In a recent study67 undertaken by Basel's Health & Social Commission (GSK) on fluoridation, they observed that "over 99 % of the fluoride" added to water is never consumed by humans, leading in turn to "an unnecessary load on the environment." According to GSK's president, Dr Jurg Merz, "more than 99% of the water is not drinking water but is used for washing cars, cleaning stairs, showering, to pour on flowers and so on. Fluoride is poison that loads our rivers."
In fluoridated areas, drinking water, obtained from surface water with an average fluoride concentration of 0.1-0.2 mg/L68, is raised to the "optimal" level of 0.8-1.5 mgF/L by the addition of hydrofluosilicic acid. Fluoride added to drinking water ―to improve dental health‖ enters the freshwater ecosystem in various ways. Surface run-off from fire-fighting, washing cars and watering gardens may enter streams directly or through storm sewers at optimal concentration, 0.7-1.2 mgF/L. Most enters during wastewater treatment. Consequently the fluoride added to protect dental decay ends up in the aquatic ecosystem. No environmental impact assessment has ever been undertaken examining the potential impacts of fluoride in wastewater discharges on surface water ecosystems. Nor have any field studies ever been undertaken to examine the effect of fluoride on salmon or other species in Ireland.
While fluoride is a normal constituent of surface water samples, it is generally
67 GSK - "Bericht der Gesundheits-und Sozialkomission des Grossen Rates zum Anzug Rene Brigger betreffend Fluoridierung des Basler Trinkwassers" [9229/P975485].
68 Carpenter R. Factors controlling the marine geochemistry of fluorine. Geochemical et Cosmochimica Acta 33 1153-1167 1969.
observed at concentrations less than 0.2mg/l in natural waters. In countries that fluoridate water, wastewaters coming from homes and industries contain elevated levels of fluoride. Normal primary and secondary wastewater treatment processes are not effective at removing fluoride to background levels.69,70,71 It has been reported72 that as a water pollutant, elevated concentrations of fluoride may affect a number of organisms, including fish, amphibians, insects, snails, shellfish, protozoa and some aquatic plants.73 As with any pollutant, the State has a requirement to prevent its adverse impacts on surface water quality in accordance with the Water Framework Directive. As noted in S.I. 272 of 2009, the State must take measures to eliminate pollution of surface waters by priority substances and to progressively reduce pollution by other substances which would otherwise prevent achievement of the environmental objectives established by these regulations.74
The Environmental Quality Standard for fluoride in inland surface waters is set at 0.5mg/L. The regulations do not list fluoride as a priority substance, however given the evidence provided in the NRC review and Harvard studies as well as other data reviewed in this report, including information presented by the U.S. EPA officials on the mutagenicity of fluoride supporting the conclusion that fluoride is a probable human carcinogen, it is possible this may change in the near future.
The concentrations of fluoride in wastewaters for a large number of U.S. cities have previously been examined by Masuda75 and it was demonstrated that the concentrations in wastewaters were in excess of the concentration in the city‘s fluoridated water supplies. Further studies by Singer and Armstrong76 found 0.38 mgF/L in non-fluoridated sewage and 1.16-1.25 mgF/L fluoridated sewage. It has been observed that, in the case of artificially fluoridated communities the concentration of fluoride in both surface run-off and sewer effluent exceeds 0.2 mgF/L. International studies have shown that elevated concentrations in freshwater systems receiving fluoridated effluent may persist for some distance downstream within the river system.
69 Benefield LD, Judkins JF, Weand BL: Process Chemistry for water and waste water treatment. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 405-421. (1982)
70 Link W E, Rabosky JG: Fluoride ion removal from waste water employing calcium precipitation and iron salt coagulation. Lafayette, IN: Purdue University, 31st annual Purdue Industrial waste Conference, May 4-6, (1976).
71 Masuda TT: Persistence of fluoride from organic in waste waters. Devel Industry Microbial; 5: 53-70. (1964)
72 Kushwah et al. Int. J. Res. Chem. Environ. Vol. 1 Issue 2 Oct. 2011(169-172) 73 Water Quality Planning Branch, Division of Environmental Management: North Carolina Water Quality Standards Documentation: Toxicity of Fluoride to Freshwater Biota. Raleigh: North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Community Development, Report No. 86-01, (1986).
74 European Communities Environmental Objectives Regulations 2009- Surface waters 75 Masuda TT. Persistence of fluoride from organic origins in waste waters.
Developments in Industrial Microbiology 5 53-70 1964.
76 Singer L. Armstrong WD. Fluoride in treated sewage and in rain and snow. Archives of Environmental Health 32 21-23 1977.
One such study77 by Bahls showed that the effluent from Bozeman, Montana of 0.6-2.0 mgF/L, discharged into the East Galletin River did not return to the background level of 0.33 mgF/L for 5.3 km. Though dilution reduces concentration over distance, the amount of fluoride in effluent is either deposited in sediment locally or is carried to the estuary where it may persist for 1-2 million years78 or may re-contaminate if dredging were to take place. Decreases in water volume and/or flow velocity have the potential to increase fluoride concentration. Increased water temperature will enhance fluoride toxicity. Very little research has been undertaken to examine the impact of fluoride on aquatic systems, in particular how artificially fluoridated wastewater may impact on fisheries or ecosystems. However, from what information is available, it would appear that fluoride may have an impact on fisheries and that meeting the requirements of the Water Framework Directive may not be possible as long as fluoridation of drinking waters continues.