The Arctic is the chemical sink of the globe, says WWF

The report – The tip of the iceberg: Chemical contamination in the Arctic – shows that air, river and ocean currents, drifting sea ice and migrating wildlife species carry industrial and agricultural chemicals from distant sites of production and use to the polar environment. Once pollutants reach the Arctic, polar ice can trap contaminants that are gradually released into the environment during melting periods, even years later. As a result, the Arctic is becoming the chemical sink of the globe, WWF says.

“Not only is chemical contamination increasing in the Arctic, but also modern chemicals are now appearing in many arctic species alongside older chemicals, some of them banned for over 20 years,” said Brettania Walker, Toxics Officer at WWF’s Arctic Programme. “This alarming trend will continue if the current chemical regulation does not improve. REACH, the new EU chemical legislation, provides an opportunity to set a new global standard, putting chemical production and use on a safe and sustainable path.”

WWF’s report points out that recent studies of polar bears in the Norwegian or Canadian Arctic indicate that exposure to older chemicals, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCs), is already at levels where effects are seen in their hormone, immune, and reproductive systems. Many of the newer chemicals now reaching the Arctic are capable of similar effects, and mixtures of both older and current-use chemicals could lead to even more harmful combined effects.

Many Arctic animals, such as polar bears, seals, and whales, have thick layers of body fat that helps them keep warm and gives them sufficient energy throughout the year. But the fat also acts as a magnet for storing chemicals, leading to the build up of very high chemical levels.

The report shows that chlorinated paraffins – un-restricted chemicals used in paints, sealants, adhesives, leather, and rubber processing – have been detected in grey and ringed seals from Norway, beluga whales, walruses as well as fish, birds, and ocean sediments from the United Kingdom. Brominated flame-retardants and fluorinated chemicals, many of which are inadequately regulated, have already contaminated polar bears, whales, Arctic foxes, seals, porpoises, and birds from Greenland, Norway, Canada and Sweden. If current trends and inadequate regulation continue, levels of brominated flame-retardants could reach similar levels as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs, phased out in the 1970s) within the next 10 to 20 years.

“Arctic contamination has serious implications not just for the health of arctic animals but also for arctic indigenous peoples who rely on a traditional marine diet,” added Brettania Walker. “Strong chemical regulation is needed to prevent hazardous chemicals from reaching the Arctic in the first place.”

WWF believes the European Union’s proposed REACH chemical legislation must be strengthened to require identification and phase-out of the most hazardous chemicals. REACH will then have the potential to drastically reduce harmful contamination both in the Arctic and globally. Protecting environmental, wildlife, and human health would also benefit the industry, opening new markets for safer products, and ensuring easier introduction of new chemicals onto the market, decreased liability lawsuits, and more public trust.

For more information:
Brettania Walker, Toxics Officer, WWF Arctic Programme, mobile +47 93411663, [email protected]
Julian Scola, WWF DetoX Campaign, tel +32 2 743 8806, mobile +32 486 117 394, [email protected]
Olivier van Bogaert, Senior Press Officer, WWF International, tel +41 22 364 9554, [email protected]
NOTES TO EDITORS:

· Perfluorinated compounds are used as stain and surface protectors, and in the production of textiles, food packaging and non-stick coatings such as Teflon. One fluorinated chemical, called PFOS, was voluntarily phased-out by a major manufacturer in 2001 due to concerns of its hazardous properties. While Canada recently enacted a ban on 3 types of fluorinated chemicals, there is currently no EU regulation of either PFOS or another fluorinated chemical of concern, called PFOA.

· Brominated flame-retardants (BFRs) are currently used in upholstery cushions, fabrics, and in electronic equipment, including computers and televisions. The EU banned the “octa” and “penta” forms of BFRs in August 2004, many other types of BFRs remain inadequately regulated.

· The Arctic is uniquely vulnerable to pollution and is the final destination of pollution from around the world. It is a region that plays an important role for wildlife found nowhere else and for the many people who live there.

· The current EU chemical regulatory system, similar to others around the world, considers chemicals “safe until proven otherwise”. Chemicals in production prior to 1981 do not require safety testing. As a result, thousands of chemicals in current-use have never been evaluated for basic safety. Persistent chemicals that do not easily break down are of special concern. These chemicals remain in the environment even years after they are banned and phased-out of use.

· REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) is the draft EU law that should lead to the identification and phasing out of the most harmful chemicals. If it becomes law it will be enforced in all countries in the European Union. REACH will also lead to changes in chemical regulation and production outside the European Union. Under the law, chemical producers would be obliged to send a registration dossier containing safety data to a central chemicals agency for all chemicals produced in quantities above one tonne a year. Less information is required the lower the tonnage of chemicals produced. Experts would then evaluate the safety data for higher-volume chemicals and other chemicals of concern. Chemicals of very high concern would be phased out, and replaced by safer alternatives, unless industry can show ‘adequate control’ of the risk from their use or that their ‘socio-economic’ value outweighed the risks. WWF does not think that the draft law is tough enough.

· For more information about REACH and the problems associated with chemicals see www.panda.org/detox