Polar pollutants: The long-term damage of POPs in the Arctic

People tend to paint the Arctic as a barren landscape, quiet and untouched by human activity. The reality, however, is that these supposedly isolated ecosystems are suffering from the actions of humans living thousands of miles away. The harmful contaminants that are produced by industrial processes travel to the Arctic and pollute the ice, air, water, and animals who live there.

Persistent organic pollutants — commonly referred to as POPs — are one type of toxic chemical that have made their way to the Arctic. POPs were widely used as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and solvents until the Stockholm Convention in 2001 identified the most dangerous POPs and placed restrictions on them. Some of the most well-known POPs include polychlorinated biphenyls, which can be used as a paint additive or coolant, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, which is an insecticide. These compounds are completely resistant to environmental degradation, so they are truly here to stay. 

These compounds are completely resistant to environmental degradation, so they are truly here to stay. 

Even though they are produced in more industrialized and populated areas, POPs are transported to the Arctic through ocean currents and atmospheric circulation. The pollutants in the air can travel with the wind to the Arctic and become frozen in glaciers and soil. Meanwhile, the pollutants in the water travel with the currents to the north and south polar regions. It appears that the POPs produced in the past have traveled to the Arctic and will stay encapsulated in glaciers and permafrost. 

With 179 countries in compliance with the terms of the Stockholm Convention today, there is an illusion that the issue of POPs has been solved and put to rest. However, researchers fear that climate change will catalyze the release of POPs into the atmosphere in the Arctic as they transform back into the gaseous state. A 2011 study in Nature Climate Change shows that the rapid rise in temperature in the Arctic in recent years is melting the glaciers and permafrost. This melting of the ice triggers the release of carbon, bacteria, and pollutants into the surrounding environment. As a result, POPs are reincorporating into the atmosphere, becoming available to circulate elsewhere or be consumed by local populations.

This melting of the ice triggers the release of carbon, bacteria, and pollutants into the surrounding environment. As a result, POPs are reincorporating into the atmosphere.

These pollutants have an immediate effect on the local environment and animals who inhabit the polar regions. POPs cause both changes in behavior and physical development of many Arctic animals, sometimes disrupting their reproductive processes and the habits that help them survive. They have the potential to kill off populations of animals, throwing off the balance of the Arctic food chain. These chemicals also accumulate in animals’ fat tissue, blood, and milk stores. They tend to biomagnify, or become more potent as they are passed from parent to offspring. Not only is this potentially harmful to these creatures’ offspring, but the presence of POPs in the food chain can lead to humans inadvertently consuming these deadly chemicals, as Indigenous people who inhabit the Arctic hunt these animals as their main food source.

While most POPs were banned decades ago, the aftereffects are still looming today. It is paramount that global governments take action against climate change and implement policies to prevent these pollutants from devastating local wildlife and communities. Hesitation from leaders could undo the progress of the Stockholm Convention and expose communities to deadly toxins. Many people tend to stay focused on the communities closest to them. However, keeping a narrow scope holds us back from considering the wellbeing of faraway ecosystems and Indigenous populations who live off the land and animals. Climate change mitigation requires a global mindset that includes everyone and every landscape, even those most far removed from us.

Nature Clim Change (2011). DOI: 10.1038/nclimate1167

Trends in Analytical Chemistry (2013). DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2013.01.005