Cleanup of toxic lake algae takes precaution
Ray Lopez Braindead Killfile the Pest
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Cleanup of toxic lake algae takes precaution
By TOM HENRY
BLADE STAFF WRITER
So you own shoreline property along western Lake Erie's Maumee Bay. With
sunny, mild weather in the forecast, you figure this weekend would be a
splendid time to have company over for a barbecue while enjoying the
scenic view.
Then - WHAM! - you see it. Blobs of pea-green algae where water meets
land. And you smell an odor so foul it make you sick to your stomach.
Cleaning up algae isn't your typical outdoor tidy-up project. Making
matters worse, the material clumped up along the western Lake Erie
shoreline these days - called lyngbya wollei - isn't your typical algae.
It's toxic.
Not to worry. Assuming you're not going to eat the algae, the toxins in
it probably aren't high enough to make you ill by touching it or
breathing in the air that surrounds it - especially if the clumps have
been exposed to the sun's ultraviolet light for any length of time, said
Thomas Bridgeman, a University of Toledo environmental sciences assistant
professor researching the local outbreak.
Mr. Bridgeman works at UT's Lake Erie Center in Oregon, which is at the
epicenter of the outbreak. He said there's relatively little published
material outlining cleanup steps.
But he felt OK after walking through the algae for a couple of hours in
hip waders on Wednesday, while on a mini-expedition to measure it.
"Other than having stinky hands, I didn't have any ill effects. But it's
possible some people could have sensitive skin," he said.
He said the algae is four feet thick in some areas.
He wouldn't fear moving the algae with a pitchfork or rake, if you're so
inclined.
But that's just it: Be realistic about how much time and muscle you'll
need to invest in such a project. Mr. Bridgeman said the watery gunk is
so heavy it won't take much before you'll want a backhoe.
As for precautions, you're probably OK without a surgical mask. He
recommends waterproof gloves, high boots, pants, and a long-sleeved
shirt, though.
You'll still want to keep your pets away from it, officials have said.
David Culver, of Ohio State University, an algae expert who has testified
before Congress and led U.S.-Canada algae research teams, encouraged
anyone going to the trouble of removing the algae to properly dispose of
it.
"No point in dumping it [back] in the lake to wash ashore on someone
else's property," he said.
Lyngbya wollei is one of four forms of algae in Lake Erie known to have
toxins.
Unlike the other three, it is stringy material that balls up in the shape
of marbles as it rises to the surface and forms thick mats along the
shore. It also doesn't necessarily fade away as the water cools. Mr.
Bridgeman saw it in September, and said it survived the winter.
Mr. Culver said carbon-activated filtration systems, such as the one
Toledo uses to treat raw water it draws in from Lake Erie, remove the
toxins from lyngbya wollei and the other forms of algae known to be in
the lake.