Marine scientists claim they have discovered up to thousands of barrels that possibly contain DDT dumped off the California coast in suspected a underwater toxic waste site dating back to the Second World War.
The 27,345 “barrel-like” images were captured by researchers at the University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Historical shipping logs show industrial companies in Southern California used the basin as a dumping ground until 1972, when the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act, also known as the Ocean Dumping Act, was delivered.
DDT is a synthetic organic compound used as an insecticide. It tends to persist in the environment and become concentrated in animals at the head of the food chain. Its use is now banned in many countries.
The exact location and extent of the deepwater dumping was not known until now. Underwater drones using sonar technology captured high-resolution images of barrels resting 900 metres below the surface.
Eric Terrill, chief scientist of the Marine Physical Laboratory at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, said: “It really was a surprise to everybody who’s worked with the data and who sailed at sea."
The survey provides “a wide-area map” of the barrels, though it will be up to others to confirm through sediment sampling whether the containers hold DDT, Mr Terrill said.
It is estimated between 350 and 700 tons of DDT were dumped in the area, 12 miles from Los Angeles and eight miles from Catalina Island.
The long-term impact on marine life and humans is still unknown, Scripps officials said.
