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Study: High Levels Of Toxic Chemicals In Sea Lions

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Dec 26, 2008 3:46 pm US/Pacific

Study: High Levels Of Toxic Chemicals In Sea Lions

LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) ―

Click to enlarge 1 of 1: A study from California State University in Long Beach showed that sea lions and seals still have high contamination levels in Southern California. (File Photo)

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A new study shows that seals and sea lions still have very high contamination levels in Southern California decades after companies stopped dumping now-banned toxic chemicals off the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

A study from California State University in Long Beach found that the animals have much higher concentrations than previously thought for the pesticide DDT and a group of industrial compounds called PCBs. The study, which looked at animals stranded in the area from 1994 to 2006, said the contamination levels are among the highest ever detected worldwide for such mammals.

Chemicals were dumped off San Pedro's White Point from 1947 to 1971 by several companies. The pollution resulted in a legal battle and a $140 million settlement with state and federal governments in 2001.