A fire retardant that has been in use for more than 40 years has been found in sediments and in the tissue of fish in some of the Great Lakes.
Scientists from Indiana University School of Public Health and Environmental Affairs found Dechlorane Plus in Lake Erie and Lake Michigan and in walleye in Lake Erie, the Detroit Free Press reported. The chemical, manufactured by Occidental Chemical Corp., was also found in the air in the Great Lakes region.
The manufacturer says Dechlorane Plus poses no harm to animals or humans. But the chemical is also lightly regulated because it was introduced in 1964, before stringent environmental rules took effect.
Another recent study reported high levels of fire retardants in the tissue of polar bears in the high Arctic.
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
