Okanogan Low Birth Weight

8/12/2019 Okanogan Low Birth Weight

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Okanogan County Heavy Metal Exposure and Low Birth Weight

Intertwined in the natural beauty of northeast Washington lies a river system with a great

historical and cultural background, yet it remains heavily contaminated from years of industrial

impacts. Mining, milling, pulp and smelter activities in Canada and the United States have been

discharging metals and other contaminants into the upper Columbia River and its tributaries for

more than a century. The Teck metal smelting facility – one of the largest in the world –

continuously discharged wastewater effluent and over 15 million tons of heavy metal-laden

granulated slag (a smelting waste product) into the upper Columbia RIVER until 1995, when

they altered their environmental control technologies (LRF, 2010). The construction of the

Grand Coulee Dam in 1942 altered the ecological environment creating a barrier to fish

migration and changing sediment depositional patterns. Much of the contaminants that Teck and

other polluters had hoped would wash downriver into the ocean were deposited in the Lake and

river below.

Over 1.5 million visitors and members of the surrounding community utilize Lake

Roosevelt and the upper Columbia River as a recreational area as well as for subsistence fishing

and drinking water (LRF, 2010). Okanogan county and Colville Indian Reservation are closely

tied to this water body, bordering southern Lake Roosevelt and the Columbia River below the

Grand Coulee. Data from “County Health Rankings” has identified Okanogan County as having

exceptionally high rates of low birth weight and ranked the County as the second-lowest in

Washington State overall. Historical impacts from industrial activities in the upper Columbia



River and Lake Roosevelt area have led to an increased exposure to heavy metals and rate of low

birth weights in Okanogan County.

Studies conducted along the entire reach of the upper Columbia River and Lake

Roosevelt have found greatly increased concentrations of heavy metals, including cadmium and

lead(LRF). Maternal exposure to these metals has been shown to adversely impact prenatal

development and result in low birth weights (Xie, Ronco, Kippler). In addition to the health

risks associated with low birth weight secondary to preterm birth, low birth weight in full term

neonates is associated with an increased risk of adverse health outcomes later in life, including

cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes (Quetzal). Okanogan County has an 8.1% rate of low

birth weight, the highest in Washington State and 2.1% above the national benchmark of 6.0%

(WA Co Health). The most significant route of exposure to heavy metals is through

consumption, from incidental ingestion of water or slag, to consumption of fish. Altered fish

consumption rates have already been established, however community polls have shown these

rates are rarely observed and have largely underestimated the rates of the Colville Indian Tribes

(Fish Consumption). The 2012 US census for Okanogan County determined the population to be

12.3% American Indian, compared to 1.8% of Washington as a whole (US Census).

Historically, the Tribes have relied heavily on the area as a subsistence fishery, and fish

consumption has played an important role in their cultural identity. These contaminants,

ingested over time can be transferred to their children during pregnancy.

Lead from the mother can easily pass through the placenta, making the fetus highly

susceptible to lead poisoning, leading to impeded fetal growth, delayed neurodevelopment and

intellectual deficits (Xie, Kippler). A study by Xie et al. (2013) showed a relationship between

maternal blood lead levels and a decrease in birth weight, even at maternal blood lead levels



lower than current recommendations (Xie). Cadmium has been linked to numerous adverse

health effects, including low birth weight and delayed cognitive development (Ronco). In

laboratory testing rats exposed to cadmium during whole pregnancy periods indicated placental

physiology may be damaged by cadmium accumulation, leading to deleterious effects in

development including low birth weight (Ronco).

Proposals to clean up the River system have been met by many challenges. Financially,

the most prominent of which is authority of a United States law to govern a company located on

foreign soils. Currently, the EPA and Teck Metals Ltd. are engaged in a lengthy court battle

over the Canadian company’s liability for cross-border transport of historical pollutants.

Community efforts have already resulted in the cleanup of several of the most highly

contaminated beaches and recreational areas, however many still remain (RI/FS WP).

There is also concern about re-contaminating the River system from still-operational

industrial facilities, including the Teck smelter. Teck has halted the dumping of slag into the

upper Columbia River and insists that newly installed environmental controls have reduced

effluent concentrations to below ambient water levels (RI/FS WP). However, anthropogenic

sources to the River’s metal loading can have adverse impacts on ecological health.



Maternal exposure to historical lead and cadmium contamination in the Columbia River

and Lake Roosevelt area is a major factor in the increased rates of low birth weight in Okanogan

County. The region is used heavily as a subsistence fishery by the Colville Indian Tribes, which

account for a significant portion of the County population, and as a recreational area for the

region. The relationship between prenatal exposure to heavy metals and low birth weight has

been well documented, and is evident in this community. While litigation into liability and

jurisdiction for future cleanups is ongoing, the communities in Okanogan County and the

Colville Indian Tribes remain adversely impacted by this historical heavy metal contamination.

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Okanogan Low Birth Weight