Opening Pandora's Box:

Table 2: Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) that contaminate the Arctic
Additional AMAP-POPs: (Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program 1998)
Endosulfan,
HCH-mixed isomers,
Atrazine
Chlorothalonil
Methoxychlor
TBT,
Lindane (gamma-HCH),
Pentachlorophenol (PCP)*
Chlorpyrifos
* PCP has limited capacity to volatilise from water. PCP is slowly dechlorinated in
anaerobic sediments and is also converted to pentachloroanisole (PCA) by
biomethylation. PCA is quite volatile and detectable in Arctic air, water, plants, and lower
food web organisms.
Chemicals detected in biota from Svalbard, Northern Norway (AMAP 1998):
Brominated Flame Retardants
Polychlorinated Naphthalenes
Chlorinated Paraffins
Many of these substances are still in widespread production and use. Of even more
concern is that the majority of the thousands of chemicals that are currently on the market
have not even been tested properly for their properties and potential impact on the
environment and people.
Given the widespread POPs contamination on the planet and the case examples depicted
in this report, Greenpeace believes that elimination of POPs at source is the only sure
step forward. Achieving elimination is best done through material substitution and other
preventative measures.
References:
AMAP (1998). AMAP Assessment Report; Pollution issues. Arctic Monitoring and
Assessment Programme (AMAP), Oslo, Norway xii + 859pp.
Vancouver (1995), Presentation at the International Experts Meeting On Persistent
Organic Pollutants: Towards Global Action ,Vancouver, Canada.
ATSDR (1997), ATSDR’s toxicological profiles on CD-ROM. Publ: CRC Press .
Tanabe S. (1988). PCB problems in the future: Foresight from current knowledge.
Environmental Pollution 50: 5-28
WWF (1998), Resolving the DDT dilemma – Protecting Biodiversity and Human Health,
Publ: WWF USA & WWF Canada, 52pp.