Note: The Dow wild
game study did not include any facts or data pertaining to the dioxins impact on fish.
However, a review of the Dow data by the EPA and Dr. Hector Galbraith indicate
the contamination has far reaching effects on fish and the humans and wildlife that
consume them.
<< Click on image at left to view high resolution version
(very large file) from Lake Ontario Trout Study
Click on image at right to view Warning signs posted in local parks in October
2005 >>>
EPA July 2004: "Unacceptable, elevated cancer risk's to public health to frequent consumers
of fish"
Click here to listen to more of the
Dr. Linda Birnbaum (EPA) presentation: "Dioxin, are we at risk?".
You are hearing a clip from the video when this page is opened.
EPA July 2004 memo on DWG study which includes
concerns about cancer risk of consuming T.River fish.
The contamination has similar characteristics regarding levels of risk and area affected
as the Kalamazoo
and Fox Rivers, which are currently a focus of
the US EPA remediation plans.
It is clear than a persistent, un-addressed dioxin problem exists.
Unacceptable, elevated cancer risk's to public health to frequent consumers of fish.
Potential health risks to persons consuming game.
Dioxin contamination of game indicate contamination of the terrestrial food chain
Unacceptable, serious aquatic ecological risks to fish, fish eating birds, and mammals.
Strong consideration should be given to removal of dioxin contaminated sediments
and flood plain soil.
There is particular concern regarding distortions
of risk information which are causing inaccurate risk messages to the public.
GES memo (7/16/04) to the MDEQ indicates the results of the Dow/Entrix Wild Game study
in the Tittabawassee River Flood plain confirms findings of MDEQ/GES 2003 T.River Aquatic
Ecological Risk Assesement. Conclusions:
Review of the Entrix (2004) report has shown that the data contained therein support one
of the major conclusions of the Michigan DEQ terrestrial ecological risk assessment (GES,
2004), that is that biota and food chains on the Tittabawassee River downriver of Midland
are contaminated by PCDDs and PCDFs. A reasonable conclusion from this is that predators
and scavengers at the tops of these food chains are likely to be even more exposed to
these contaminants than the deer, squirrels, and turkeys sampled in the Entrix (2004)
study.
However, the Entrix (2004) study was designed to generate data for an evaluation of risk
to human health, rather than to ecological receptors. Because of this, design elements in
the Entrix (2004) study, though perhaps appropriate for a human health risk analysis,
result in an underestimation of the contaminant concentrations to which wildlife would be
exposed and, hence, the magnitude of the risks incurred. These design elements comprise:
The sampling was confined to organisms which, because of their diets, are unlikely to
bioaccumulate PCDDs and PCDFs to the extent that other organisms would.
The carcass handling procedures resulted in a likely underestimation of the magnitudes
of the PCDD/PCDF whole-body burdens to which predators and scavengers may be exposed.
The sample spatial distribution almost certainly results in an underestimation of the
PCDD/PCDF body burdens of turkeys in the lower sections of the floodplain, and, hence, in
the potential exposures to their predators and scavengers.
Tittabawassee
River Watch www.trwnews.net
