Business Examiner - Continuing their efforts to clean up Puget Sound, a team of South Sound leaders in business, government and the environment is strategizing to reduce toxic contaminants from this region’s waterways. And sometimes, in doing so, they find new business opportunities.
“Fisheries and supporting business are currently being most affected,” said James West, senior research scientist for the state Department of Ecology, and a team leader for the Puget Sound Assessment and Monitoring Program.
Brian Penttila, a chemical/process engineer for the Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center, agreed that, despite the agency’s best efforts so far, Puget Sound waterways aren’t close to being as healthy as they should be.
“Commercial and tribal fishing and shellfish interests are directly impacted by pollution in Puget Sound,” said Penttila, “but all businesses are impacted by the cost of dealing with stricter stormwater regulation and permitting across the state, as well as trends toward tighter contaminated site cleanup and water-quality standards.”
To talk about all this, PPRC gathered industry leaders last month for a Regional Roundtable focused on toxic contaminants in Puget Sound and how they’re affecting both local businesses and the environment.
Besides studying how to reduce key pollutants like copper, participants are also looking at opportunities for creating new products and services. “Green chemistry” — creating better, safer chemicals with more efficiency — is the industry at the top of the list.
As for specific toxic targets, copper is at the top of the hit list for reductions in Puget Sound waters.
Last year, Washington became the first state to ban copper-based bottom paint for boats due to leaching effects. Paint for boat hulls has been a product of particular contention because it traditionally has contained copper as a key component for keeping hard and soft fouling (shellfish and algae) from growing.
“Most of the paints out there are EPA safe, because you have to comply with EPA standards. But I don’t know if there are boat hull paints out there that are copper-free,” said Randy Chase, managing partner for Chase Marine in Tacoma. West Marine, which has stores in Olympia, Fife and Gig Harbor, seems to be ahead in the solutions search for this industry.