Chemical Use in Newton Lake Sparks Debate

Outrage is popping up over part of Camden County’s short-term solution—using a copper-based chemical—to control overgrown algae mats in Newton Lake.

Although the tactic is meant to limit the growth of algae in the lake, the chemical application will require a special environmental waiver from the state. 

For some residents, that's just one sign that the strategy could have a long-term impact. 

“It’s a waste of money, and environmentally it’s just horrific and disgusting,” said Oaklyn resident Robert Bennett. 

“They said as long as [the chemical] was used properly there wouldn’t be problems, which kind of made me want to go home and look it up.

"I wish I knew more, I would have asked more questions.”

After attending a June 10 meeting with officials, Bennett, 43, started an online petition to stop the county from using Captan, a copper-based algaecide, as one of two methods of cleaning the layer of film off Newton Lake. 

Bennett posted a petition to change.org to stop Camden County from using the algaecide and has, so far, amassed 150-plus signatures. Signees are concerned about the possible environmental implications of using Captan in the lake, which runs through Haddon Township, Collingswood and Oaklyn.

Through a community Facebook page, Bennett and other community members are organizing a protest.

“We want to do it soon because they said the second phase is the poisoning,” Bennett said. 

“The first phase is removing vegetation with the machine and the second phase is applying the chemical.”

Concern for bees, fish in Newton Lake

Bennett keeps his own bees that produce homemade honey to treat himself as well as neighbors for their arthritis. 

He’s concerned Captan could contaminate the lakes from which wildlife, including his bees, eat, drink and live, inadvertently contaminating his honey.

“It doesn’t just kill the bigger animals, it kills all the things that are in there. It kills all aquatic life. It’ll kill my bees,” said Bennett. 

“I have two bee hives and I’m located a couple of blocks from the water, and I’m sure my bees drink from there, and it’s a known bee killer.”

However, according to the National Pesticide Information Center, Captan is “relatively non-toxic to honey bees,” but is, “highly to very highly toxic to fish,” and, “is moderately toxic to freshwater and saltwater creatures such as shrimp and crab.”

Despite Bennett’s concerns, Stephen Souza, president of Princeton Hydro, which has been charged with overseeing the removal of algae from the lakes, says there is little reason to worry.

“The short-term game plan was to harvest out as much of the mat algae as possible over the next two weeks," said Souza, "and then follow that up...as part of [a] short-term strategy...low-dose applications of Captan."

Souza says the long-term plan involves managing nutrients that feed the rapidly multiplying algae in the lake.

He also said that Captan is "not exactly copper sulfate," as Bennett fears. 

"It’s a form of copper," Souza said; "it functions in the same way as copper sulfate but it has a higher efficiency and you can use less than what you would use with copper sulfate."

Souza insists that Captan is used semi-regularly throughout the state for water treatment from lakes to drinking water and that its environmental impacts are virtually non-existent.

“I manage numerous lakes throughout the state,” he said. “These copper-based algaecides are the most commonly used chemicals, probably, throughout the state to control algae levels.

“As long as it’s applied by professionals who know what they’re doing, following the correct protocols and the correct dose rates, it’s extremely safe.”

Souza also says that the use of the chemical is not an absolute solution to the—quite literally—growing algae problem in Newton Lake, but is simply an initial “tool” to clean up the mess.

“We want to use the least amount of product as possible,” he said. “Our objective is not to nuke everything that is out there; it’s really just to control the growth to keep it manageable.”

‘Relatively harmless to the environment’

Princeton Hydro began the first cleanup phase this past week by physically removing the algae mats with the use of a boat-like device called the Truxor, which scoops submerged algae beds.

The second phase of the plan, which includes the use of Captan, will begin after approval is given by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

According to the DEP, copper sulfate is “relatively harmless to the environment.”  DEP representative Chloe Gogo did, however, express concern over the application of the chemical.

“It’s bad for trout but Newton Lake doesn’t have any, I think,” Gogo said. “You have to be careful not to kill the entire population because there should be a healthy amount of algae in a lake to begin with.”

According to the NPIC, copper sulfate, even in small doses, can be harmful to fish other than trout.

“Fish kills have been reported after copper sulfate applications for algae control in ponds and lakes. Oxygen depletion and increased debris have been cited as the cause of most fish deaths,” according to the NPIC copper sulfate information page.

“This is sometimes due to the sudden death and decay of algae and plants after an application. Even small concentrations of copper can be harmful to fish and water organisms.”

The implementation of the chemical has not yet been set for a specific date. County officials must wait for DEP approval before applying any sort of chemical to the lakes.

“Once we get the permit, we’ll sit down and we’ll see what we’re allowed to do and then we’ll follow the permits to the letter,” said Souza.

As Bennett waits for a response to his petition, he has another major concern he hopes the county will consider.

“My kids play down there all the time,” he said. “They swim, they pick up the turtles, they fish. I don’t want my kids to be exposed to that stuff.”