Alaska Natives call for toxin study

OCTOBER 13, 2000

A coalition of Alaska Natives and 12 government agencies are calling for a federal program to track persistent organic pollutants (POPs), their effects, and their risks.

On Thursday, the Department of Interior released its own report on Arctic contaminants such as as pesticides, industrial chemicals, and industrial waste products. The report is being presented to members of the Arctic Council, which is composed of United States, Canada, Greenland/Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, and Russia

"An organized, systematic approach is needed," says the report. "As many other Arctic countries have done, the United States should establish a fully funded Arctic contaminants program."

A group of scientists also has released a report tracing the flow of dioxins to the Arctic. It found that most come from the lower 48 states of the US.

"Dioxins from the Lower 48 and Mexico have been 'fingerprinted' in the Arctic, and the Great Lakes region has been greatly affected by POPs in the environment, particularly PCBs," said Lisa Guide. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Management of the Department of Interior.

Native people are increasingly affected by POPs. The pollutants tend to accumulate in the fat of humans and animals, doubling the risk for Alaska Natives who thrive on subsistence hunting and fishing.

"The Department of the Interior has taken a keen interest in this issue because of our responsibility to manage subsistence hunting and fishing on federal lands in Alaska and our trust responsibility toward Alaska Native tribes," said Marilyn Heiman, Special Assistant to the Secretary for Alaska.

"We cannot ignore the warning signs we're seeing in some studies of fish and wildlife. Increased research and monitoring, partnerships and international actions are key to protecting subsistence foods and eliminating these contaminants at the source," she added.

Currently, the United Nations is negotiating the Treaty on Persistent Organic Pollutants. It would ban 12 of the most serious POPs.

Related Stories:
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Scientists trace Arctic pollution to US (Enviro 10/4)
Dioxins are everywhere (Enviro 10/4)

Relevant Links:
Dioxin and Related Compounds, from the Environmental Protection Agency - www.epa.gov/ncea/dioxin.htm