Environment
Flame retardant problems linger in Lake Erie smallmouth bass
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By MORGAN LINN
Capital News Service
LANSING — Levels of hazardous flame retardants in most Great Lakes fish are declining – or at least researchers thought they were. But a new study shows that this isn’t the case for Lake Erie smallmouth bass, an important game fish. And the contaminated fish threatens the health of some people who eat them. Smallmouth bass: Credit: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are flame retardants that were commonly used in furniture, electronics, construction materials and textiles, said Michael Murray, a staff scientist for the National Wildlife Federation’s Great Lakes office in Ann Arbor.