Chemicals going into bays, rivers, creeks can't be filtered, and they come from YOU and ME.

[Matsubara]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/07/11/MNGFVQUHC21.DTL

Danger feared from chemicals getting into bay
Jane Kay, Chronicle Environment Writer
Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Chemicals found in household products like antibacterial soap and plastic bottles are found in sewage water that is discharged into San Francisco Bay, posing a threat to wildlife and humans, according to new data.
Sophisticated sewage systems treat biodegradable food, human waste and metals, but they are not designed to capture the thousands of tons of synthetic chemicals used to manufacture consumer products, say officials at the East Bay Municipal Utility District, who found evidence of potentially harmful substances in sewage from businesses and homes.
Chemical ingredients are leaching out of toothpaste, deodorant, canned food liners and vinyl and polycarbonate plastics. They pass through the municipal sewage plants virtually untreated, the experts say.
Over three months last year, EBMUD grabbed two dozen samples from sewage pipes leading from a veterinarian's office, a nail salon, a diaper service and a coin laundry, among other businesses, as well as from a medical clinic, a hospital and manufacturing plants. Samples also were collected from residences from Richmond south to Oakland. The results will be released today in a report by the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization with offices in Oakland.
The inspectors found three types of chemicals -- phthalates, bisphenol A and triclosan. All are suspected of interfering with hormone systems of humans and wildlife. Phthalates are banned in some toys in San Francisco, and the state Legislature is considering a bill that would prohibit forms of the chemical in toys intended for children under 3.
Of 19 locations tested, 18 had sewage discharges containing at least one of the chemicals, and many had more than one.
Out of three tests on treated wastewater, all three samples contained phthalates, and two contained bisphenol A or triclosan.
"We're involved because we know that these compounds are out there, and we cannot treat them in the wastewater stream," said Charles Hardy, EBMUD spokesman. The utility is one of dozens of agencies -- including cities, counties and businesses -- that discharge treated sewage, storm water or other wastewater into the bay.
"Evidence shows that the chemicals are harmful to aquatic life and potentially to humans," Hardy said.


:(

[Double T]

1. Poisoning ourselves and everything else to extinction.

Homo sapien, what have you done?

[Captain Hilts]

2. ...and birth control pills. nt

[Matsubara]

3. "Insanely Greedy - Why Apple broke my iPod!" is a flamefest, but nobody cares about this?

:( to the tenth power.

[Wiley50]

10. That's Nothing. The "Oswald" thread has been on pg 1 for over a week n/t

[bobbolink]

4. And don't forget anti-depressants.

We're all taking happy pills, now.

:+

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. They'll get filtered with regular charcoal filters.

But we don't push wastewater through charcoal filters, so yeah, it winds up in the ocean.

[SoCalDem]

6. Man boobs? Infertility? feminine facial hair?

and it cannot be good for the unsuspecting fish & critters..

but hey! our hair's gotta smell great & our fake nails gotta look good..

that water comes back to us too in the form of treated water and we ingest our our waste too :)

ain't progress grand :(

[fed-up]

7. hoping someone else wil K/R this -WHEN WILL WE ALL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS MESS???? nt

[scarletwoman]

9. Okay, here's a k & r -- But I sure as heck have no idea what to do about "this mess".

I sincerely doubt that anything short of a massive economic/ecological/nuclear disaster will put much of a dent in American consumerism.

sw

[truedelphi]

8. It is these consumer items that are killing us - But the ad monies

For them influence the Television and radio media to ignore the plight.

Remember how we could not counteract the propaganda from the cigarette industry as to cigs being good for us till cigarette ads were bnanned?

Well until the ads for these unnecessary products re banned, the problem will continue.