Rep. Lieu Raises Concerns Over DDT Toxicity in CA Seafood

Congressman Ted Lieu, who represents Malibu in Washington, and Congresswoman Julia Brownley, who represents Ventura, are asking the federal government to look into potential for DDT toxicity in California's marine life.

Lieu and Brownley led other representatives from California in writing a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and EPA Administrator Michael Regan requesting they look into whether dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT)—which may be causing an increase in cancer in local sea lion populations—is causing cancer in humans.

"Recent research from the Marine Mammal Center shows a startling increase in cancer in sea lions along the California coast. Researchers believe this increase may be attributable to the presence of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) leaking into the ocean, which affects the food supply that sea lions consume," the letter states. "The Southern California coast was previously used as a DDT dumping ground. Humans can also eat the same seafood that sea lions do, and the obvious question is if DDT is indeed causing a spike in cancer in sea lions, is this DDT also causing a spike in cancer in humans? We ask your agencies to take the actions necessary to answer that critical health question."

The letter describes the potential for DDT pollutants to travel up the food chain to humans much in the same way anticoagulant rodenticide is known to travel up the food chain to apex predators including mountain lions.

"If sea lions are developing cancer at alarming levels due, in part, to their diet, does that present a danger for the human population who are consuming the same fish from the same contaminated waters?" the letter asks.

The letter was signed by other California Coastal Caucus members: Jared Huffman (CA-02), Alan Lowenthal (CA-47), Ro Khanna (CA-17), and Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44).