Could chemicals in flood waters harm Barrier Reef ?

CTV -

After heavy rain caused hundreds of thousands of kilometers of flooding, environmentalists are now concerned about run-off containing fertilizers, pesticides and sediment that could negatively affect the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland, Australia.

Queensland, home to large sugar and coal production industries, borders the 2,600 km of coastline where the Great Barrier Reef is found. The large agricultural presence in the state could be creating algal blooms that could cut the amount of sunlight reaching the coral turning it white, an effect called bleaching.

Rick Smith, executive director of Environmental Defence Canada, told Canada AM that the potential for an environmental disaster is huge.

"These algal blooms from the fertilizer are cutting down on the sunlight depriving the coral of nutrients," said Smith. "Then when you have a huge flood like this they pour into the ocean."

Environmental Defence Canada is an organization that hopes to inspire change by tackling environmental issues that impact everyday life, championing such causes as the removal of bisphenol A from plastic baby bottles and the creation of the Greenbelt in Ontario.

Algal blooms, large concentrations of algae, are sometimes known as ‘red tides.' Although most are harmless, some can create toxins that could kill birds, shellfish and marine mammals.

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