A chemical from car tires has been found to have been the culprit of salmon die-offs in West Coast creeks.
A study found that the toxic effects of tire dust and skid marks on coho salmon might have led to the die-offs.
The study was the subject of a U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee hearing on Thursday.
Washington State University researcher Jenifer McIntyre said 6PPD-quinone, a chemical discovered in used tires, has been killing coho salmon. "This new chemical has been measured in surface waters by our group and others in North America and around the world in concentrations that we know kill coho salmon." McIntyre testified.
Growing up, you must have learned that runoff from pavement carries thousands of different and unidentified chemicals, including gasoline, tire dust and more.
With reference to the Puget Sound Partnership, runoff usually ends up in waters where fish predominate. That's also where fish in urban bays often develop tumors and lesions.
It took decades for scientists to pinpoint precisely what led to the die-offs of coho salmon in urban streams on their way home to spawn.
As mentioned, the culprit is identified as 6PPD-quinone, produced via the reaction of 6PPD, a rubber stabilizer used in most tires, with ozone in the air.
As a matter of fact, the die-offs were ineluctable, as it was not possible to stop the runoff from flowing into the rivers on short notice.
Democratic Republican Katie Porter of California said, "It is a chemical that is as ubiquitous as cars and roads. 6PPD-quinone is quite literally what you get when the rubber meets the road."
With cutting edge technology, is it possible to produce safe and reliable tires that can help avert a similar catastrophe?
U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association representative Sarah Amick mentioned that more research is needed before any attempt to make salmon-safe tires. Be that as it may, she stressed manufacturers are committed to making safe and reliable tires to help protect the environment.
Coho salmon in California, Oregon and southwestern Washington are listed in endangered condition under the Endangered Species Act.
The Pacific Northwest is renowned for the region's salmon's unequaled quality. As such, you can do your part to stop life-threatening problems from continuing to befall on salmons and other endangered fish species. Here's how:
- Avoid driving for a long period of time. Your car tires will last longer.
- Drive less aggressively: Avoid turning your steering wheel when the car is not moving. It will reduce tire dust.
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