Washington departments of Ecology and Agriculture are reissuing a warning that first came out in March of 2008 regarding metal canisters washing up on ocean beaches.

Canisters found on ocean beaches may contain dangerous aluminum phosphide.
Department of Ecology photo

The canisters are the type that often contain aluminum phosphide, a chemical that turns into poisonous phospine gas when exposed to moisture. This gas is commonly used to kill insects and other pests on cargo ships.

The problem comes about if someone finds one of these canisters with the lid still on. If the person then opens the canister, he or she may breathe the residual phosphine gas.

I’m not sure anyone can predict potential exposures, because it would depend on the amount of aluminum phosphide or phosphine in the canister. But I found the following info in medical management guidelines issued by the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry:

“Phosphine is a respiratory tract irritant that attacks primarily the cardiovascular and respiratory systems causing peripheral vascular collapse, cardiac arrest and failure, and pulmonary edema.”

In other words, this stuff is nothing to mess around with. Lots of folks walk the ocean beaches in winter. If you find a canister like this, keep the lid on and alert authorities.

“We asked the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop a model that would give us a better idea where these canisters might be coming from,” said Dale Jensen, Ecology’s spills program manager in a news release. “The results strongly indicate the likely source is the cargo ships exporting bulk grain to Pacific Rim nations. These ships are loading grain at terminals on the Columbia River as well as Grays Harbor, Puget Sound and British Columbia.”

Cliff Weed, manager of pesticide compliance for the Washington State Department of Agriculture, added, “Our goal is to raise awareness that these canisters must be properly handled and disposed of – whether the vessel is outbound from a Washington port or a foreign ship inbound with cargo. This will help ensure the canisters stay out of our waters, off our beaches and protect the public.

For information, check Ecology’s Web page on the aluminum phosphide.

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After 74 days, salvage crews finally stopped the flow of crude from a leaking oil well about 150 miles off the coast of Australia.

The spill, which hasn’t gotten much attention in our part of the world, appears to be roughly the size of the Exxon Valdez spill, according to estimates. The good thing is that the oil has not hit land, and Australian officials are doing their best to make sure that it doesn’t. Crews are using chemical dispersants and oil-collection equipment.

A fire that started on the oil rig Sunday also was extinguished.

Even though the oil has not hit shore, environmental officials are concerned about the number of marine mammals and sea birds affected by the oil.

“We still have a toxic cocktail created by the thousands of barrels of oil and condensate that have been pouring into the sea, along with the thousands of litres of dispersant,” said Gilly Llewellyn, conservation director for World Wildlife Fund – Australia. “All of this in one of the world’s most intact tropical marine ecosystems.”

Mike Bossley, the managing director for the Australasian office of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society expressed concern for the longterm and chronic effects on marine life in the area of the spill, where four species of whales and dolphins and 28 species of birds were spotted in recent days.

To read more, check out these stories:

The Australian: Timor Sea oil leak stopped at last
ABC News (with video): Oil Impact May Last Seven Years
Asia Sentinal: Timor Oil Well Fire Snuffed Out
WA Today: ‘We know what caused oil spill’
Antara News: Australia Limits Montara oil spill`s effects

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Dissolved oxygen in southern Hood Canal has dropped to dangerously low levels, and the table appears to be set for a fish kill if we get strong winds out of the south. See my story in today’s Kitsap Sun.

It seems a lot of experts are surprised that we have reached this level of low oxygen, considering that we were seeing near-record high oxygen levels earlier this year. See a story I wrote in August.

Although we have had low-oxygen problems in Hood Canal for years, monitoring buoys installed a few years ago now allow us to see what is happening at the moment and to describe the conditions in some detail.

In 2006, for the first time, scientists were able to show the factors leading up to a fish kill. Until then, it was only reasoned speculation. What may be equally troubling, however, is the level of stress that sea creatures are coming under before and after a fish kill — or if none occurs at all.

I didn’t mention it in my story, but oxygen levels at Twanoh and probably up toward Belfair are even lower than at Hoodsport. Lower Hood Canal is an area where the oxygen is so chronically depleted that fluffy mats of bacteria can be seen growing on the bottom at times when no other life can survive.

I feel that I need to express my disappointment with some of the comments posted to my story. To write this piece, I took note of the monitoring buoys; I pulled together observations of divers and others; and I even informed a few officials about the conditions that were developing.

I told this story straight, basing it on facts and observations that I gathered. Yet some people apparently chose to believe that my writing had something to do with taxation, government control, funding for Puget Sound Partnership, another costly study or hysterical tactics by environmental wackos.

I suppose I should be used to cynical comments by now, and I am glad that one person took the time to say he was pleased that I was “telling it like it is.” I just thought people would like to know of the dire conditions facing sealife in southern Hood Canal and what might occur if a south wind blows.

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UPDATE, Monday, Oct. 19, 9:44 p.m.
I received this note tonight from Capt. Jim Maya of Maya’s Westside Charters:

We got the word that perhaps some Residents had come in last night from the west, but only two Ts had been spotted. So, at 1:00 PM, we headed west to hopefully find those Ts. For crying out loud, it had been 10 days since we had seen Orcas. Humpbacks, Minkes, Dall’s Porpoise, but no Orcas. So after stopping for a great Dall’s Porpoise show, we headed west in hopes of seeing some Transients. We got to them just east of Race Rocks, about 25 miles west of San Juan Is. And then we heard that there were Residents at Hannah Heights. We raced back to find K Pod heading south from Hannah Heights.
————–

I was pleased this week to report about the birth of a new baby orca in L Pod. See Friday’s Kitsap Sun.

The latest orca in L Pod is a newborn calf numbered L-113.
Photo by Jami Nagel, Island Adventures

This was the fourth birth recorded for the Southern Residents this year, according to the Center for Whale Research as reported in a list maintained by Orca Network.

Looking at those stats, it is nice to know that there have been no deaths reported so far this year.

Some of us are still reeling from last year, when eight whales were reported dead — including L-57, or Faith, the most prominent whale among the 19 orcas that visited Dyes Inlet in 1997. I did not know about Faith until early this year, because researchers were holding out hope that he would show up. See Feb. 16’s Kitsap Sun.

Amid all those deaths, apparently only one whale was born last year — one of the lowest birth years in history.

That’s why this year’s four births seem so promising to an optimist like me. We can only hope births will greatly outnumber deaths for years to come.

In my story published Friday, I also talked about how the orcas appeared to be testing the waters for salmon in Central and South Puget Sound. At least some got as far south as Fox Island. Where they are now is unknown, but some research are guessing that they are off the west coast of Vancouver Island.

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This week, our amusing subject is otters, thanks to a suggestion from Fred Felleman, who spotted a satirical story about an oil spill. It comes from The Onion. (Click here.)

I tracked down the video at right, which appears to shows an otter dancing to the music…

To round out our otter adventures, check out:

— The otters who made themselves at home in a human’s house and

— The otter who became close friends with a badger.

Who would have believed it?

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Over the past two days, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has made rather historic decisions on two fronts: a new process for reviewing potentially toxic chemicals and a precision attack on greenhouse gases.

FIRST ISSUE: On Tuesday, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announced a regulatory change for dealing with chemical safety. View her remarks made at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, where she said:

“A child born in America today will grow up exposed to more chemicals than a child from any other generation in our history… Our kids are getting steady infusions of industrial chemicals before we even give them solid food.

“Now, some chemicals may be risk-free at the levels we are seeing. I repeat: some chemical may be risk-free. But as more and more chemicals are found in our bodies and the environment, the public is understandably anxious and confused. Many are turning to government for assurance that chemicals have been assessed using the best available science, and that unacceptable risks haven’t been ignored.

“Right now, we are failing to get this job done. Our oversight of the 21st century chemical industry is based on the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act. It was an important step forward at the time… But over the years, not only has TSCA fallen behind the industry it’s supposed to regulate – it’s been proven an inadequate tool for providing the protection against chemical risks that the public rightfully expects.”

Some of the proposed changes will require legislation, others will not. But here’s an outline of the “Essential Principles for Reform of Chemicals Management Legislation”:

• Chemicals should be reviewed against risk-based safety standards based on sound science and protective of human health and the environment.
• Manufacturers should provide EPA with the necessary information to conclude that new and existing chemicals are safe and do not endanger public health or the environment.
• EPA should have clear authority to take risk management actions when chemicals do not meet the safety standard…
• Manufacturers and EPA should assess and act on priority chemicals, both existing and new, in a timely manner.
• Green Chemistry should be encouraged and provisions assuring transparency and public access to Information should be strengthened.
• EPA should be given a sustained source of funding for implementation.

As we have discussed, EPA has never before tried to regulate greenhouse gases.

To read more:

EPA news release: “EPA Administrator Jackson Unveils New Administration Framework for Chemical Management Reform in the United States”
OMB Watch: “Transparency Provisions Wanting in New Chemical Management ‘Principles’”
San Francisco Chronicle: “EPA wants more oversight on chemicals”
Environmental Health News: “EPA unveils plan to review 6 controversial chemicals, reform US toxics policy”

SECOND ISSUE: Yesterday, at the California Governor’s Global Climate Summit, Jackson announced that large industrial facilities emitting more than 25,000 tons of green house gases a year would need permits to ensure that best available control technologies are being used.

Among her comments at the summit was this statement:

“This rule allows us to do what the Clean Air Act does best – reduce emissions for better health, drive technology innovation for a better economy, and protect the environment for a better future – all without placing an undue burden on the businesses that make up the better part of our economy.”

Jackson’s comments came only hours after U.S. Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., rolled out a new climate bill. Kerry, quoted in the Los Angeles Times: “We’re geared to move this and hopefully get it to the floor before (the Copenhagen summit.) I think we’re going to make it.”

Reaction:

The New York Times: “EPA Moves to Curtail Greenhouse Gas Emissions”
Dallas Morning News: “EPA moves to limit greenhouse-gas emissions from major polluters”
National Petrochemical & Refiners Association: “NPRA Believes EPA Lacks Legal Authority to Raise GHG Permitting Threshold”

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Certain plastic compounds, commonly found in household products, break down over time, releasing chemicals that wind up in house dust, according to a new study conducted for the Washington Toxics Coalition and People for Puget Sound.

The study examined one class of chemicals, called phthalates, which are believed to cause reproductive problems — though at higher concentrations than normally found in a house.

But the study also found that the phthalates were making their way onto clothing, into the laundry wash water and ultimately into Puget Sound sediments, where other studies show that these chemicals seem to be increasing over time.

This new study raises questions that are not trivial and demand further investigation and public education: Is the dust-sewer route for phthalates more predominant than the air-stormwater route? (See 2006-07 discussion.) Could these chemicals be causing unidentified health effects in our homes? What will be their effects on specific marine and freshwater environments as they continue to accumulate faster than they break down? Do the breakdown products themselves create concerns? And what other chemicals in our homes might be taking this dust-sewer route into Puget Sound?

Last week in “Water Ways,” we discussed how Elliott Bay was growing cleaner by many standards, but at least one phthalate compound was building up in the sediments. We’ll be discussing phthalates in Tacoma’s Commencement Bay and Bremerton’s Sinclair and Dyes inlets as new data becomes available.

Folks who released the report today said they hoped it would spur government agencies into action. According to a news release, the state should take these actions:

• Enact legislation to ensure only the safest chemicals are used in products.
• Take action to phase out the use of chemicals posing the greatest threat to Puget Sound’s health.
• Help industry switch to safer alternatives and away from chemicals known to be harmful to Puget Sound.
• Require companies to disclose what chemicals they are using to manufacture products.
• Fully fund Puget Sound Partnership Action Agenda items that prevent toxic chemical pollution.

(more…)

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It is exciting to hear that the millions of dollars spent in cleaning up the waters going into Seattle’s Elliott Bay has made a measurable difference in the health of fish as well as in the sediments themselves. For overall findings, check out the news release from the Washington Department of Ecology.

It is also reassuring to know that money spent on gathering sediments and collecting fish samples has paid off with important results. The report calls for some new monitoring efforts and ways of interpreting data being collected. I believe careful monitoring will continue to collect dividends as researchers figure out what measures work best to clean up our bays.

I don’t want to get carried away here. Elliott Bay is far from clean. A third of the bay still fails to meet state sediment standards, and pollution-tolerant organisms are far more abundant than pollution-sensitive species. We have a long way to go.

Improvements were seen in the concentrations of four metals (lead, mercury, silver and tin), in most polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (petroleum products), in PCBs, in overall toxicity and in the health of benthic communities (organisms that live in the sediments).

Almost no changes were seen in the concentrations of five metals (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper and nickel) nor in a few polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Worsening conditions were observed for one metal (zinc), for two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (acenaphthylene and retene) and for a common plasticizer chemical (Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate4).

The report concludes: “Faced with a growing human population in the Puget Sound area, work is increasingly important to stop pollution at its source, clean up contaminated areas, and monitor the results to make sure our efforts are working.”

I would add that we need to stay on top of emerging pollutants, including flame retardants and new chemicals, to measure their toxicity in the lab and track their presence in the environment.

For those who would like to delve more deeply into this subject, I would recommend a “four-page summary for scientists,” (PDF 1.2 mb) as described by Ecology’s news release.

You may also review:
A two-page “focus sheet for the general public” (PDF 888 kb)
The full report: “Urban Waters Initiative, 2007: Sediment Quality in Elliott Bay” (PDF 5.2 mb)

The various news stories I read did not go much beyond Ecology’s original release.

The next reports from the Urban Waters Initiative will focus on Tacoma’s Commencement Bay, followed by Bremerton’s Sinclair and Dyes inlets. I believe all areas are showing improvement, though it will be interesting to see if anyone can tease out — or even discuss — differences related to dredging and capping versus reduction in pollutant discharges and effects of natural sedimentation.

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An award-winning film, “Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure,” could be a “catalyst for community discussions about local water infrastructure and other important civic issues,” according to Kitsap County Commissioner Charlotte Garrido.

The film, produced last year by the WPSU-TV, is scheduled to be shown on BKAT, Kitsap County’s community access channel. It is currently scheduled to be shown on four different days beginning Sept. 30.

Kitsap County has set up a special page to comment on the film and local water infrastructure.

Here’s what Charlotte says about the film in a written statement:

“We’re very pleased to be able to present this award-winning documentary on local cable television in Kitsap County. It tells the story of essential infrastructure systems: drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater and provides a catalyst for ongoing discussions about local water infrastructure and other important civic issues. I hope you’ll watch and then help develop solutions that protect our water resources.”

She also said this in a statement:

“We are facing some very difficult decisions on how to protect and maintain infrastructure in Kitsap County. We’re interested in hearing thoughts and ideas from local residents as we continue the long-range planning to ensure viable water resources in the future.”

A four-minute trailer for the film can be viewed above at right. If you’d like to share a comment about water issues with county officials, click here, and feel free to share your thoughts on this blog as well.

To read more about the film, visit the “Liquid Assets” Web site set up by Pennsylvania State University, the home of WPSU.

The film was shown last fall on Seattle’s public television station KCTS, so some of you may have seen it then. Here the schedule for BKAT (Channel 12 on Comcast and Channel 3 on Wave Cable).

• Wednesday, Sept. 30, 10 a.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 3, 11 a.m.
• Friday, Oct. 9, 3:30 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 12, 10 p.m.

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“Puget Sound Starts Here.”

Given the complex issues we often discuss on this blog, the message seems too simple, almost childlike, conveying not much more than a slogan with a few pictures.

But maybe that’s exactly what we need to reach the broadest public.

Paul Bergman, communications director for Puget Sound Partnership, acknowledged that the message was carefully honed to fit a 15- or 30-second television spot. If the commercials raise people’s curiosity, they may visit the new Web site, “Puget Sound Starts Here.”

I briefly describe the new campaign in a story in today’s Kitsap Sun.

If you have a minute, take a look at the commercials I’ve embedded on this page and tell me if you believe they might encourage your friends and neighbors to change their behaviors — or at least think about them.

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