27.01.2022 – 11:38

Helmholtz Center Hanaun

Pollutants in the polar regions

Pollution by pollutants is also increasing in the Arctic and Antarctic. The Federal Environmental Agency (UBA) and the Helmholtz Center here jointly organized a workshop entitled “Action Now – Ancient and Emerging Pollutants in the Polar Regions”. On January 25 and 26, 2022, experts from four continents gathered together. They discuss the potential effects of known and new pollutants that accumulate in snow, ice and living organisms. Environmental experts, members of the European Commission, the Stockholm Convention, the Arctic Council and the Antarctic Conference of Parties, environmental sample banks and data centers discussed the pressing problems caused by pollution in polar regions for the first time. Programs for investigation and assessment of the impacts of pollutants in polar regions should be linked more closely to the activities of environmental sample banks and to fill data gaps.

The increasing accumulation of pollutants in the polar regions requires greater commitment from political and social decision-makers. Due to the diversity of application areas, chemicals are being produced in increasing quantities, some of which end up in the environment and can also have negative effects on people. Today we are also talking about the “Chemical Anthropocene,” an age in which our society, the environment, and human health are greatly affected by chemicals.

A large proportion of the chemicals are very persistent and can reach the North Pole or the Antarctic. Because of the specific characteristics of the polar regions, the low temperatures prevailing there and the extremely slow rates of decomposition, pollutants especially accumulate in the polar regions and can still be detected there after several decades of their use. Science’s mission is to provide scientific data and develop measures for sustainable solutions.

Great team of experts

Experts from America, Asia, Australia and Europe met on January 25-26 for an online workshop entitled “Act Now – Ancient and Emerging Pollutants in the Polar Regions” jointly organized by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) and the Helmholtz Center here. They discussed the potential effects of the so-called “archaic pollutants”, the production and use of which is already prohibited or permitted only in exceptional cases. They also paid particular attention to the large number of new chemicals (“emerging pollutants”), whose behavior and effects in the environment little is known.

Global warming plays an important role. As glaciers melt and permafrost melts, ancient chemicals long banned in the polar regions are released. These can accumulate back up the food chain.

Basis for making decisions

International experts from monitoring programmes, environmental sample banks and chemical databases discussed new research approaches and opportunities for increased collaboration in research and assessment of chemical pollution in the Arctic and Antarctic. Environmental policy issues of chemicals and their impact on polar regions were discussed with representatives of the European Commission and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.

The main outcome of the workshop is recommendations for targeted research activities to clarify pressing issues and to suggest possible future actions to maintain good environmental status in the Arctic and Antarctic. This is also of particular significance to the Antarctic Conference of the Parties that Germany will host in Berlin at the end of May 2022.

Kontakt: Christoph Wöhrle I Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon I Kommunikation und Medien
T: +49 4152 87-1648 I [email protected]  I  www.hereon.de