POPs are human-made chemicals that are highly resistant to breakdown by ordinary natural processes. There are three categories:

• industrial chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB)

• industrial waste byproducts such as dioxins and furans

• pesticides such as DDT and chlordane

Dr. Todd O'Hara and Mr. Craig George, researchers for the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management, measure a ringed seal as part of a contaminant sampling project in cooperation with local hunters in Barrow.

U.S. Department of Interior

Air currents move contaminants into Alaska's waters, sea ice, and land from industrial, agricultural and other sources throughout the world. Ocean currents are also key pathways for long-range transport of contaminants. Several large rivers enter the Arctic, possibly carrying contaminants that could be transported to Alaska coastal waters.

How do Contaminants Affect People?

In the U.S. Arctic, human exposure to pollutants occurs primarily through eating subsistence foods. Traditional Alaska Native lifestyles are based on hunting, fishing, and close relationships to the land. In most communities, village residents have few culturally acceptable, nutritious, and affordable alternatives to their traditional foods because there are few or no roads, restaurants, or supermarkets. Alaskans live in a vast territory, which is home to approximately 227 federally recognized tribes, representing more than 40% of the tribes in the entire United States. In Alaska there are Alutiq, Yup'ik, Chup'ik, Sugpiaq, Tlingit, Haida, Eyak, Tsimpsian, Inupiat and Athabascan peoples, each with their own language, arts, and traditions. Subsistence foods are an essential part of these cultures.

Subsistence users rely on many animals for food including seals, whales, fish, birds, and bird eggs. Persistent contaminants have a tendency to accumulate in fatty tissues and organs. People in the north tend to eat more organ meats and fats than people further south. POPs can concentrate in living organisms at 70,000 times the levels found in soil or water. People in northern communities are concerned that contaminants may be affecting their health and the health of the natural resources on which they depend.

During the past 10 years, studies have noted the presence of cadmium, methyl mercury and persistent organic pollutants in species traditionally harvested and consumed in Alaska. Although these initial assessments demonstrated that villagers had been exposed to these contaminants, the levels do not warrant recommending any restrictions to using traditional foods at this time because of the overall benefits of a subsistence diet.

Traditional foods provide relatively inexpensive and readily available nutrients, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, calories, protein, and many health benefits. Some of these benefits include protection from diabetes and cardiovascular disease, improved maternal nutrition and neonatal and infant brain development. Severely limiting the consumption of traditional foods may result in harm because reduction of the consumption of foods that have health benefits may increase the consumption of "store-bought" foods that do not have these positive qualities.

Contaminant risks associated with consumption patterns of traditional foods are unknown. At this time, we lack information about contaminant levels in traditional foods. We also need to know how these levels may be changing over time so we can understand the possible effects on human health in northern regions. Further studies are necessary to determine contaminant concentrations in subsistence foods and evaluate the potential health effects for subsistence users.

What are the Risks to Children?

Fetuses, infants, and nursing babies are most vulnerable to the effects of contaminants. Their developing cells are more sensitive to the potential effects of POPs and heavy metals, and the growing brain is especially sensitive to adverse effects. Moreover, POPs move readily from mother to fetus through the umbilical cord, and to infants through mothers' milk.

There is extensive documentation from Arctic Canada that Native women and their babies are exposed to POPs. Inuit women have PCB levels in their breast milk that are five times higher than those in southern Canada.

Much less information exists about exposure to and documented effects of contaminants on infants and children from the U.S. Arctic. We do know that effects may be variable and subtle, which can make them difficult to detect. In a study from the northeastern United States, researchers found that Mohawk babies who had significant amounts of PCBs in their umbilical cords performed more poorly than less exposed babies on tests assessing visual recognition of faces, ability to shut out distractions, and overall intelligence.

Why is the Arctic Important to the U.S.?

Environmental change in the U.S. Arctic may be an early warning of changes for other parts of the country and world. The Arctic serves primarily as a "sink" or settling area for many of these pollutants. Contaminants in the Arctic are incorporated in the food chain, accumulating in a variety of resident and migratory fish and wildlife species. Migratory species typically summer in the Arctic and winter in lower latitudes, thus contamination of these birds, fish, and mammals should be a concern for the entire nation, not just Alaskans.

The Arctic is valued internationally for its expansive tundra, majestic mountains, unique wildlife and clean coastal waters. Americans care deeply about these lands; many are national parks, preserves and national wildlife refuges that benefit all Americans.

Contamination in the Arctic threatens the region's unique resources, including subsistence foods central to indigenous Arctic peoples' way of life. Alaska is one of the last places in the nation where residents rely heavily upon hunting and fishing and have a close relationship to the land for survival and cultural identity. Thus, the potential contamination of traditional food raises problems that extend beyond the usual scope of public health.

The United States lacks a strong national Arctic contaminant research and monitoring program, thus research and public education lag far behind most programs in other Arctic nations. We have many unanswered questions regarding the extent and significance of this contamination. By comparison, Canada's multi-million-dollar Northern Contaminants Program has developed much more comprehensive information that directly engages indigenous people to assess contaminants and evaluate potential risks. Many northern European countries, including Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark, also have active Arctic monitoring and assessment programs.

What Can We Do?

Educate people about Arctic contaminants and their impacts in the U.S.

The U.S. needs a comprehensive outreach program that educates and communicates information about contaminants in the Arctic so people can make informed decisions to minimize risks to their families and communities. Currently, we are far behind most other Arctic countries in providing the type of information crucial to the overall health of our citizens.

Commit resources for a long-term cooperative research and monitoring program to assess and track contaminants in Alaska's Arctic ecosystems.

We need to know more about contaminants in the north, including the geographic distribution of various contaminants, potential biological and human health effects of these compounds, and long-term trends. Monitoring should focus on key indicator species that feed at a high level on the food chain, species used as traditional foods for subsistence and those with declining populations, since contaminants may play a role in these declines. Another key priority is to determine the effects of chemical mixtures on human health and Arctic ecosystems. We need diet surveys to determine what and how much people are eating of potentially contaminated resources. Researchers must also continue to compare Alaskan data with those of other Arctic regions, in collaboration with the eight-nation Arctic Council, as part of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP).

Strengthen partnerships between federal and state agencies, universities, Alaska Native tribes and organizations, and communities.

Effective coordination will improve future efforts by agencies, tribes, private and nonprofit entities, and universities. Better coordination of methods, standards, testing, and increased community involvement about contaminants will save time and money, avoid duplication, and ensure that the results are relevant and are communicated in a culturally appropriate manner.

Reduce exposures to POPS and heavy metals.

We need to lead and support the development of a strong international treaty to reduce or eliminate production and use of POPs throughout the world. The international POPs treaty will be an agreement that will immeasurably protect the health and well being of all peoples, with special benefits to those in the vulnerable American Arctic. We should promote international agreements to reduce or eliminate production and use of other toxic substances such as mercury.

Additional Information:

Alaska Native Science Commission

Traditional Knowledge & Contaminants

http://www.nativeknowledge.org

Northern Contaminants Program - Canada

http://www.inac.gc.ca/ncp/abt/bro_e.html

United Nations Environmental Organization

http://www.unep.org/

Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program

http://grida.no/amap/

Arctic Council Secretariat

http://www.arctic-council.org/