This Car Tire Chemical Is Polluting The San Francisco Bay: Report

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — A chemical put in car tires is being blamed for polluting the San Francisco Bay and killing off a species of salmon across California, according to a report by ABC7.

The chemical, 6PPD-Q, is considered an "emerging contaminant" across salmon populations in California, according to the report.

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The state of California is working to regulate the chemical, but it is already becoming an issue within San Francisco Bay watersheds.

The chemical was first identified in streams and creeks that empty into the bay about six years ago. Certain species of fish are so vulnerable to the chemical that a single drop in a swimming pool could prove fatal, according to the report.

"It is a transformation product from an ingredient that's intentionally added to tires. So pretty much every tire on the market right now has this chemical," Ezra Miller, Ph.D., senior scientist with the San Francisco Estuary Institute, told ABC7.

The Coho Salmon is an endangered species at high risk of extinction. They play a crucial role in both stream and ocean ecosystems by transporting nutrients and helping keep insect populations under control, according to the National Park Service.

"They also have many known habitat requirements (e.g. cool streams with unobstructed flow, good water quality, gravel beds and plenty of large debris) that impact their survival and make them strong indicators of stream health and environmental change," according to the NPS. "

Read more by ABC7.