Pollution and San Francisco Bay

The cities around San Francisco Bay in Northern California face a unique problem. While pollution anywhere is detrimental to the environment, the San Francisco Bay is extremely sensitive to a variety of pollutants. A good, and measurable, example of a type of pollutant that most people don't consider is sediment.

What exactly is sediment? Well, it can be any number of things, but mostly it's particles of soil and rock that get washed away during storm events or over watering of landscapes. This generally occurs through the storm water system, as opposed to the sewer system. Water carries any number of pollutants into the storm water drains, which then discharge into the nearest creek, stream, lake, or in this case, San Francisco Bay. Whatever was on the roads or in the gutters is washed into the water system.

Over the years, San Francisco Bay has actually shrunk in size due to excessive sediment that has been carried through the storm water system and dumped into the Bay. Since the Bay is somewhat protected from the Pacific Ocean tidal influences and wave action, the sediment doesn't have the chance to disperse and collects near to the shore. As the size of the Bay decreases, the habitat for fish and sea mammals decreases as well.

Then, as if the sediment wasn't bad enough, other pollutants are also washed into the storm water drains. Motor oil from leaking car engines, cigarette butts, empty plastic cups and containers from fast food restaurants, chewing gum and even pet waste is easily carried and discharged into the ocean. The easiest way to eliminate this is by using trash cans with tight fitting lids and not throwing anything from a car onto the street. A tight lid on a trash can is very important, because if there is no lid, or one that is easily knocked off, a strong storm can dump enough rain where the trash can fills with water and the garbage floats up and over the top, ending up back on the street.

Since the storm drains around the Bay area all end up discharging either directly or indirectly into the Bay, it's vitally important that the residents and visitors take extra care. Even one thoughtless action can affect the health of the sensitive Bay and jeopardize the delicate ocean habitat. Most of the cities around the Bay are so concerned about pollutants that they have a variety of ordinances regulating pollutants. One example is an ordinance picked up by several cities where mercury amalgam, the type used in dental fillings, is regulated. Dentists within these cities must capture all of the mercury scraps before they are washed down the drain and into the sewer system. While this is the sewer system and not the storm drain, the sewage treatment plants are still unable to remove the mercury. Since mercury is a bio-accumulating hazard to humans and fish, it must be disposed of by a special hazard collection company.

Pesticides are also regulated and non-toxic alternatives have been developed and promoted for use by homeowners and companies. This is known as integrated pest management or IPM and is being used effectively to preserve the ocean environment.