What Are Contaminated Sediments?
Pollutants from industry, agriculture and urban runoff make their way through water to the sediments (matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid) in our rivers, lakes, and the ocean. Sediments contaminated with PCBs, dioxin, pesticides, heavy metals, hydrocarbons and other pollutants have been found in every coastal region of the United States. In a 1998 inventory, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identified hundreds of problem sites around the country, many of them located in coastal areas. In fact, every major harbor in the nation suffers from moderate to severe sediment contamination, according to the EPA. People, Fish and Wildlife at Risk Human Health Impacts: The contaminants found in sediments have already led to human health problems. Pollutants from poisoned sediments make their way into the food chain, accumulating in fish, ducks and other wildlife. Eventually these toxic chemicals wind up on our dinner plates. • Women who ate fish contaminated with PCBs from sedim
