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MILWAUKEE COUNTY


DEICING PRODUCTS USED AT MILWAUKEE MITCHELL AIRPORT MAY BE HARMING LAKE MICHIGAN
AND LOCAL WATERWAYS, STUDY FINDS

Caitlin Looby
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel


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Dealing with freezing weather conditions is an inevitable part of living in the
Midwest. And while removing snow and ice from airplanes and runways is essential
for safe air travel, a recent study suggests popular deicing products may be
harming Lake Michigan and its tributaries.

According to the study by the U.S. Geological Survey, waterways downstream of
Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport had phosphorus levels that exceeded
state benchmarks for healthy aquatic ecosystems during freezing weather. The
scientists traced these phosphorus levels to common ice control products used at
airports.

Here's what you should know.


DEICERS REMOVE ICE AND SNOW FROM AIRCRAFT, RUNWAYS

The Federal Aviation Administration requires that airports use ice control
products on aircraft and runways during freezing weather. Even a small amount of
ice and snow can change how air flows over the wings and other parts of the
plane, changing how the plane flies and creating a safety hazard. Runways also
need to be cleared of snow and ice so planes can gain traction when they land at
high speeds.



Aircraft deicing fluid, also known as Type I fluid, is a mixture of propylene
glycol and water that lowers the temperature that water freezes at, helping to
remove snow and ice. Airports in colder climates also use anti-icers, or Type IV
fluid, which stops water from freezing after the deicer is applied and before
the plane takes off.

Phosphorus is likely present in these products because it can help prevent
corrosion, said Owen Stefaniak, a physical scientist with the U.S. Geological
Survey and author on the study.

Airports are required to have a stormwater discharge permit, which includes a
pollution prevention plan, and stormwater runoff is regulated by state agencies
with guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.




WATERWAYS EXCEEDED PHOSPHORUS STANDARDS DURING ICE, SNOW STORMS

The scientists first looked at 11 popular deicing products and found that nine
had significant amounts of phosphorus. Then, they collected water samples for
five years in nearby waterways during and immediately after winter storms when
airport personnel were deicing planes.



The team found that 84% of water samples collected had phosphorus that could be
traced back to ice control products. And 70% of samples had phosphorus levels
that exceeded phosphorus standards from the Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources.

The amount of phosphorus that is coming from these products is concerning,
Stefaniak said, and there is a potential the amounts could be harming aquatic
ecosystems.



More:Road salt is washing into Wisconsin's major waterways, with alarming
results


CREEKS, STREAMS SAMPLED FLOW INTO LAKE MICHIGAN

Most of the runoff from the airport is bound for Lake Michigan, Stefaniak said.

A lot of this winds up in Wilson Park Creek, he said, which flows northwest
through the airport before it joins the Kinnickinnic River. The lower reach of
the Kinnickinnic River is part of the Milwaukee River Estuary, which is listed
as an area of concern, or one of the most degraded areas in the Great Lakes.



There is another unnamed stream in the southern corner of the airport that
drains into Oak Creek, also bound for the lake.

More:Milwaukee is turning around one of the most degraded sites in the Great
Lakes. Here's how.




TOO MUCH PHOSPHORUS CAN CAUSE ALGAE BLOOMS, EXPLOSIVE PLANT GROWTH

Agriculture is usually the first thing that comes to mind when people think of
phosphorus pollution, Stefaniak said, but it is a big issue in a lot of
different settings.

Phosphorus is a limiting nutrient in many freshwater systems, meaning that there
is less of it compared to other nutrients and it limits the growth of organisms.
When more phosphorus does become available it can cause explosive growth of
plants and algae, which can in turn deplete oxygen levels and cause loss of fish
and aquatic habitats.

The nutrient is also the main driver of blue-green algae blooms that can
sometimes produce toxins harmful to humans and pets.



And while the Wisconsin DNR issued new standards for phosphorus in 2010, it is
still not measuring up to the magnitude of the problem. This is especially true
in the Lower Fox River and bay of Green Bay, where harmful algae blooms and a
dead zone plague the waters.



The study was a first step to figure out how much phosphorus is winding up in
waterways, Stefaniak said, and it's unclear how the nutrient is affecting local
aquatic ecosystems. The next step, he said, is to figure out what happens once
the phosphorus is in the water.

More:Pesticides, normally found in Great Lakes tributaries during summer, now
found year-round


DEICING FLUID CAN BE COLLECTED AND RECYCLED

While the samples were collected in Milwaukee, Stefaniak said this is likely a
global problem. In the U.S. alone, there are more than 200 airports that use
these products, which are only made by a few manufacturers, he said.

"This is one of those wicked problems where we have to balance human safety and
protecting the environment," Stefaniak said. "We all want to feel safe every
time we get on an airplane."

Previous work by scientists at Western Washington University and the U.S.
Geological Survey found that an additive commonly found in deicers and
anti-icers, called benzotriazole, was toxic to fish. Since then, manufacturers
have removed this chemical.



Airports do take measures to reduce runoff from these products. And some even
recycle the deicing fluid so the glycol in the products can be used again, like
at Pittsburgh International Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport and
Syracuse Hancock International Airport.

According to Harold Mester, the director of public affairs at Milwaukee Mitchell
International Airport, Milwaukee's airport works with the U.S. Geological Survey
year-round to monitor water quality and there is a program to collect the
deicing products to minimize runoff. That fluid is used by the Milwaukee
Metropolitan Sewerage District to generate electricity using its anaerobic
digesters at the South Shore Water Reclamation Facility, Mester said.

Caitlin Looby is a Report for America corps member who writes about the
environment and the Great Lakes. Reach her at clooby@gannett.com or follow her
on X @caitlooby.

Please consider supporting journalism that informs our democracy with a
tax-deductible gift to this reporting effort at jsonline.com/RFA or by check
made out to The GroundTruth Project with subject line Report for America
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Campaign. Address: The GroundTruth Project, Lockbox
Services, 9450 SW Gemini Dr, PMB 46837, Beaverton, Oregon 97008-7105.







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