Arctic Becoming Chemical Waste Sump, Says WWF
By Jeremy Lovell - 16 February 2005
LONDON (Reuters) - The Arctic, already a dump for Russian nuclear
waste from the Cold War, is also rapidly becoming a chemical sump
for the globe, the World Wide Fund for Nature said on Thursday.
New research had found even higher concentrations of banned pesticides
like DDT in the Arctic environment than in the countries that produced
them.
"This is a catastrophe for the Arctic," said WWF UK toxics
program head Elizabeth Salter Green. "Contamination is increasing
and more and more chemicals are being found in Arctic species."
The environmental pressure group said some of the chemicals -- found
not only in the fat of Arctic species including fish, seals and
whales but also in the ice itself -- were affecting immune, hormone
and reproductive systems.
It said the chemicals, including flame retardants and those used
in the manufacture of non-stick cookware, drifted north on sea currents,
became trapped in ice and were slowly released back into the environment
years later.
"This trend will continue if we don't take action," Salter
Green said. "Regulation of the chemicals industry has to improve
-- and quickly."
Not only was it turning the Arctic into a chemical timebomb, but
its wildlife were suffering too as the pollutants entered the bloodstream
and went into vital fatty tissues where they remained for years,
becoming steadily more concentrated.
"Arctic contamination has serious implications for wildlife
but also for the indigenous peoples who rely on these species for
food," said Salter Green.
"Strong chemical regulation is needed to prevent hazardous
chemicals from reaching the Arctic in the first place," she
added.
The United Nations is already backing an international clean-up
operation to rid the Russian Arctic of a cocktail of toxic chemicals
left behind after the Cold War.
Copyright © 2005 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication
or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without
the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable
for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken
in reliance thereon.
|
