Medicinal Drugs Detected in Salmon and More News

A new study released by the journal Environmental Pollution has some bad news regarding Seattle’s salmon. Disturbingly high levels of medicinal drugs have been found within the tissue of salmon in the Puget Sound. Over-the-counter meds like Advil and Benadryl have been detected, along with prescription drugs like Prozac and even birth control. The worst part is how those chemicals ended up in the salmon: via human waste.

According to an article in Vice News, the Puget Sound has 106 wastewater treatment plants that contribute to this problem, to the tune of 97,000 pounds of chemicals per year. James Meador, an aquatic toxicologist with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and lead author of the study, had his team examine just two of these plants. Chemicals from 81 different drugs and personal hygiene products were detected, and at very high levels of concentration.

The Washington State Department of Ecology issues operational permits to these sewage plants and regulates harmful additives to the water like pesticides, but there are no such limits on the presence of pharmaceuticals.

The Seahawks’ Russell Okung is one smart dude. He got his business degree from Oklahoma State and during the offseason he’s pursuing an MBA from the University of Miami. Whether he ends up staying with the Seahawks or not, he is determined to give back to the community. His organization, the Greater Foundation, seeks to empower at-risk youth with the tools to become the business leaders and drivers of tomorrow. Here’s to hoping that no matter who he plays for, he will still call Seattle home. 

Eugene Wasserman, president of the North Seattle Industrial Association, thinks that the homeless encampment known as “The Jungle” could become a serious problem for Seattle’s economy, reports MyNorthwest.com. The report from the City of Seattle on The Jungle, which is nestled under I-5, has estimated that it has around 50 fires per year. Wasserman’s concern is that a large enough fire could halt traffic on the interstate, necessitating it be diverted to State Route 99, which is the main freight route for Seattle’s port.

Puget Sound-area commuter habits are shifting toward buses and rail, according to the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC). In the report, PSRC’s findings show that from 2010 to 2015 Seattle’s population grew by 5.6%, but transit ridership increased by 12 percent during that same period. This is great news for the region’s continuing traffics woes and all the future transit projects currently in the works.