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For immediate release: August 31, 2004 (04-101)
Contacts:
Dave McBride, Office of
Environmental Health Assessments 360-236-3176
Donn Moyer, Communications Office
360-236-4076
PCB contamination in Lake Washington fish leads state to call for caution
OLYMPIA ¾ Certain types of fish in Lake Washington contain levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) that may be high enough to cause human health problems. Today, the Washington State Department of Health issued an interim fish consumption advisory for the lake.
People who eat fish from Lake Washington are advised not to eat northern pikeminnow (also known as "squawfish") and to limit their consumption of yellow perch and cutthroat trout. No limits are proposed for salmon caught in Lake Washington. Sockeye salmon were found to be exceptionally low in PCBs.
The Department of Health examined data from a study by the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks and the University of Washington School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences. The advisory is considered interim due to the small number of fish tested in the initial study. Federal, state, and county agencies are working together to come up with funding for additional sampling of Lake Washington fish to confirm these initial findings.
"Fish is an excellent low-fat food and a great source of protein, vitamins, and minerals," said State Health Officer Dr. Maxine Hayes. "While we don't want to scare people away from eating all fish, people should choose fish that are low in PCBs and mercury. This is especially true for women who might one day become pregnant."
PCBs are a family of human-made, chlorinated chemical compounds that were once used in a variety of products such as coolants and lubricants in transformers, capacitors, electrical equipment, old fluorescent lighting fixtures, and hydraulic oils. Commercial production of PCBs was halted in 1977 because of concerns about toxicity and persistence in the environment. Toxic responses to PCBs can vary depending on dose and individual sensitivity. Studies indicate that consumption of fish containing PCBs can cause slight but measurable impairments in learning and behavior in children exposed in the womb. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the International Agency for Research on Cancer have determined that PCBs are probable human carcinogens based on animal studies.
The Department of Health reminds Washingtonians that a statewide fish consumption advisory for mercury in largemouth and smallmouth bass remains in place throughout Washington freshwater bodies, including Lake Washington. Mercury can cause learning and behavior deficits when children are exposed in the womb.
Learn more about the interim fish consumption advisory for Lake Washington and other fish consumption advisories ( http://www.doh.wa.gov/fish/ ) on the Department of Health Web site.
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