Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon regulators have released draft recommendations on what limits to place on chemicals reaching state waterways. Rob Manning reports.

Two years ago, Oregon lawmakers took a stab at cleaning up the waste coming out of sewage treatment plants. 

Now, the Department of Environmental Quality has followed up, limiting 118 problem chemicals.

Some of the toxic substances have been banned for a long time – like PCBs and DDT. Others are prevalent only in industrial areas. But Chris Gannon, with DEQ, says chemicals used for personal care could show up in significant amounts at all 52 treatment plants DEQ is regulating. 

Those chemicals may show up in pharmaceuticals or perfume, for instance. But Gannon says there’s not a lot the plants can do about them.

Chris Gannon: “There aren’t known treatment technologies in place that we can look to, to solve the personal care products’ issue for us. Personal care products will probably be best addressed by working with behavior.”

DEQ is holding four hearings this month, and is accepting public comment on the draft rules, until February 1st.