 after Ecology discusses the information with experts in the field and with the state's Fertilizer Advisory Workgroup. The group is made up of representatives from agriculture, environmental and labor groups, the fertilizer industry, and government agencies.

Groups challenge steel waste rules

SEATTLE -- With the state Department of Ecology planning to propose elimination of an exemption from hazardous-waste regulations for steel mill flue dust, the Sierra Club and the Washington Toxics Coalition yesterday filed a legal challenge intended to repeal the exemption. The exemption allows steel mill waste to be incorporated in fertilizer without being subject to hazardous-waste regulations. The steel mill wastes contain dioxins and lead, among other contaminants. Dioxins are highly toxic compounds that build up in the food chain, persisting in human tissues and breast milk. Doris Cellarius, spokeswoman for the Sierra Club, said Ecology's willingness to eliminate steel mill waste is a good start, but the state should do more to stop dioxins from any source entering fertilizers.

Toxics symposium set for Dec. 2

OLYMPIA -- Exactly how to eliminate toxic chemicals from the air, water and food chain will be the prime topic at a state Department of Ecology symposium to be held Dec. 2 in Tacoma. Called "Eliminating Toxic & Bioaccumulative Chemicals: A Challenge to Washington State," the symposium will feature Ecology Director Tom Fitzimmons as keynote speaker. Other speakers will discuss the health and environmental effects of bioaccumulative toxins, and efforts nationally and around the world to reduce and eliminate them. The symposium will begin at 8 a.m. and conclude at 5:30 p.m. in the Tacoma Convention Center, 13th and Market, Tacoma. To register, call Gayla Lord at (360) 407-6695.

Leisure Care

Leisure Care, a Bellevue-based retirement community management firm, has promoted William R. Fenner and Bob Westermann to vice presidents overseeing all operational functions of specific communities, and Andrew M. Gomes to vice president supervising new developments. Fenner, Westermann and Gomes formerly served as operations directors.

Vander Houwen Public Relations

Vander Houwen Public Relations has added two financial services clients that specialize in helping small and emerging businesses. It will assist Advance Capital Inc. and Charter Bank with strategic marketing planning and public relations.

GreatFood.com

GreatFood.com, a Seattle-based specialty food store, has entered into an e-commerce alliance with Excite Inc., an Internet portal company. The company's web site will be featured in the gourmet and groceries department of the shopping channel on Excite, as well as in the Excite Holiday Shoppe. GreatFood.com has also joined with Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. in a marketing association to allow online subscribers a direct link to GreatFood.com where they can make purchases at a discounted price.

Holaday-Parks

Mechanical contractor Holaday-Parks has hired several new employees. Eric Vander Mey has joined the firm's engineering division as a project engineer, and Floy Markham, Minda Pearson and Daryl Kapp have joined the service department. Markham is a service technician, and Pearson and Kapp are service coordinators.