| Protecting National Water Resources | | | | Detrimental to Water Quality |
| The purpose of this paper is to recommend a | | | | As a treatment strategy, the use of copper sulfate as |
| prohibition of the use of copper sulfate, a toxic and | | | | an algaecide addresses only the symptoms of the |
| bioaccumulative chemical, in America's waters. | | | | water body's degraded condition, not the causes. The |
| Background | | | | underlying cause of the algal blooms is the urban |
| Copper sulfate, a naturally occurring inorganic salt, is an | | | | runoff of fertilizers, detergents, and other phosphates. |
| algaecide, herbicide, germicide, and fungicide and is | | | | The use of copper sulfate does nothing to minimize or |
| commonly used to maintain the aesthetic appearance | | | | manage these nutrients. In fact, as a germicide, it |
| of lakes, reservoirs, and ponds. Being a trace element, | | | | destroys the beneficial bacteria that would naturally |
| its poisonous effects can be detected at levels as low | | | | break down nutrients and, as an herbicide, kills plant life |
| as .33ppm, and its toxic potency is inversely related to | | | | that would absorb them. |
| the alkalinity and pH of water. The compound is | | | | When this water is released into receiving streams, it |
| typically applied on a bi-weekly schedule, and what | | | | brings with it the burden of excess nutrients and very |
| does not flow out of a water body into a receiving | | | | low dissolved oxygen. Considering that nutrient |
| stream ends up binding to the underlying sediment. | | | | overabundance is already problematic for many U.S. |
| Here, this heavy metal accumulates indefinitely, serving | | | | rivers and streams, any effort to lessen the problem |
| as a reservoir of toxicity until the sediment is disturbed | | | | should be taken. This is especially important to |
| and conditions favor its release into the environment. | | | | downstream communities that already assume |
| Because of its highly caustic nature, copper sulfate has | | | | additional treatment costs to make water safe and |
| been classified by the EPA as being in toxicity class I - | | | | potable for their residents. |
| highly toxic - and requires the signal words "DANGER | | | | Contributing to Pollution |
| - POISON" on its container. Having the direct potential | | | | Pollutants are defined as chemical constituents present |
| to disrupt photosynthesis, and because of its toxicity to | | | | at toxic levels and in bioavailable forms for a sufficient |
| downstream endangered species, its use requires a | | | | period that they adversely affect the beneficial uses |
| permit in certain jurisdictions and applications. | | | | of a water body. Copper and its compounds are |
| Copper sulfate's toxicity and propensity for | | | | designated as pollutants, however it is the free form of |
| accumulation is leading to a burgeoning problem at | | | | the copper II ion that is biologically available and the |
| sites located throughout the US and the world. Copper | | | | most toxic form of this substance. It is therefore |
| pollution is beginning to affect many coastal regions | | | | important in creating a control approach to differentiate |
| where river and storm water systems discharge; sites | | | | between sources such as metallic copper from brake |
| experiencing hazardously elevated levels of copper | | | | pads and liners, and a wide array of ionic forms of |
| include: Delaware Bay, Chesapeake Bay, Naples Bay, | | | | copper of varying degrees of potential toxicity, the |
| North Miami, and Lake Pontchartrain. In some cases, | | | | most problematic of which is copper sulfate. Thus, |
| "[copper sulfate]...is the largest contributor to copper | | | | environmental scientists continue to emphasize the |
| contamination." | | | | importance of focusing "pollutant control on those |
| As the effects of copper compounds and their | | | | chemical constituents that are significantly |
| persistence in coastal areas become better | | | | impairing...waterbody(s) within and downstream of the |
| understood, some municipalities have included in their | | | | watershed." |
| water resource management plans measures to | | | | Residents add copper sulfate to water bodies to |
| reduce copper levels in stormwater discharge. The | | | | satisfy an aesthetic desire, often without considering its |
| application of copper sulfate as an algaecide has also | | | | potentially harmful effects. This is especially true for |
| been questioned in New York City, where authorities | | | | storm detention ponds, which are increasingly seen as |
| identified it as the primary cause of excessive copper | | | | amenities and not as serving a specific, environmental |
| levels in the City's wastewaters and harbor. However, | | | | function. No longer should copper sulfate be permitted |
| in some cases, the specific regulatory approaches | | | | at the detriment of the local and downstream |
| adopted have been criticized for their inefficiency. San | | | | environments. An opportunity to remove an |
| Francisco's initiative to control copper contamination is | | | | unnecessary, biologically available toxin from your local |
| estimated to have an end cost in excess of one billion | | | | water bodies presents itself without significant |
| dollars, primarily because of its inclusion of metallic | | | | drawbacks-and because of this, use of the copper |
| copper, as well as all copper compounds, whatever | | | | sulfate pollutant should be forbidden. |
| their toxicity or fate. Recent initiatives are taking a new | | | | On the Environmental Frontier |
| direction, which is to improve upon water resources by | | | | In considering a ban on copper sulfate, your community |
| targeting only volatile forms of copper, including copper | | | | would not be unprecedented. A number of jurisdictions |
| sulfate. | | | | are, or have, considered a ban on the use of copper |
| Detrimental to National Waters | | | | sulfate. Based on data revealing that copper "hot |
| Damaging Natural Habitats | | | | spots" coincide with storm water discharge points in |
| The deleterious effects of this compound on natural | | | | the bay, the Naples City Council will consider a |
| habitats have been widely documented. Long-term | | | | resolution in November 2008 that would prohibit the |
| case studies have shown that, while algae is | | | | use of copper sulfate as an algaecide. In early 2008, |
| temporarily killed as intended, its decaying matter | | | | the City amended its budget, approving the installation |
| contributes heavily to dissolved oxygen depletion, fish | | | | of aerators in its stormwater retention ponds and |
| kills, and the accelerated recycling of phosphorus which | | | | lakes, in place of algaecide use to control algal blooms. |
| promotes algal blooms. Eventually, the natural balance | | | | Across the ocean from Naples, the European Union |
| of the water body is upset: phytoplankton, the base of | | | | had scheduled a complete ban on all copper based |
| the food chain, are greatly reduced and no longer | | | | algaecides because of the "effects of its use on the |
| support small aquatic life; sediment-dwelling insects are | | | | aquatic environment, impact on aquatic organisms, and |
| killed by the accumulating poison; and plants, serving as | | | | soil accumulation." Reviewers found copper sulfate |
| both fish food and habitat, are killed by copper sulfate's | | | | "not compatible with sustainable ecosystems and |
| photosynthesis disruption. After a local pond's | | | | recommended against its use," expressing concern |
| ecosystem has been become debilitated, the highly | | | | about the impact it has when flushed into natural water |
| water-soluble residual algaecide is flushed downstream | | | | bodies. For these reasons, the review panel concluded |
| during a rain event, becoming a hazard for | | | | that copper sulfate "should never be considered as a |
| downstream organisms. | | | | routine and convenient treatment to handle [algal] |
| Catfish, one of the Fox River's prime game fish, are | | | | problems." |
| visibly stressed by concentrations as low as 1.7ppm. | | | | A Call to Action |
| Enzyme activity in other fish increases due to stress | | | | As copper pollution becomes more widely recognized, |
| at 2ppm, and the negative effects suffered were still | | | | more jurisdictions will move toward legislative and |
| observable after two weeks in clean water. | | | | regulatory prohibitions targeting copper and its |
| Furthermore, even at suggested application rates, the | | | | compounds. Your local community has the opportunity |
| algaecide has been found to be lethal to salmonoids | | | | to protect its ecosystems and preserve its vital water |
| (e.g. salmon, trout, etc.). | | | | resources by preventing the intentional application of |
| Animals that ingest copper sulfate by drinking from | | | | copper sulfate, a toxin and pollutant, to its waters. |
| contaminated water bodies are also at risk as chronic | | | | By limiting this ban to copper sulfate as an algaecide, |
| exposures have lead to problems at levels as low as | | | | rather than more broadly to other copper species, |
| 20ppm per day-commonly leading to malfunction of | | | | smaller municipalities will be able to apply limited |
| the endocrine gland and testes. After consumed, | | | | resources in the most beneficial and cost-effective |
| copper sulfate is strongly bioaccumulated, primarily in | | | | manner. |
| the heart, liver, brain, kidneys, and muscles of animals. | | | | |