Bifenthrin is a pesticide that is responsible for the majority of toxicity in urban streams around the country according to USGS. It is highly toxic to fish. For example, the lethal dose that kills 50 percent of rainbow trout (LD50) is 0.00015 mg/L. It is persistent enough to be the most commonly detected pesticide in urban streams according to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Bifenthrin must be banned to protect fish species including threatened and endangered salmonids in urban watersheds.
Why is this important?
There is a pervasive lack of understanding of the toxicity and prevalence of bifenthrin and most states are not looking for bifenthrin in urban streams. This is a silent killer that no one is looking for. We could have healthy urban streams full of fish and strong local economies if we properly manage our urban environments. Banning bifenthrin would be a large step in that direction.
