In recent years, tens of tons of herbicide, including chemicals containing PFAS, have been deliberately applied to Cayuga Lake to combat the invasive aquatic plant hydrilla. Karan Mehta, a Cornell University professor, expressed concerns over the environmental and health impacts of these applications in an Ithaca Times op-ed, particularly the use of Sonar® H4C, which contains fluridone, a PFAS chemical under the OECD definition.
Since 2012, the Army Corps of Engineers has overseen the treatment of hydrilla with chemical herbicides. While initial efforts focused on Cayuga Lake Inlet and Fall Creek, the treatment area has expanded as hydrilla spread north. Mehta highlights that fluridone concentrations of several parts per billion are much higher than recently established EPA limits for other PFAS in drinking water, raising concerns about the potential long-term effects on the lake’s ecosystem and water quality.
Mehta calls for a reassessment of the strategy, suggesting alternatives such as mechanical removal or addressing other pollution sources that may be contributing to the hydrilla problem. He emphasizes the need for a precautionary approach, given the incomplete understanding of PFAS chemicals and their impacts on both human health and the environment.
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