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Pollution Prevention and Reduction

The Problem

Background

Human activities have greatly affected many aspects of the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary, including its geography, hydrology, and ecology. Among these are historic gold and mercury mining, the discharge of domestic sewage, the diversion of fresh water, industrial discharges and many every day activities, such as driving our cars. Some pollutants in the Bay threaten human health, fish and wildlife.

Pollutants of concern include metals such as copper, nickel, silver and zinc; legacy pollutants, such as mercury and PCBs; emerging contaminants such as flame retardants and pharmaceuticals; trash; pesticides.

Sources: Pollutants are conveyed to the Estuary by rivers, storm drains, runoff from urban and non-urban lands, wastewater treatment plants, industrial facilities, atmospheric deposition, discharges from marine vessels, underground seepage, and disposal of dredge materials.

Current Challenges

• Emerging pollutants (not captured within existing regulatory frameworks and not fully understood), such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and flame retardants. Examples include perflourinated compounds (used in stain resistant and non-stick coatings), PBDEs (flame retardants in consumer products), phthalates (used as plasticizers), triclosan (in anti-bacterial soaps) .
• Trash is gaining attention as a continuing problem both as an aesthetic nuisance and serious threat to aquatic life in creeks and rivers and marine life in estuaries and oceans. For example, plastic from trash persists for hundreds of years or longer in the environment; is a threat to wildlife that ingest or become entrapped or entangled in it; and can leach potentially harmful compounds, such as phthalates and flame retardants into the environment.

• Pesticides continue to be measured at concentrations high enough to impair the estuary. Pyrethroid insecticides are of particular concern as they can be toxic to aquatic in very small amounts and are used widely.
• Legacy pollutants, such as mercury and PCBs, continue to affect the Estuary. Legacy pollutants in the Estuary are those that are primarily the result of historical contributions. They are pollutants that were used in the development of Northern California’s industries before their negative aspects were understood. Legacy pollutants stem from agricultural, manufacturing, and mining activities no longer practiced and include some pollutants currently banned by regulation. They have the common characteristics of persistence in the environment and have an affinity for the sediments of the Estuary and are bioaccumulative.

Major Accomplishments:

• A Bay wide Regional Monitoring Program is increasing scientific understanding of the Estuary and its watersheds to aid decision-makers in resource management.
• Many Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) projects with pollution prevention components have been developed and are being implemented both in the Bay Area and in the Central Valley including those for sediment, pathogens, selenium, pesticides, dissolved oxygen, and mercury.

Current Focus:

• Control and reduce pollutants entering the Estuary where pollution prevention is not possible.
• Clean up toxic pollution throughout the Estuary.
• Protect against toxic effects, including bioaccumulation and toxic sediment accumulation.
• Promote restoration and enhancement of stream and wetland functions to enhance resiliency and reduce pollution in the Estuary and its watersheds.

Current Activities:

For a complete list of of planned actions, click here

Taking Action for Clean Water: Bay Area TMDL Implementation
The San Francisco Estuary Project manages a partnership effort to implement water quality improvement actions to protect and restore California coastal waters . The Taking Action for Clean Water project’s goals are to restore beneficial uses and reduce pollutant loads of fine sediment, PCBs, and pesticides to Bay Area creeks, San Francisco Bay, Tomales Bay, and the adjacent coastal ocean. The project focuses on specific actions called for in Bay Area Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). (What are TMDLs?)

Specific Urban Pesticides TMDL implementation projects:

• The Urban Pesticide Pollution Prevention (UP3) Project The Urban Pesticide Pollution Prevention (UP3) Project's goal is to prevent water pollution from urban pesticide use. The project is funded by a State Water Resources Control Board grant to the San Francisco Estuary Project. The UP3 web site provides resources and information on integrated pest management, pesticides, and water quality, such as municipal program management tools. For more information about the UP3 Project, visit www.up3project.org.
• EcoWise Certified EcoWise Certified is an independent, third-party certification program that distinguishes knowledgeable, leading-edge licensed pest management professionals who practice prevention-based pest control. EcoWise Certified practitioners employ a variety of common sense techniques to control pests effectively, minimizing the need to use pesticides. For more information, visit www.ecowisecertified.org

TMDL Development
Working with staff at the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board, SFEP staff help to develop action plans to restore clean water in the Bay Area's bays, lakes, rivers, creeks, and coastal areas. As required by the Clean Water Act, these plans (called "total maximum daily loads," or TMDLs) examine water quality problems in bays, lakes, rivers, creeks, and coastal areas; identify sources of pollutants; and specify actions that will resolve the problems. The plans are adopted by the Regional Water Quality Control Board, approved by the State Water Resources Control Board and U.S. EPA, and incorporated into the Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay Basin (Basin Plan), our region's master planning document for water quality. At every step along the way, the public is consulted and included in the TMDL development process. SFEP staff support the Water Board's public participation, education and outreach efforts.

For More Information:

Pollution Prevention and Reduction Chapter, Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan