Toxic chemical levels finally dropping in Arctic food animals, new study shows

After decades of concern about southern pollutants poisoning traditional foods that northern aboriginals depend on, a new government study suggests levels of toxic chemicals in a wide range of animals across the Arctic are finally dropping.

The study, the first large-scale attempt in a decade to measure contaminants in common Arctic food animals, found carcinogens such as PCBs and other toxins derived from pesticides sprayed in the south have largely levelled off or have begun declining.

“Organochlorines, like DDT or chlordane or toxaphene or industrial chemicals like PCB, are declining,” said project leader Laurie Chan of the University of Northern British Columbia. “That’s good news.”

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Tagged as: Animals, Arctic Animals, Canada, Carcinogens, Chlordane, DDT, Food, Inuit, Organochlorines, PCB, Pollution, Toxaphene, University of Northern British Columbia, Walruses