coppertalk

By Joe Gorsuch, Copper Development Association Manager of Health & Environmental Sciences

Joe Gorsuch works with environmental regulations and the collection of ecotox data.  For 30 years prior to joining the CDA in March, 2009, he worked with Kodak, conducting environmental effects and fate field and lab studies to register chemicals for the photographic industry.  From 2005 to 2009 he was President and Owner of Gorsuch Environmental Managements Services, Inc. [GEMS, Inc.] coordinating environmental studies.  He holds an undergraduate degree in Wildlife Biology and a master’s degree in Environmental Sciences, focusing on Aquatic Toxicology, both from Purdue University. 

Before I joined the CDA, I led the research program on silver at Kodak.  I was with the company for three decades and had amassed quite a body of work.  The experience and contacts I gained are invaluable, and I’m sure that was one of the reasons I was offered the position at the CDA.  Silver and copper aren’t the same programs, but the science is essentially identical and my background was a great fit. 

This past November, I was proud to receive the 2009 International Imaging Industry Association (I3A) Achievement Award (I3A is the leading global association and an accredited Standards Developing Organization for the imaging industry) for my work at Kodak and as an independent consultant in leading the 16-year silver environmental research program.  Here is a description of the award:

The I3A Achievement Award annually recognizes, encourages and celebrates outstanding accomplishment by an individual who has provided significant contributions to the advancement or growth of the imaging industry, through participation in I3A in either Standards and Initiatives or Advocacy.

It’s rewarding to know that my long career has led to others recognizing me.  I really feel great about it.  But I can’t take all the credit because of course I had colleagues helping me along the way.  Both at Kodak and the CDA, I’ve had the opportunity to work with world-class researchers and government regulatory people, and to build relationships based on mutual trust.  After leaving Kodak, there was kind of a void.  Although I was doing some exciting environmental consulting work, I wasn’t able to keep doing all the work I had been doing previously, in particular coordinating a major research program.  So I was very excited to get this opportunity with the CDA to bring my experience and knowledge to work on copper with some of the researchers I had collaborated with previously.  As I said earlier, the science is essentially identical.  But we’re now doing copper studies that I never had the occasion to do with silver, including marine studies that are far more advanced, in addition to marine sediment studies that I’m helping to coordinate, which is always exciting.  Anytime you get to be a pioneer, it’s exciting.

By Joe Gorsuch, Copper Development Association Manager of Health & Environmental Sciences

Before joining the CDA, I spearheaded the silver program at Kodak, looking at the potential environmental impacts of silver and other metallic compounds.  That’s why, in March of ’09, it was a natural for me to join the CDA and focus on copper.  Our researchers provide a vital service.  We compile a great amount of scientific data on copper and its environmental effects and make it available to stakeholders all over the world.  We provide ecotoxicology data to the scientific community, including regulators, university scientists, and industries interested in its beneficial uses, such as fish farmers.  While copper is not a contaminant like mercury that accumulates in fish, it’s important to maintain levels most beneficial for their growth and development. Manufacturers of copper products often use our data in order to comply with environmental laws and regulations.  Through extensive research and using data on usage that covers centuries, we’ve developed a “copper roof runoff model toolkit” that allows building developers and regulators to establish responsible designs to manage the interaction of copper in general storm water runoff.

Our research data on copper effects on aquatic organisms allow sound science to be used in developing water quality regulations, protecting the environment from potential harm without being unnecessarily burdensome to the regulated community.  The CDA helps people in all industries and all fields of study to make these determinations.  If we all have good scientific information, we can use it to make responsible decisions that benefit our industries and our planet at the same time.

By Joe Gorsuch, Copper Development Association Inc. Manager of Health & Environmental Sciences

Joe Gorsuch works with environmental regulations and the collection of ecotox data.  For 30 years prior to joining the CDA in March, 2009, he worked with Kodak, conducting environmental effects and fate field and lab studies to register chemicals for the photographic industry.  From 2005 to 2009 he was President and Owner of Gorsuch Environmental Managements Services, Inc. [GEMS, Inc.] coordinating environmental studies.  He holds an undergraduate degree in Wildlife Biology and a master’s degree in Environmental Sciences, focusing on Aquatic Toxicology, both from Purdue University. 

You hear a lot these days about harmful substances in our environment.  The field that evaluates the effects of chemical substances in the environment is called environmental toxicology (also called ecotoxicity or ecotox).  Toxicology is the study of the effects of a chemical or a contaminant on an organism, and the “eco” refers to the environment.  Some people assume that any copper in the environment is harmful, probably because of stories about mercury or some pesticides.  So when news gets out there without the proper understanding of the science, it can cause unnecessary alarm. 

Copper itself is not a contaminant.  In fact, it’s essential to many forms of life, like plants, animals and humans, but in certain amounts and in certain circumstances it can be potentially harmful.  That is generally true of everything: too much can be harmful. A good analogy is insulin and the human body.  Everyone needs insulin to function.  But for some people, the wrong amount of insulin can be dangerous.  So for those individuals it’s important to test and monitor insulin levels constantly to maintain optimum levels for health.  It’s the same with copper in the environment.  I coordinate studies that collect ecotox data for the CDA.  The world-class international researchers and I evaluate the bioavailability of copper (“bioavailability” refers to the ability of an organism to absorb it) to aquatic organisms in various environments in order to understand which concentrations under certain circumstances may be harmful and which are harmless.  The form of copper that is considered toxic to plants and aquatic animals is the copper ion, which in natural environments is generally bound to sulfide, chloride or organic matter, rendering it less toxic and less bioavailable.  So knowing the form of copper in the environment is critical when determining the risk it may pose to organisms.

In conducting and evaluating this research, the CDA works collaboratively with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  All the research findings, including the data that may not be viewed as beneficial to us, are summarized and published, and eventually become part of the public domain.  A finding that implies copper may be the cause of a problem is further studied to determine the facts and circumstances or mechanisms, and the results are published. As a father and grandfather, I’m concerned about preserving the environment and health of our ecosystem and community.  I enjoy knowing that my role at the CDA helps make a difference.