By Jonathan Friedman
Staff Writer
October 25, 2009 -- Santa Monica Bay ranks third in the nation for most toxic discharges, according to a report released Thursday by Environment California.
The pollutants include lead, mercury and dioxin, pollutants known to cause cancer.
The group's report titled “Wasting our Waterways” found that approximately 232 million pounds of toxic chemicals were released into the nation’s waters in 2007, nearly 400,000 pounds of that going into Santa Monica Bay.
“Despite the clear intentions of the Clean Water Act, polluters continue to use our waterways as dumping grounds for toxic chemicals and toxic releases,” said Environment California’s Gina Goodhill during a Thursday press conference next to the Santa Monica Pier.
“With facilities dumping so much pollution, it should come as no surprise that half our waterways are unfishable and unswimmable,” Goodhill said. “No one should be surprised. But we should be outraged.”
Environment California, which calls itself a “statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization,” made its findings through an analysis of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s “Toxics Release Inventory for 2007.” That document contains the most recent data available.
Goodhill urged the federal and state governments to strengthen their enforcement of the Clean Water Act through the issuance of permits with tough, numeric limits on toxic pollutants.
She advocated for the passage of the Clean Water Restoration Act, which is co-sponsored by Rep. Henry Waxman, whose district includes Santa Monica, and calls for tougher water quality standards.
A solution to the problem, Goodhill suggested, is for industrial facilities to use environmentally safe materials as an alternative to toxic chemicals. She said there are plenty of examples of companies using these.
“There are alternatives out there and they (the materials used) can be switched,” Goodhill said. (view report)
