Hudson River Pollution: Impact On The Atlantic Ocean

The Hudson River has been subjected to various forms of pollution, including the discharge of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by General Electric (GE) between 1947 and 1977, as well as mercury contamination and untreated sewage. These pollutants have had harmful effects on both wildlife and humans who consume fish from the river. In response to the contamination, activists have protested through music and environmental organisations, leading to the passage of the federal Clean Water Act in 1972. Despite improvements in water quality, PCBs remain in the river sediment, posing a health hazard to those who eat fish from the Hudson and causing environmental injustices that disproportionately affect low-income and immigrant communities. With the river flowing into New York Harbour, it is important to consider the potential impact of these pollutants on the ocean and its ecosystems.

General Electric's discharge of PCBs

For 30 years, between 1947 and 1977, General Electric (GE) discharged an estimated 1.3 million pounds of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the Hudson River from its capacitor manufacturing plants in Hudson Falls and Fort Edward, New York.

PCBs are harmful to human health and are considered a probable cause of cancer in people, as well as triggering serious health problems, including low birth weight, reproductive and immunological problems, neurological disorders, lower IQ, poor short-term memory, hormonal disruption, suppressed immune system, skin irritations, Parkinson's disease, ADHD, heart disease, and diabetes. They are especially dangerous for pregnant and nursing women, as the contamination can reach the fetus and potentially cause birth defects, and can also be passed on to the child through breast milk.

PCBs were widely used as a fire preventive and insulator in the manufacture of electrical devices like transformers and capacitors because of their ability to withstand exceptionally high temperatures. Once PCBs entered the river, they were deposited and mixed with the sediments at many locations on the river bottom and at some locations along the shoreline in the floodplain. The PCBs remain in the river sediment, and the highest concentration of PCBs is found in the Thompson Island Pool.

The primary health risk associated with the site is the accumulation of PCBs in the human body through eating contaminated fish. Since 1976, high levels of PCBs in fish have led New York State to close various recreational and commercial fisheries and to issue advisories restricting the consumption of fish caught in the Hudson River. People are advised not to eat any fish or crab from anywhere in the river from south of the Corinth Dam to the Federal Dam at Troy. South of the Federal Dam at Troy, the general population is advised to limit their consumption of fish and crabs, and it is strongly recommended that women under 50 and children under 15 do not eat any fish or crab from the Hudson.

GE began sediment dredging operations to clean up the PCBs in May 2009. The dredging project is the most aggressive environmental effort ever proposed to clean up a river and will cost GE about $460,000,000. The dredging occurred in two phases and was completed in the fall of 2015, with over 2.75 million cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment removed from the river bottom.

Effects on human health

The Hudson River has been affected by industrial pollution, with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) being discharged into the river by the General Electric Company (GE) between 1947 and 1977. This has had a range of harmful effects on people who eat fish from the river.

PCBs are considered probable human carcinogens and are linked to a range of adverse health effects. The accumulation of PCBs in the human body through the consumption of contaminated fish is the primary health risk associated with the river's pollution. PCBs have been linked to low birth weight, thyroid disease, and learning, memory, and immune system disorders. They are also thought to cause neurological disorders, lower IQ, hormonal disruption, heart disease, and diabetes. PCB contamination is especially dangerous for pregnant and nursing women, as it can reach the fetus and potentially cause birth defects. It can also be harmful to infants through breast milk.

In response to the contamination, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) has issued advisories and restrictions on fish consumption. These advisories remain in effect as of 2022 and vary depending on the location and species of fish caught. For example, women over 50 and children under 15 are advised not to eat any fish caught south of the Palmer Falls Dam in Corinth, while others are advised to limit their consumption to one to four meals per month, depending on the species and location caught.

The Clean Water Act, passed in 1972, and the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 were enacted in response to environmental activism and helped to reduce pollution levels in the Hudson River. The EPA also banned the manufacture of PCBs in 1979. Despite these efforts, PCBs persist in the river sediment, and their levels in fish have not significantly decreased in recent years.

The EPA has been working on a cleanup plan for the Hudson River, targeting the removal of PCB-contaminated sediment. The dredging of riverbottom sediment began in 2009 and was completed in fall 2015, with over 2.75 million cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment removed. The EPA continues to monitor the river and conduct five-year reviews to ensure the implemented remedial actions are effective and protective of human health and the environment.

Impact on fish and wildlife

The Hudson River has been subjected to extensive pollution, particularly from toxic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). This pollution has had a significant impact on fish and wildlife in the river.

PCBs are harmful to humans and wildlife, with the potential to cause cancer and trigger serious health problems such as reproductive and immunological issues, as well as developmental abnormalities. They accumulate in the bodies of fish and small organisms from water, sediment, and from eating contaminated prey. As a result, larger and older fish can have extremely high levels of PCBs in their fat tissue. This means that PCB concentrations increase as they move up the food chain, posing a risk to both animals and humans that consume contaminated fish.

In recognition of the dangers of PCBs, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) banned all fishing in the Upper Hudson River in 1976 and restricted the consumption of fish caught in the river. These restrictions remain in place today, with advisories against eating any fish or crab from certain sections of the river. The commercial fishing industry has also been severely impacted, with the NYSDEC banning the commercial fishing of many species, including striped bass, eel, carp, catfish, and perch, south of the Federal Dam at Troy. This has effectively destroyed a centuries-old industry and way of life for many communities along the Hudson River.

In addition to the direct health risks, the presence of PCBs in the river has also had indirect effects on fish and wildlife. PCBs can interfere with the reproductive and developmental processes of aquatic organisms, impacting their populations and biodiversity in the river. The contamination has also led to a reduction in some fish species, such as the Atlantic tomcod, which has seen a decrease in its presence in the Hudson River over the last 30 years due to warming water temperatures.

The pollution has also impacted the river's ecosystem more broadly. In 1991, zebra mussels, an invasive species, first appeared in the Hudson River, leading to the near-disappearance of native pearly mussels. Additionally, the river's water quality has been affected, with high levels of bacteria and pollutants such as heavy metals, furans, dioxin, pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These pollutants can have toxic effects on fish and other aquatic organisms, further compounding the issues caused by PCBs.

Despite efforts to clean up the river, including dredging operations conducted by General Electric (GE) under EPA supervision, a significant amount of PCBs remain in the Hudson River. This continues to pose a risk to fish and wildlife, and the long-term impacts on the river's ecosystem are still being studied and addressed.

Cleanup efforts

The Hudson River has a long history of pollution, with the primary source being polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) discharged by General Electric (GE) between 1947 and 1977. The river also faces other types of pollution, including mercury contamination and untreated sewage discharges. In response to this contamination, various cleanup efforts have been and are being undertaken to improve water quality and mitigate the environmental and health impacts. Here is a detailed overview of the cleanup efforts:

• Environmental Activism: Activists like musician Pete Seeger played a crucial role in bringing attention to the issue. Their efforts led to the passage of the federal Clean Water Act in 1972 and the Toxic Substances Control Act in 1976.
• Wastewater Discharge Permits: Beginning in the 1970s, extensive remediation actions were implemented, including wastewater discharge permits, which reduced wastewater discharges into the river.
• Sediment Removal Operations: These operations started in the 1970s and continued into the 21st century, aiming to remove contaminated sediments from the riverbed.
• Fish Consumption Advisories: New York State issued advisories, recommending limits on consuming fish caught in the Hudson River due to PCB contamination.
• Superfund Site Designation: In 1984, a 200-mile stretch of the river was designated as a Superfund site by the federal government, making it eligible for cleanup and remediation under the Superfund program.
• Dredging Operations: In 2002, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ordered GE to clean up a 40-mile stretch of the Hudson River. Dredging operations began in 2009 and were completed in 2015, removing approximately 2.75 million cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: The EPA continues to monitor the river's natural recovery, including sediment, fish, water, reconstructed habitats, and caps placed on the riverbed. They also conduct five-year reviews to ensure the effectiveness of the cleanup efforts.
• Habitat Reconstruction: After dredging, some areas were repopulated with aquatic plants, and habitat reconstruction efforts were undertaken to restore the function of river habitats.
• Processing Facility Decontamination: GE's 100-acre processing facility in Fort Edward, used for the dredging project, was decontaminated and dismantled in 2016.
• Lower Hudson River Investigations: In 2022, GE entered into a legal agreement to investigate the Lower River portion of the Hudson River Superfund site to determine the next steps for addressing contamination. This includes sampling fish species, sediment, and water to better understand the extent and nature of the contamination.
• Community Involvement: The EPA has established a Community Advisory Group for the Hudson River Superfund site to keep the public informed and involved in the cleanup process.

These cleanup efforts aim to reduce the pollution in the Hudson River, improve water quality, and protect the health of both the ecosystem and the people who depend on the river.

Water quality improvements

Water quality in the Hudson River has improved dramatically since 1972, according to the most recent comprehensive report on the river's health, published in 2020. The report states that the quality has "remained largely stable in recent years", although ecological health trends in tributaries and wetlands vary.

The Clean Water Act, passed in 1972, and advances in sewage treatment have led to a significant decline in bacteria and nutrients, creating a healthier river environment that has encouraged the return of fish and wildlife.

However, the report also highlights that Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) remain in the river sediment, posing a serious risk to human health and the environment. PCBs are considered probable human carcinogens and are linked to adverse health effects such as low birth weight, thyroid disease, and learning, memory, and immune system disorders.

To address this issue, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has implemented a two-part cleanup plan for the Hudson River PCBs Superfund Site. The plan includes targeted environmental dredging of approximately 2.65 million cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment from a 40-mile section of the Upper Hudson River, followed by a period of monitored natural recovery. The dredging was completed in fall 2015, with over 2.75 million cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment removed from the river bottom.

The EPA's long-term monitoring phase will track the river's recovery and confirm that the cleanup is functioning as intended. This includes the continued monitoring of sediment, fish, water, reconstructed habitats, and the caps placed in areas where PCBs remained after dredging. The EPA will also conduct five-year reviews of the project to ensure the remedial actions are working as intended.

The Hudson River's improvement is a testament to the collective efforts of activists, government officials, and industries working together to address the river's pollution.

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