Lmst

Just like with #PFAS-laden #FirefightingFoam, less #Toxic alternatives are out there, but expense is often cited as a roadblock. TBH, things that benefit the environment and society shouldn't cost more than the toxic originals -- and toxic chemicals should be replaced! Period! Make #BigChemical pay! (Since they probably knew about the hazards but hid them from the public. As usual with Big anything these days...!)

A #PinkPowder is being used to fight #CaliforniaFires. It's getting everywhere

by Nadine Yousif, January 13, 2025

"Its use has been controversial in the past over its potential effects on the #environment.

"A lawsuit filed in 2022 by the #ForestServiceEmployees for #EnvironmentalEthics, an organisation made up of current and former employees of the #USForestService, accused the federal agency of violating the country's clean water laws by dumping #chemical #FireRetardant from planes onto forests.

"It argued that the chemical kills fish and is not effective.

"The following year, a US District judge agreed with the employees, but in her ruling allowed the Forest Service to continue using the retardant as it seeks a permit to do so from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

"The case drew the attention of communities devastated by #wildfires in the past, including the town of #ParadiseCalifornia, which was destroyed by fire in 2018.

"Its then-mayor, Greg Bolin, hailed the judge's ruling, saying it ensures communities 'have a fighting chance' in the face of fires.

"The Forest Service told NPR that this year, it phased out the use of one type of #PhosChek formula - #PhosChekLC95 - in favour of another - #MVPFx - saying that the latter is less toxic to #wildlife.

"The Forest Service also has a mandatory ban in place on dropping fire retardant in sensitive environmental areas, like waterways and habitats of endangered species. There are exceptions to the ban, however, in cases 'when human life or public safety are threatened.'"

Why isn't this sounding alarms?!! This is happening globally!

Harmful #algae detected in #OaklandCalifornia's #LakeMerritt could be 'an ominous sign for the Bay'

"Earlier this month, signs posted around Oakland’s Lake Merritt made some joggers stop in their tracks. 'Avoid water contact,' they cautioned in bold letters. 'Harmful algae may be present.'

"The warnings came after a mysterious red substance emerged in the water between the Lake Merritt Sailboat House and the Rotary Nature Center on March 7, as the Oaklandside first reported. Subsequent lab testing by the California Department of Public Health and #SanFranciscoBay Regional Water Quality Control Board last week confirmed the presence of Heterosigma akashiwo in the water — the same species of harmful algae responsible for the Bay Area-wide red tides and mass #FishKills reported in 2022 and 2023.

"But Eileen White, executive officer for the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, told SFGATE on Tuesday that the current bloom has not reached those levels. 'The good news right now is the lake is looking good, and the red tide we originally observed has dissipated,' she said.

"White added that she runs around the lake just about every day, but did not observe any dead fish in the weeks since the algae was detected. The water has also returned to its usual color, she said.

"'But we’re still trying to understand what caused it. It was a little surprising, because we’ve had so much rain, and we typically associate these harmful blooms with warmer temperatures and less wind activity,' White said.

"'H. akashiwo has been documented across the world, but is most commonly found west of North America in #Japan, #NewZealand and #BritishColumbia, Canada. The species was first observed blooming in the central part of San Francisco Bay in July 2002, and was also spotted near Sausalito in 2004, depleting oxygen levels in the water and causing fish to asphyxiate en masse."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/harmful-algae-detected-in-oaklands-lake-merritt-could-be-an-ominous-sign-for-the-bay/ar-BB1keJen

#California #HABs #HarmfulAlgaeBlooms #Extinction #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #WaterIsLife #WaterTemperatures #ExtinctionLevelEvent #HAkashiwo #HeterosigmaAkashiwo

#GoldenAlgae toxin blooms to blame for fish kills at #Saguaro, #CanyonLakes

BY DAMON ALLRED
Mar 17, 2024

PHOENIX — "Golden algae toxin blooms are behind recent #FishKills at Saguaro and Canyon lakes, the Arizona Game and Fish Department confirmed Friday.

"Golden algae, which can be harmful to gill-breathing animals such as fish, has affected Salt River chain lakes — Saguaro, Canyon and Apache — since 2003, the AZGFD said in a press release.

"Over the years, humans and other non-gill-breathing wildlife have not displayed negative health impacts after coming into contact with a golden algae toxin bloom.

"Hundreds of fish — mostly of the threadfin shad species — were observed to be dead or dying. Other species such as largemouth bass, bluegill and catfish were also affected."

https://ktar.com/story/5567180/golden-algae-toxin-blooms-to-blame-for-fish-kills-at-saguaro-canyon-lakes/

#Arizona #HABs
#HarmfulAlgaeBlooms #Extinction #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #WaterIsLife #WaterTemperatures

Aquatic ecosystems marinated in a mixture of toxic chemicals?

"Menindee fish kills: inconsistent pesticide levels sparks calls for review of water testing methods. Experts call for review after two sets of water samples from the Darling-Baaka River reported by the state’s top scientific bodies contained different results"

“Atrazine, simazine, tebuthiuron and metolachlor are no longer approved for use in the European Union and have been classified by the European Chemicals Agency as being “very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects”, but they are still approved for use in Australia."

"Vincent Pettigrove, a professor of aquatic pollution at RMIT, said while the guideline values provided an indication of whether the chemicals of interest were at concentrations which may cause environmental harm, there were no national guidelines for “the majority of pesticides registered for use in Australia ...The guideline values are for one chemical and were therefore “unable to consider the total effects of a mixture of chemicals”.
>>
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/jan/27/menindee-fish-kills-pesticide-levels-testing-darling-baaka-river
#water #rivers #NSW #regulation #runoff #toxins #pesticide #pollution #harm #aquatic #ecosystems #fishkills #EPA #science #Menindee #MurrayDarling #DarlingBaakaRiver #Ecocide

#FishKills

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