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Oh Otter, My Otter - Unexpected Carriers of Forever Chemicals:
In an unexpected twist in the narrative of environmental contamination, our furry friends - otters, along with dolphins, porpoises, fish, and birds have been found carrying the notorious "forever chemicals" in their tissues and organs. This revelation comes from a thorough examination of official data.
What are these Forever Chemicals and Why Should We be Concerned:
"Forever chemicals," scientifically known as PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), have earned their ominous name from their near-indestructible nature. This makes them persist in the environment, accumulating and contributing to water and soil pollution. Have you ever wondered how the bread packaging doesn't get soggy after holding your favourite peanut butter sandwich? Or how your non-stick pan lives up to its promise? The credits go to these persistent PFAS. However, the credits come with a debit - some of these robust chemicals have been linked to severe diseases, including various cancers, in both humans and animals.
The Prevalence and Magnitude of the Issue:
Various organisations, including Watershed Investigations and the Marine Conservation Society, discovered PFAS contamination in more than 1,000 animals. It is not just a single type but a range of PFAS, especially PFOS and PFOA, contributing to this widespread contamination. These particular forever chemicals have been studied extensively, found to be exceedingly toxic, and subsequently banned.
However, the ban does not cover the more than 10,000 types of PFAS that still linger in the environment. Our understanding of their toxic effects remains limited.
The Reality of Safe Thresholds:
An environmental quality standard states that no fish should have more than 9 micrograms of PFOS per kilogram in their tissue. It's a way to safeguard top predators and fish-consuming humans from bio-accumulating PFAS in their body. Regrettably, 12% of the fish in the examined data sets exceeded this supposedly safe limit, with some species reaching alarming levels.
The EU is contemplating slashing the threshold to a mere 0.077μg/kg, acknowledging the risk levels. However, even this rigorous threshold would be exceeded by 92% of the sampled fauna if universally applied.
The Role of Major Contributors:
Airport runways, military training centres, and chemical manufacturing sites are some of the leading contributors to the widespread PFAS pollution. Furthermore, lesser-known sources like sewage treatment plants, fire stations, and facilities, metals and paper industries, and waste landfills contribute significantly to the problem. Contaminated sewage sludge spread on farmland has also been identified as a potential risk factor.
Long-Term Impact and the Call for Action:
Despite the ban on some PFAS, experts still harbour grave concerns. With their semi-indestructibility, these chemicals may prove to be our lingering legacy on Earth and pose potential threats similar to the banned PCB story, which, despite a three-decade ban, continues to cause problems. Hence, there is a growing consensus among environmentalists and scientists advocating a total ban on PFAS.
Implementation of tighter regulations on PFAS, a nature restoration levy on chemical companies, and a collective effort to stop PFAS pollution at its source could be crucial steps in addressing this complex issue, making our otters and their likes safe again.
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