PCB concentrations in Detroit River and Lake Erie sediment continue to pose a risk to health and productivity despite the ban of the chemical in 1977.

And while persistent levels of PCBs and other contaminants found in the environment are cause for on-going fish consumption advisories in some parts of the system, there is an absence of a formal mechanism to track conditions or integrate the many studies and databases that have been done.

This is the consensus of 50 scientists and governmental managers calling for a concerted effort to improve and coordinate monitoring, management and remedial efforts in the Detroit River and western Lake Erie basins in the U.S. and Canada. Their findings and recommendations are contained in a recently released U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sponsored report authored by a Wayne State University College of Engineering researcher and the Greater Detroit American Heritage River Navigator.

The report notes that while PCB levels have declined significantly in the Detroit River and Lake Erie since the late 1970s, the river continues to contribute potentially harmful amounts of contamination into Lake Erie. Since 1986, a dozen sediment remediation projects at a total cost of $130 million completed in the area of study have helped reduce PCB levels. But four PCB hotspots remain within the basin system - in the Trenton Channel downstream from Detroit, in the Rouge and Raisin Rivers, and in the Maumee River in Ohio.

The report strongly urges the clean up of persistent bio-accumulative toxic substances at their sources. "We know enough that we should remediate the hotspots that remain," said John Hartig, the Detroit River Navigator and the report's co-author.

The report is an outgrowth of a workshop held last year by Hartig and Thomas Heidtke, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Wayne State that brought together international experts to present the results of key research conducted on the Detroit River over the past 20 years. It aimed to generate advice to Great Lakes policymakers.

The gathering of this widely diverse group was an unusual event itself, said Heidtke. "In one location at one time, you're bringing together people and stakeholders involved in all aspects of the issue - people who are interested in monitoring, in modeling, in management, and even the polluters. You have everybody getting together, rolling up their sleeves, and compromising and exchanging ideas."

Besides Wayne State and the American Heritage River Initiative, the report's steering committee was represented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Environment Canada, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Lake Erie Millennium Network, the International Association of Great Lakes Research, and the University of Windsor (where the workshop took place), among others.

PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, were used widely in industry and routinely dumped or stored in and near river systems until regulations and ultimate banning put an end to this practice. PCB bonds do not break down readily in the biosystem, and in fact, can be carried by the wind into the upper atmosphere where they may travel thousands of miles. Dilution, volatilization and dispersion of PCBs have factored largely in the decline of their concentrations. PCB-laden sediments slowly and steadily release contaminants unless disturbed, which can result in sudden and significant releases to the ecosystem.

A lack of a formal data and research monitoring system and depository that could integrate widespread data from the Detroit River and other areas of the Great Lakes is one of the most critical issues challenging Great Lakes policymakers, said the report's authors. "Making better use of the available sampling resources is important, and there needs to be more coordination of what's going on instead of everyone going out and doing their own thing," said Heidtke.

Besides lack of coordination, there are major gaps associated with monitoring as well lack of foresight, he said. "If you spend a lot of money to implement programs to correct a site, you would think that monitoring before and after conditions would be established to quantify improvements. Unfortunately, that has not been done."

Among the other specific recommendations the report makes are . . .

Designating the Monitoring Upper Great Lakes Connecting Channels Committee to work with the Lake Erie Millennium Plan to coordinate monitoring, research and management efforts.

· A special 'tax' imposed on future remediation projects to cover baseline and follow-up studies.

· Improving PCB load monitoring, particularly increasing frequency and refining methods to test lower trace levels, especially by the Detroit Water and Sewage Department.

· Expanding the Integrated Atmospheric Deposition Network to include a satellite station within the Detroit River-western Lake Erie basin.

The report, "Evaluation Ecosystem Results of PCB Control Measures Within the Detroit River-Western Lake Erie Basin", has already been helpful in making the case for cleaning up the Black Lagoon, a hotspot located along the Detroit River in Trenton, Michigan, said Hartig. "It looks like we'll be getting full funding for its clean up next year."

Heidtke is optimistic that other scientists, managers and policymakers will pay attention to the report. "There are new chemicals introduced all the time, and whatever lessons we can learn from this one, hopefully will be applied to how we can properly monitor and manage future ones."

For the complete report, go to: WSU College of Engineering News Room.

Contact: Tom Heidtke
Work: (313) 577-3854
Home: (734) 426-1987
Cell: (734) 645-0903

Contact: John Hartig
Work: (313) 568-9594
Cell: (313) 717-7483