THE ISSUE
Mounting evidence shows accumulating chemicals in waterways are cause for concern.
As a result of everyday household use, trace amounts of chemicals from consumer products are accumulating in downstream water sources. Collectively referred to as “contaminants of emerging concern” (CECs), many of these chemicals are known or suspected toxins or endocrine disruptors, meaning they interfere with the normal functioning of hormones in the body, and may be linked to biological abnormalities and mutations in aquatic life and human health risks. Traditional wastewater treatment does not effectively remove these CECs, allowing release of CECs into the environment even after water has been treated. Scientists have not yet characterized what level of exposure to these suspected toxins and endocrine disruptors is harmful to humans.
PROJECT MISSION & GOALS
The Contaminants of Emerging Concern Project mission is to use education and community-based social marketing to mitigate and, ideally, prevent the introduction of household and personal care contaminants to the downstream water supply. The Pilot Program in Golden, Colorado, includes water analysis, community member surveys, and educational outreach, and will be conducted with collaborative partnerships with regional and local stakeholders and the scientific community.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS: Engage and maintain a network of interested stakeholders to address reduction and prevention of CECs in local waterways. Stakeholders include water utilities, manufacturers, researchers, local, state, and federal government agencies (see Stakeholder Categories and Project Partners below).
IMPLEMENT PILOT RESEARCH AND EVALUATION PROGRAM: Measure household use of personal care and household products via surveys, and surface water pollutants downstream of sample population.
DEFINE CEC POLLUTION PREVENTION AND MITIGATION STRATEGIES: Research existing and new disposal, mitigation and prevention methods for environmental effectiveness and cost-feasibility.
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH: Educate the pilot community in ways to reduce use, generation and disposal of CECs, such as using less detergent per laundry load and selecting CEC-free hand soap. Increase community awareness of the potential environmental and human health risks of CECs in local waters.
| Project Prospectus |
| Project Steering Committee |
Water sustains us!
It's all the same water – what you use and send down the drain
becomes water for others downstream.
You and only you can make a difference!
Your chemical footprint - the personal care and household products and pharmaceuticals you use - contribute to water contaminants. Help IES educate the community on what we can do to reduce our chemical footprints.
Designs by Lydia Qamar
Presentations & Publications
City of Golden Informer: City of Golden Takes the Lead in Preventing Water Pollution, p.9 - November, 2009
Addressing Emerging Contaminants at the Source: Linking Science to Effective Prevention, Policy, and Action - Presentation
Rocky Mountain Water Environment Assn / American Water Works Assn
Albuquerque, NM September 14, 2009
Emerging Contaminants -- Linking Science to Effective Action
EmCon 2009: 2nd International Conference on Occurrence, Fate, Effects, and Analysis of Emerging Contaminants in the Environment
August 7, 2009
Colorado Water Roundtable Discussion Series
AWWA Headquarters, Denver, CO, July 23, 2009
Emerging Contaminants (see below for presentations) :
Threats to Colorado's Water Supply
Thursday April 30, 2009
Hosted by The Colorado Environmental Partnership
2008 and Earlier:
Addressing Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Product Contamination: A Unique Opportunity To Link Science To Action
June 8, 2008 - Submitted for Peer Review for Publication in the Journal of the American Water Resources Association
Presentation: Consortium for Research and Education on Emerging Contaminants (CREEC) Meeting
April 10, 2008 - Denver, Colorado
Mounting Evidence Points to a Potential Environmental Problem
Poster Presentation to The South Platte Forum, Longmont, CO, October 2007
Emerging Contaminants -- Linking Science to Effective Action
IES Draft Project Outline, September 2007
Emerging Contaminants: A Unique Opportunity to Develop Effective Policy based on Sound Science Will We Take Advantage or Blow It?
AWRA Specialty Conference, Session J, June 2007, Vail, Colorado
Aaron Gutierrez, Carol E. Lyons, Kara Swanson, Casey Laycock
Where do they come from and what should be done?
Poster Presentation to The South Platte Forum, Longmont, CO, October 2006
Preliminary Project Ideas
Poster Presentation to the CREEC [Consortium for Research and Education on Emerging Contaminants], Longmont, CO, October 2005 |
