Humboldt Baykeeper addresses water pollution on a case-by-case basis, and provides information to encourage Humboldt Bay residents to take action to address the problem of toxics in our environment. 

Historic industrial activity continues to impact the Bay along with the health of local residents and the area’s economy. Dioxin, heavy metals, petroleum products, and other contaminants persist in areas where they were used in the past, and continue to enter Humboldt Bay through storm water and ground water discharges.  Humboldt Baykeeper works to stop this ongoing problem by seeking cleanup of these sites.

One focus of Humboldt Baykeeper’s Toxics Initiative is the past use of wood preservatives at dozens of lumber mills that once lined the shores of the Bay and its tributaries. The mills used the chemical pentachlorophenol (also known as "penta") which led to the release of contaminants such as dioxins and furans. Accidental spills and illegal dumping of these chemicals resulted in soil and water contamination. For example, the former Simpson Plywood Mill, and an adjacent drainage swale that discharges directly into Humboldt Bay, was heavily contaminated by dioxins and furans. Through Humboldt Baykeeper’s Toxic Initiative, this ongoing threat to Humboldt Bay was identified, and is currently undergoing clean up activities to eliminate this source of dioxin.

In 2006, Humboldt Baykeeper petitioned the State Water Resources Control Board to add Humboldt Bay to California’s Threatened and Impaired Waters list under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act.  As a result,  Humboldt Bay was listed for dioxin. Since the listing, numerous stakeholder groups have come together in the Humboldt Bay Dioxin Working Group to develop a holistic approach to eliminating the sources of dioxin into our Bay.