PSF REQUESTS CANADA TO INVESTIGATE TIRE TOXIN IMPACTING SALMON
Feb. 6, 2023
The Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) has been supporting local, British Columbia-based research related to 6PPD and its impact on salmon in their freshwater habitats for the past few years.
Today, along with other environmental non-profits, we’ve sent a request to the federal government’s Hon. Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Canada, to investigate the toxicity of the tire chemical that research has shown can cause mass coho mortality.
6PPD is used to prevent tires from degrading or cracking. When 6PPD is exposed to air, it creates a by-product called 6PPD-quinone which can enter urban rivers and waterways by road run-off.
Many salmon populations are in serious condition, particularly those who spend more time in freshwater habitat, and researchers in Canada and the United States have identified that 6PPD in tires can kill coho salmon when it breaks down in the environment. This harmful toxin is something we can take action on now, and we hope that the federal government will prioritize this investigation and work with us to find a new solution that will protect wild Pacific salmon.
We’re grateful to make this request through a new tool, under Section 76 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and look forward to hearing a response from Minister Guilbeault.
Sincerely,
Michael Meneer
President & CEO
Pacific Salmon Foundation
6PPD and Salmon Quick Facts:
- A seminal study led by researchers from the University of Washington published in Science in 2020 identified 6PPD-quinone as a cause of “urban runoff mortality syndrome” in coho salmon.
- Further studies have indicated that 6PPD-quinone is harmful not only to coho salmon but also to Chinook salmon and rainbow and steelhead trout, though the impact is less severe.
- Several research teams across British Columbia are conducting 6PPD monitoring to determine where the compound is present and at what concentration levels, seeking to understand if 6PPD-quinone concentrations are present in salmon-bearing streams above lethal concentration limits.
- The Pacific Salmon Foundation supports B.C. Conservation Foundation (BCCF)’s efforts to monitor 6PPD-quinone in salmon streams during storm events on the east coast of Vancouver Island in collaboration with First Nations and volunteer stewardship groups.
