EDO-2025-000015

PRESS RELEASE
September 19, 2025

CONTACT:
Dave Noriega
[e-mail]
[phone]

Mercury and PFOS in Waterfowl from the Great Salt Lake
Updated species and contaminants

(Salt Lake City, UT) – Public health officials have updated consumption advisories
for waterfowl harvested from the Great Salt Lake. Be aware of over-consumption of
Northern shovelers, gadwalls, and mallards around the Great Salt Lake for their
elevated levels of mercury and PFAS. Follow the waterfowl consumption advisories at
DEQ to prevent long-term health effects.

Recent testing conducted by the Utah Department of Environmental Quality and the
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources found that some species of waterfowl contain
elevated levels of mercury and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS).

Monthly meal consumption limits for waterfowl from the Great Salt Lake:

Species

Contaminant

Maximum meals per month

Adults;
Men >16 years
Women >50 years
(8 oz meal size)

WCB*
Children 6-16 years
(8 oz meal size)

PW*;
Children <6 years
(4 oz meal size)

Northern
shoveler

Mercury

4

1

Do not eat

Gadwall

PFOS

4

4

2

*Abbreviations: WCB = women of childbearing age; PW = pregnant and breastfeeding
women

Migratory waterfowl from a wide geographic area may be exposed to environmental
contaminants. They may create an exposure pathway for people who harvest and
consume them. According to an assessment by the Utah Department of Health and
Human Services, eating more than the advised amounts of Northern shoveler or
gadwall and mallard harvested around the Great Salt Lake could result in exposure
above health recommendations for mercury and PFOS respectively. Mercury advisories
have been lifted for common goldeneye, as the most recent sampling data indicate that
levels have dropped below the Environmental Protection Agency’s health based
guideline.

There is no health risk from mercury or PFOS in the water for recreation such as
swimming, boating, or waterskiing. Risks from eating waterfowl are tied to long-term
consumption above the rates listed above, not occasional meals.

Mercury is a naturally-occurring metal that can be transformed into methylmercury, a
toxic form found in some lakes and rivers. Women who are pregnant or may become
pregnant, women who are breastfeeding, and young children are most at risk to
methylmercury exposure, because even small amounts over time can affect brain and
nervous system development.

PFOS is a man-made chemical belonging to a group of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl
substances (PFAS) contaminants, often called ‘forever chemicals’ because they break
down very slowly in the environment. PFAS have been widely used in many consumer
goods and industrial products and are now found throughout the environment including
air, water, soil, and biota. Repeated exposure to PFOS above certain levels has been
linked to problems with cholesterol, the immune system, liver function, and small
decreases in birth weight.

For more information about PFAS and your health, visit the Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease registry at www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/index.html.

Mallard

PFOS

5

5

2

For more information on contaminants in Utah waterfowl, visit the Utah Department of
Environmental Quality’s Waterfowl Advisory page at
www.deq.utah.gov/water-quality/utah-waterfowl-advisories.