A thousandfold increase in PCB levels and millions of dollars lost, the real cost of artificial reefs

A report  by the Basel Action Network highlights the environmental risks and economic losses caused by artificial reefing. In one reef, the total PCB concentrations in fish samples increased 1,446% on average from pre-sinking to postsinking"

"Study of the sunken Ex-USS ORISKANY, reveals startling toxic PCB
leaching from the sunken aircraft carrier. According to the data, the leaching is occurring
at more than twice the Navy’s and EPA’s presinking modeled expectations of 2006. In fact, leaching PCBs from the sunken vessel has been taken up by fish at the reef site at levels above the Florida Department of Health fish consumption advisory threshold. Total PCB concentrations in fish samples increased 1,446% on average from pre-sinking to postsinking"
http://ban.org/library/Dishonorable%20Disposal_BAN%20Report.pdf