Study of marine life near Newport finds no red flags for toxicity, May 15

Oregon State University scientists have examined a variety of coastal marine species near Newport for concentrations of heavy metals and organic pollutants and found only trace amounts with no bioaccumulation of significant concern.  Their report was presented to the City of Newport, which commissioned the study. It is available online at: http://www.thecityofnewport.net/  Newport city officials were concerned that effluent from a Georgia-Pacific containerboard plant outfall pipe, located some 4,000 feet off Nye Beach, may be exposing some marine life to contaminants. A 2010 study by CH2M-Hill looked for heavy metals in the surrounding water and sediments and found little with which to be concerned. Their study did not investigate marine organisms, however.  “There was some concern that metals and organic pollutants may be bioaccumulating in nearby marine life,” said Sarah Henkel, a marine ecologist at OSU’s Hatfield Marine Science Center and primary investigator on the study. “We tested for 137 different chemicals and only detected 38 of them – none at levels that remotely approach concern for humans.”