Water Runoff From Roof Toxic

This was on tucson s.

Water runoff from roof toxic.

Each autumn coho salmon swim up the nooksack river to spawn. Stormwater treatment is essential for the health of bellingham bay s ecosystem and the various wildlife that call whatcom county home. The issues here are to make sure there is no lead either in paint or leaf head roofing nails if it is old or in flashings. The solution to pollution is dilution.

Runoff carries toxic crud such as oil pesticides and fertilizers into the nearest water sources including lake whatcom and bellingham bay. Analysis of the runoff included total and dissolved metals arsenic cadmium copper lead and zinc and organic compounds polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons pahs phthalates and. Ecology identified significantly higher metals concentrations in runoff from several roofing materials than from the controls. As the study discusses the ionic copper more potentially toxic coming off the roof does not want to remain in the ionic state and readily binds to the cast iron and concrete piping of drainage systems.

As shown in the study once the runoff hits the ground or the drain systems any potential toxins are rendered benign. During 2013 and 2014 the department of ecology ecology collected runoff from 18 constructed roofing panels during 20 rain events for contaminant analysis. Runoff from 18 constructed roofing panels following 10 rain events for contaminant analysis. Back in the early 50 s my grandmother collected rain water from her asphalt shingle roof.

As it flows over the land surface stormwater picks up potential pollutants that may include sediment nutrients from lawn fertilizers bacteria from animal and human waste pesticides from lawn and garden chemicals metals from rooftops and roadways and petroleum by products from leaking vehicles. She also used grey water from her wringer washer and rinse tubs for watering the trees. Thank you for this article. Ecology sampled runoff from 14 types of roofing materials during 20 rain events and analyzed the samples for metals arsenic.

Analysis of the roof runoff included total metals arsenic cadmium copper lead and zinc and organic compounds polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons pahs phthalates and polybrominated diphenyl ethers pbdes. As part of the control of toxic chemicals in puget sound project ecology scientists tested rainwater from roofing materials and analyzed it for toxic chemicals. Like leila i know lots of people who collect water off metal roofs. Discovering toxic chemicals in roof runoff.

The 20 storm events sampled ranged in size from 0 05 to 0 75 inches. It was a good idea i thought except that i worried about toxins in the water from the runoff. Fumes from industry and traffic.