"> As pioneers in their respective fields, Steven Eisenreich and Scott Mabury will reflect on lessons learned to more efficiently understand the threats and impacts of PCBs and PFAS. There are important similarities and important differences; both can be informative. Despite decades of regulation and remedial effort, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) continue to impair environmental health in […]
October 25, 2023
"> PCBs in building materials
On Wednesday, November 1st, the Puget Sound Institute will host its third symposium on PCBs in regional waterways. The online symposium will include a national discussion about the management of PCBs in building materials. Speakers will include: The symposium takes place on November 1, from 9 am – 12:30 pm PT / 12 – 3:30 […]
September 29, 2023
"> 2022 Salish Sea toxics monitoring synthesis: A selection of research
A new report from the Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program takes a comprehensive look at some of the greatest dangers posed by toxic chemicals in the Salish Sea. The report was produced with support from the UW Puget Sound Institute, and brings together recent findings on PCBs, CECs, PFAS, 6PPD-Q, and other toxics of concern. It […]
June 12, 2023
"> Second PCB symposium focuses on source identification and tracking
This Thursday, June 15th, the Puget Sound Institute will host the second in a series of symposiums focusing on contaminant PCBs in regional waterways. The program will include three case studies about PCB source tracking in San Francisco Bay, the Newton Creek Superfund site, and Anacostia River & Lower Beaver Dam Creek. The presentations will […]
February 28, 2023
"> Findings and reports: February 2023
Salish Sea Model provides insights on circulation and residence times The amount of time water circulates and “resides” in Puget Sound is of intense interest to regulators and emergency response officials who want to understand how quickly wastewater is flushed out of Puget Sound and into the ocean. A paper in the journal Estuarine, Coastal […]
February 14, 2023
"> Symposium grapples with long-lasting PCBs
Researchers at the Puget Sound Institute hosted a two-day symposium last month to share information about the science and management of PCBs in the environment. The online workshops, held January 24th and 25th, were organized by PSI researchers Andy James, Joel Baker, and Marielle Larson, in coordination with colleagues Will Hobbs (Washington State Department of […]
September 22, 2020
"> New guidance for cleanup of toxics in Puget Sound
An EPA-funded team of scientists and other experts has completed draft recommendations for the future cleanup of toxic chemicals in Puget Sound. The group’s Toxics in Fish Implementation Strategy addresses pollutants such as PCBs and a slew of emerging contaminants that can affect species throughout the waterway. The strategy will be available for public review […]
January 29, 2020
"> How air pollution becomes water pollution with long-term effects on Puget Sound
When thinking of air pollution, I used to think only of breathing toxic chemicals into our lungs, with uncertain health effects. That’s bad enough, but air pollution — which is everywhere — is also getting into our waterways and penetrating deep into our food webs. Rivers, lakes and Puget Sound, no body of water escapes […]
August 25, 2017
PCBs in fish remain steady while other toxics decline
A new study shows a surprising decline in some toxic chemicals in Puget Sound fish, while levels of PCBs increased in some cases. Scientists say the study shows that banning toxic chemicals can work, but old contaminants remain a challenge as they continue to wash into Puget Sound. Read our story in Salish Sea Currents.
May 20, 2016
New theory rethinks spread of PCBs and other toxics in Puget Sound
Last month, more than 1100 scientists and researchers converged on Vancouver, B.C. to attend the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference. The biennial conference is the region’s largest gathering on the state of the ecosystem, and we sent a group of reporters to bring back some of the highlights. Over the next several months, we’ll be collecting those highlights into […]