"Fluorides" Environmental Impacts

ALCOA, fluoride and ICELAND

The Safe Drinking Water Act states, "No national primary drinking water regulation may require the addition of any substance for preventative health care purposes unrelated to contamination of drinking water."

Environmental Health Criteria 227 contains the collective views of an international group of experts regarding fluorides in the environment.

Since 2005, what international environmental issues that involve fluoride contamination are being reported?

Virtually every food contains at least some fluoride. Plants take it up from the soil and from the air. From the soil, fluoride is transmitted through fine hair rootlets into the stems, and some reaches the leaves. Plants absorb more fluoride from sandy than from clay soil and more from wet and acid soils than from dry and alkaline ones...

According to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), "Fresh or unprocessed foods available in the U.S. have fluoride concentrations that generally range from 0.02 to 2.00 ppm. Marine fish that are consumed with bones and bone meal supplements have been shown to be a rich source of fluoride in human food…The bones of some land-based animals also contain high levels of fluoride...its everywhere.

Are total fluoride level exposures considered in establishing the level of 1ppm? No.

The EPA Union, representing the scientists, researchers and other professionals, opposes the practice of fluoridating public water supplies. . The EPA admits to having no safety studies on siliciofluorides. Recently, the Epa called for research referring to fluoridation chemicals as regulated contaminants and a code of ethics for EPA scientists was enacted, the health based standard of fluorides in the drinking water as the galvanizing factor.

Some say the amounts we add could have a negative effect on our unique closed water systems. Some say it could negatively impact the environment, plants and the animals, horses and cattle as well as fish and game.

This fact sheet describes the Canadian water quality guideline for inorganic fluorides to protect freshwater life. The levels they identify as toxic are far below the level to which we "adjust fluoride".

Fluoride exposure for cattle, fish, wildlife, and foods continue to be a growing concern for our farming communities and environment.

Fluoridation chemicals will wind up in the wetlands at the Great Salt Lake. What happens then? No one knows. Utah's DEQ, Davis and Salt Lake Valley Health Department all concede no studies have been done on public water fluoridation chemicals possible impact on the Great Salt Lake, Farmington Bay or the Jordon River.

There have been no studies on the concentration at which it becomes a problem for birds, wildlife and the brine shrimp. And brine shrimp in the Great Salt Lake are a primary source of food for migratory birds and an economically valuable resource for Utah. How will these chemicals impact them?

What are the binding or sorption capabilities of the sediment at the bottom of the Great Salt Lake? What soil types have the greatest sorption capacity for fluorine? Normally clay absorbs the most contaminates, but fluorine has a negative charge, unlike most contaminates.

Considering there are pockets of high arsenic levels (including locations of the perched water table) in the SL valley, what elements will fluorine react with most readily? Are we likely to wind up with arsenic trifluoride or will is it more attracted to some other elements?

Although inorganic fluorides may move around in the environment, and even change form depending on, for example, water chemistry, fluorine itself can not be degraded. Over time, anthropogenic releases of inorganic fluorides may, therefore, cause levels to rise above natural background.

Inorganic fluorides affect basic physiological and biochemical processes of fish, plants and other aquatic organisms. By doing so, inorganic fluorides can slow growth and development, cause abnormal behaviour, and lead to death. The degree to which these effects occur depends in part on the concentration and form of inorganic fluoride, period of exposure, water chemistry, and species and age of aquatic species. Some species that seem particularly sensitive include rainbow trout, fingernail clams, water fleas, and certain green algae.

The fluoride added to water will not be treated as it goes through the wastewater treatment plants. The water will ultimately go to the Jordan River which drains to the Great Salt Lake wetlands or to groundwater. Water is removed from the Salt Lake and wetlands by evaporation, the fluoride will accumulate. At what concentrations do problems occur for wildlife?

In 2003 Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District supplied 39,045 million gallons of water. If this were all fluoridated at 1 mg/l, the total would be 325,827 pounds of fluoride added to the environment.

The SLVHD concedes there have been no environmental studies. No studies have been done concerning fluorides reactions when introduced to exisiting subsurface pollutants, such as copper, selenium, lead and perchlorates.

Additionally, public water fluoridation chemicals contains other contaminates, such as arsenic.and lead.

The EPA made an RFP (request for research proposal) on the interreaction between fluorides and silicates. The study is not completed.

Utah Code 19-5-108 states, 1(a) No person can discharge pollutants into waters of the State or to cause pollution which causes a menace to public health and welfare or is harmful to wildlife, fish or aquatic life, or impairs domestic, agricultural, industrial, recreational or other beneficial uses of water.

Levels of fluoridation chemicals leaving wastewater facilities are not monitored and reporting, not required.

If there is a chemical spill at a wellhouse or water treatment facility, there is no spill volume established where that accident must be reported to the public. Should fluosilicic acid, a known contaminate, be exempted from the Source Protection Guidelines?

Some say those are issues of no significance, that benefits outweigh the risks.