TRAVERSE CITY, MI (AP)-- A U.S.-Canadian agency says both nations should develop a plan for dealing with flame-retardant chemicals that have turned up in the Great Lakes.
The chemicals are polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs. They're found in electronic devices, appliances, carpets and a variety of other products.
Many have been banned or are being phased out. But they still are being detected in the Great Lakes at levels that could endanger human and wildlife health.
The International Joint Commission advises both nations on boundary water issues. It says a strategy should be developed over the next year to reduce the presence of the chemicals in the lakes.
The commission says the plan should include further restrictions on making, using or selling the chemicals and measures for eliminating releases during recycling and disposal.
