Columbia River – key messages
1. The use of toxic flame retardants in our homes is leading to the pollution of
the Columbia River with large quantities of these flame retardants.
2. This study discovered a new pathway of how toxic chemicals escape from
products in our homes and make their way to waterways.
3. Flame retardants used in our homes are accumulating on our clothing, then
contaminate our laundry water in our home washing machines. This
contaminated laundry wastewater travels to wastewater treatment plants;
some flame retardants pass through the wastewater treatment process to
pollute the Columbia River.
4. Chlorinated flame retardants were found at the highest levels in laundry
water and wastewater treatment plant discharges due to a combination of
factors including the way they are used and chemical properties that make
them more likely to wash off clothes and pass through treatment plants.
5. We can solve this problem by eliminating the use of toxic flame retardants in
our homes and replacing them with safer substitutes.
6. Washington State has been a leader in addressing flame retardants, and
needs to pass legislation to ensure the most toxic flame retardants are no
longer used. While our state must continue to lead, ultimately we need
Congress to act to keep toxic chemicals out of commerce.
How the study was done:
1. Samples of house dust and home laundry water were collected in 20 homes
in Longview and Vancouver, two lower Columbia River communities in
Washington.
2. These samples were analyzed for a suite of 22 flame retardants, including
PBDEs, chlorinated Tris compounds, and others.
3. Samples were also taken from two wastewater treatment plants, both of
influent and effluent, and analyzed for the same suite of flame retardants.
4. Estimates of total discharge of flame retardants from wastewater treatment
plants were generated using mean concentrations in effluent and the amount
of effluent discharged from the plants.
5. Estimates of the contribution of laundry water to the levels in wastewater
treatment plant influent were created by adjusting for the percentage of total
influent expected to come from laundry wastewater.
Detailed facts:
1. A total of 21 flame retardants were detected in house dust, and 18 in laundry
water.
2. Chlorinated Tris compounds were found at the highest levels in house dust
and home laundry water. They made up 72% of the total flame retardant
mass in house dust, and 92% in laundry wastewater.
3. Flame retardant concentrations in house dust ranged up to 87,700 ng/g
(ppb); concentrations in laundry water ranged up to 561,000 ng/L (ppt).
4. The study estimates that the effluent from the treatment plants tested
contributes up to 114 kg/yr of an individual flame retardant, equivalent to
251 pounds/yr.
5. Estimates of the contribution of laundry water to the levels in wastewater
indicate that laundry water is likely to be the primary source of these flame
retardants to wastewater treatment plants, which are an important source to
waterways.