LAKE ERIE – A U.S.-Canadian agency is seeking to reduce the amount of fire-retardant chemicals in Lake Erie and the rest of the Great Lakes.
The International Joint Commission issued a report this week that offered mitigating solutions for both federal governments and states and provinces on the Great Lakes.
The IJC promotes finding alternative, non-toxic, retardants. The agency also suggests working with producers on recycling and disposal methods that prevent chemicals from reaching the lakes and lake tributaries.
Since the 1970s, flame retardants have been added to a variety of commercial and consumer products. The IJC said the chemicals are highly toxic and are in all Great Lakes, but especially Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
