1. Spokane River: Contaminants and Health

2. Chemicals and Heavy Metals 1.PCBs 2.PBDEs 3.Dioxins/Furans 4.Metals Biological Hazards Public Health Risks

3. 1. PCBs (Polychlorinated Biphenyls) Spokane River does not meet WA human health criteria for PCBs in edible fish tissue Sources and pathways to the Spokane River – City of Spokane stormwater (44%) – municipal and industrial discharges (20%) – and Little Spokane River (6%) – PCB loading from Idaho at the state line (30%)

4. 2. PBDEs (Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers) Chemical additives used in everyday household products as flame retardants Sources and pathways to the Spokane River – Can leach out of manufactured items and enter the air, soil and water – Has been detected in sediment, storm water, and sewage from residential and industrial sources

5. 3. Dioxins/Furans Can be released into the air, soil, and water. Fish tissue sampling in the Spokane River showed elevated levels Sources and pathways to the Spokane River – Byproduct of burning municipal waste, sludge, medical waste, and wood and cement kilns – Byproduct of manufacturing herbicides and pulp/paper products

6. 4. Metals Lead, arsenic, cadmium and zinc are released as part of mining, milling and ore processing Sources and pathways to the Spokane River – An estimated 100 million tons of mine wastes released in river from the Upper Coeur d’Alene Basin in Idaho. – Contaminants traveled downstream, moved through Lake Coeur d’Alene and deposited in the Spokane River.

7. Intestinal Microorganisms Shown to cause gastroenteritis from recreational water *reportable Giardia* Cryptosporidium* Shigella* Salmonella* Hepatitis A* Coxackie A and B Norwalk virus E.coli 0157:H7* (also Leptospirosis)

8. Other Microorganisms Found in the environment which cause infections or diseases *reportable Pseudomonas aeruginosa Schistosome cercarial Staphylococcus sp. Legionella sp.* Naegleria fowleri Mycobacterium sp. Vibrio sp.*

9. Spokane River Clean Up and Restoration Completed sites Pending sites Completed PCB Sites

12. Environmental Public Health 1101 West College Avenue, Spokane (509) 324-1560 | TDD 324-1464 Michael LaScuola 324-1574 mlascuola@spokanecounty.org www.srhd.org