SEATTLE (AP) — A new state study finds that the tens of thousands of toxic chemicals that get washed into Puget Sound each year come from many, diffused sources.
They include leaking oil from cars, zinc from rooftops, copper in boat paint, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from creosote-treated wood pilings and woodstoves.
Thursday’s report from the Department of Ecology and Puget Sound Partnership ties together a multi-year effort to figure out exactly what toxic chemicals reach rivers and streams, where it comes from, and how much of it ends up in the waters. The results will help state officials come up with new strategies to reduce pollution.
The report recommends doing more to control motor oil leaks, remove creosote-treated wood pilings and understand toxic chemicals leaching from roofs.
