Save the report to your computer (6.7 Mb PDF) Read the full report on-line, section by section (PDF) Order a paper copy or CD

Highlights of the Canadian Arctic Contaminants Assessment Report II

Executive Summary and Recommendations

The Highlights of the Canadian Arctic Contaminants Assessment Report (CACAR) – Phase II report is part of a series of reports that summarize the work carried out since 1997 during Phase II of the Northern Contaminants Program (NCP). This report conveys in plain language the main results of the technical reports, keeping a readership of northerners specifically in mind.

The aim of the NCP is to work towards reducing and, where possible, eliminating contaminants in traditional/country foods, while providing information that assists individuals and communities in making informed decisions about their food use. During Phase II, emphasis was placed on continuing research on the health benefits and risks of consuming traditional/country foods; developing effective community communication; and continuing work on international agreements to control contaminants. The traditional knowledge of the northern Aboriginal peoples also became increasingly important during Phase II.

Contaminants and the Physical Environment
Contaminants in Fish and Wildlife
Contaminants and Human Health
Education, Training, Capacity Building and Communication
Action at the National and International Levels
Summary of Recommendations
 

Contaminants and the Physical Environment

The three main categories of contaminants studied through the ncp are heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and radionuclides. Most of these contaminants arrive in the North on air and ocean currents from southern agricultural and industrial sources. Contaminants are found in northern waters, soils, sediments, snow, rain, ice and in the air. The main reason for studying contaminants in the physical environment is to determine their sources, main transport mechanisms and pathways into the biological environment. Levels are quite low, but these contaminants can bioaccumulate and biomagnify in the food web, eventually to reach levels of concern in people. Research into contaminants in the physical environment, in particular sources of contaminants, is also useful for work to restrict their use through international agreements. Follow-up research can tell us whether these agreements are proving effective at reducing contaminant levels in the North.

Contaminants in the northern atmosphere
In general, the Canadian northern atmosphere contains lower levels of POPs and heavy metals than those found over most other circumpolar countries. Levels of most contaminants are declining slowly right across the circumpolar Arctic. However, it is still too early to tell whether mercury levels are increasing or decreasing. The main sources of heavy metals in the air over northern Canada are thought to vary seasonally with these sources being: the Canadian Arctic islands and western Greenland (fall); western and northwest Europe (late fall and winter); and Asia and Russia (late spring and summer).

Levels of mercury in the northern Canadian atmosphere suddenly drop in the spring when the sun reappears after the long polar night. This phenomenon is also now being observed at other locations in the circumpolar Arctic. Mercury is deposited from the atmosphere onto the snow surface during what is called a mercury depletion event (MDE) and may be an important route for mercury to enter the food web.

Most POPs are declining in the Canadian northern atmosphere, with the exception of dieldrin and endosulfan. Decreases in the hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and toxaphene are undoubtedly a result of international controls on their use. Lindane is expected to continue to be transported northward for some years from residues in Canada, France and China. Some pesticides are thought to be carried to western North America, including Yukon, from Asia during the winter.

Several new contaminants not previously studied under the ncp are now being found in the Canadian northern atmosphere but it is still too early to tell whether levels are increasing. These include the brominated flame retardants, chlorinated paraffins and chlorinated phenols. The flame retardants are widely used and may be of concern in the future as they easily enter the food web. More research is required in this area.

Contaminants in lake sediments
Mercury levels appear to be increasing in lake sediments in Nunavut south of 80¾ N and possibly in other areas as well. These increases may be because more mercury is being transported from the south, or possibly because of climate change as mercury is released into the environment from melting permafrost and along with organic matter entering lakes and rivers. At virtually all Yukon sites (with the exception of Hanson Lake), levels of most POPs have been declining over the past 20 years.

Contaminants in the marine environment
In marine waters, HCHs are the most common contaminants, followed by PCBs. HCH levels are higher in the Canadian Arctic islands compared to other parts of the Arctic Ocean and most alpha-HCH is now arriving through the Bering Strait in seawater instead of through the atmosphere as in the past. Beta-HCH, which may be more toxic for animals and humans, travels to the Arctic primarily in ocean currents and levels are highest in the Bering-Chukchi region. Lindane and endosulfan are the only modern pesticides found in the Arctic Ocean.

Low levels of the new POPs such as the brominated flame retardants and chlorinated paraffins are now being detected in marine sediments.

Very few radionuclides being released from European nuclear plants are reaching the Canadian Arctic Ocean.

Climate change and contaminants
Climate change is now modifying atmospheric and ocean currents and more contaminants may reach the Canadian North than before. Levels of mercury and other heavy metals are expected to increase in the Canadian Arctic Ocean. The strength and location of the mercury depletion events may change. Levels of some POPs may also increase. More radionuclides may also reach the Canadian North in ocean currents. Contaminants will likely bioaccumulate and biomagnify in ways not yet understood. This may have implications in the future for the health of animals, and for the levels of contaminants in traditional/country foods.

<< Top of page >>

Contaminants in Fish and Wildlife

Ringed seals
There is no evidence as yet of a general increase in mercury or other heavy metal levels in fish and wildlife. However, increases in mercury and cadmium are being observed in some marine mammal populations, generally near the mouths of large rivers, and in some seabirds.

Mercury levels are staying about the same in the livers and kidneys of most ringed seal populations, but are rising in others for reasons that are not yet clear. Similar patterns are found for cadmium levels. Though there are no consumption guidelines for seal meat, many of the mercury levels in ringed seal kidneys and livers are higher than the guidelines set for fish consumption.

In contrast to mercury, levels of POPs in the blubber of ringed seals are similar across the Canadian North, though they are declining in some locations. PCB levels have dropped up to 60% from 1975 levels and DDT levels have also dropped. Computer models predict that levels of both PCBs and DDT will drop even further by 2010. However, alpha-HCH levels have increased. Blubber from Canadian ringed seals contains more POPs than seals from Alaska; however, seals from Europe and northeast Greenland have even higher levels.

Beluga whales
It has been known since the 1980s that mercury levels in beluga organs may be cause for concern, both for the whales and to consumers. However, much of the mercury is converted to a less toxic form in the organs. Over the last 15–20 years, mercury levels have increased four times in the livers of belugas from the Beaufort coast and 10 times or more in belugas from western Hudson Bay.

The levels of some POPs in beluga whales are decreasing (e.g., PCBs, dieldrin), while levels of others are staying the same (e.g., DDT, toxaphene), or increasing (e.g., chlordane, endosulfan).

New POPs are being detected and are rising in ringed seal, beluga and narwhal blubber. For example, levels of the fire retardant polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDES), while not currently of concern, are now nine times higher in seal blubber from Holman (Uluqsaqtuuq) than they were in 1981. These contaminants should be monitored, as they may become of concern in the future.

Walrus
Levels of mercury and other heavy metals are staying about the same in walrus but PCB and DDT levels may be decreasing. Animals from east Hudson Bay and the Foxe Basin contain similar levels of POPs. Canadian walrus generally have similar levels of POPs to those found in walrus in other countries.

Polar bears
Scientists are more concerned about the effects of POPs on polar bears than any other wildlife species. Polar bears are particularly vulnerable to bioaccumulating POPs from eating seal blubber, and they can also biotransform many POPs into more toxic forms. For example, PCBs are known to cause problems with both vitamin A levels and the thyroid hormone in polar bears. This concern remains even though levels of HCHs, DDT and PCBs are decreasing in the fat of polar bears from Hudson Bay. Levels of other POPs appear to be staying at about the same levels.

Arctic foxes
Arctic foxes feed at various levels in the food web but this does not appear to affect their levels of POPs. Most levels are quite low and, overall, Canadian foxes contain lower levels of POPs than Arctic foxes from Svalbard, the Norwegian mainland or Iceland.

Invertebrates and marine fish
Invertebrates such as clams and mussels contain variable but low levels of heavy metals. Levels of POPs are also very low.

Marine Arctic char contain only very low levels of mercury, and virtually undetectable levels of cadmium and lead. POPs levels are also very low. Arctic cod contain levels of mercury and POPs similar to Arctic char. In contrast, Greenland sharks are thought to bioaccumulate and biomagnify contaminants much more than other marine fish. Levels of mercury are more than 10 times the levels found in other fish, though they are still much lower than those found in marine mammal livers. The levels of some POPs are similar to those found in polar bears and other predators at the top of the food web. DDT levels are the highest found in any northern Canadian animal.

Seabirds
Mercury levels have been increasing in Arctic seabirds, but they transform much of this mercury into non-toxic forms. Mercury levels have almost doubled in the eggs of thick-billed murres since 1975, and have increased in northern fulmars by 50%. The higher levels are found in predatory birds such as glaucous gulls, while lower levels are found in non-predatory species such as dovekies. Mercury levels in long-tailed ducks vary greatly from place to place.

In contrast to mercury, the levels of most POPs, especially PCBs and DDT, are decreasing in the eggs of seabirds. However, HCHs are increasing in many birds, possibly because more HCHs are now reaching the Arctic through the Bering Strait rather than through the atmosphere. Birds that migrate south, such as the black-legged kittiwake, have higher levels of selenium which is picked up from southern regions. Non-migrating birds such as black guillemots tend to pick up more mercury, which is then passed on to their eggs. Black guillemots in some locations, however, are exposed to high levels of PCBs which may be affecting their health.

Many of the new POPs are also being detected at low levels in seabirds. These levels, however, are increasing.

Land mammals
Two large monitoring programs during Phase II of the NCP measured heavy metals and POPs in land mammals, including 15 caribou herds, moose, bison and mule deer across the Northwest Territories and Yukon. Wolves, wolverines, beaver and muskrat were also studied. Levels of various POPs, heavy metals and radionuclides are quite low in land mammals. The only potential concern is the fairly high levels of cadmium found in the kidneys and livers of Yukon caribou. These cadmium levels, however, are not thought to have changed over thousands of years, and come mostly from natural sources.

Freshwater fish
In contrast to land mammals, levels of mercury are increasing in the organs of some freshwater fish in certain lakes, but there is much variation from lake to lake.

Mercury levels have increased in the livers of loche (burbot) from the Mackenzie River (Dehcho), in some locations by more than 35% since 1985. In some cases mercury levels are above the subsistence consumption level, but all are below the guideline for commercial sale. In other locations, mercury levels are rising and, while not of concern for consumption, should continue to be monitored.

Loche (burbot) from Yukon lakes do not contain high levels of POPs with the exception of Lake Laberge, where toxaphene levels in livers continue to be high. As with other animals in the North, the new brominated flame retardants are being found in loche (burbot). Levels are very low but are increasing with time and should continue to be monitored.

Land-locked Arctic char from Nunavik and Labrador generally contain only low levels of mercury and POPs. In contrast, some land-locked Arctic char from Resolute Lake on Cornwallis Island contain mercury levels above the guideline for subsistence consumption, though below the commercial guideline. These higher levels may have resulted from some Arctic char becoming predatory. Levels of POPs are low and not considered to be of concern for human health.

In the Mackenzie River (Dehcho) Basin and in Nunavut, predatory fish such as lake trout, jackfish (northern pike) and pickerel (walleye) generally contain levels of mercury above both the subsistence and commercial guidelines. In contrast, non-predatory fish such as whitefish generally contain much lower levels. Freshwater fish from Great Slave Lake (Tucho) and Great Bear Lake (Sahtú) contain some of the lowest levels of mercury found in the Canadian North. Levels of POPs are low in all these fish, even in predatory fish, and are not of concern.

Waterfowl and game birds
High levels of cadmium and mercury are being found in the livers and kidneys of eider ducks. Cadmium levels in the kidneys of king eider ducks from the East Bay Migratory Bird Sanctuary on Southampton Island were some of the highest ever measured in eiders and more than four times the levels measured in European eiders. Common eiders have much lower levels of cadmium, but age may be a factor as the common eider samples may have come from younger birds. The cadmium in Canadian eiders is thought to come from local underlying rocks.

Similar to the patterns of cadmium, common eiders contain lower levels of mercury compared to king eiders. This is thought to be caused by differences in diet. Common and king eiders both eat mussels, but king eiders also consume bottom-dwelling invertebrates which may contain higher levels of contaminants.

Plants
Plants in northern Canada contain only low levels of POPs and heavy metals. However, some plants near local contaminant sources (e.g., gold mines) may contain higher levels of certain contaminants such as arsenic. This has led to advisories being issued on the consumption of berries in these areas.

<< Top of page >>

Contaminants and Human Health

Dietary patterns
A major dietary survey carried out during Phase II looked at how much traditional/country food (and market food) people consume, and the nutritional value of these foods. On the days when people eat traditional/country food, the diet generally contains less sugar, more of the healthy types of fat, more vitamin E, more iron and more zinc. Overall, a traditional/country food diet is healthier than a typical northern market food diet. More traditional/country food is eaten in remote communities than in urban areas. People over 40 years old tend to eat more traditional/country foods than younger people, and men consume more than women. Moose, caribou and whitefish are eaten most often among Yukon First Nations, Dene and Métis; caribou and Arctic char most frequently among Inuit in Inuvialuit, Kitikmeot and Kivalliq; caribou, Arctic char and ringed seal most often among Inuit in Baffin; and caribou and trout most often among Inuit in Labrador.

Benefits of traditional/country foods
Many traditional/country foods help people fight illness, injury and disease better than the popular market foods and provide the necessary dietary intake of most vitamins, essential elements and minerals. Harvesting traditional/country food is physically demanding and helps people stay fit. There are significant social, cultural and spiritual benefits to harvesting, preparing, sharing and consuming these foods. Individuals feel they are part of the group and have their sense of culture reinforced. Young people learn skills necessary for living off the land, and develop qualities such as responsibility, patience and respect. There are also clear economic reasons which support continued and extensive use of traditional/country foods. It is almost always cheaper than market food and is an economic necessity for many northerners. Most Inuit, Yukon First Nations, Dene and Métis state that they would not be able to feed their families relying only on market food.

Most of the market foods consumed in Aboriginal communities do not provide adequate nutrition. On the days that people do not eat traditional/country food, they consume more sugar, unhealthy fats and carbohydrates than usual. More Aboriginal northerners than before are becoming overweight and developing “western-style” problems such as diabetes and heart disease. In Baffin region, 40% of women over 40 years of age may develop health problems because they are too heavy. For women under 40, and men over 40 years of age, 20% may develop health problems.

Contaminant exposure
In most Kivalliq and Baffin communities, more than 1z4 of the population is taking in levels of mercury above the level known to be safe (the tolerable daily intake or TDI level). In Kivalliq, most of the mercury comes from consuming caribou meat, beluga muktuk and lake trout muscle. In Baffin, most comes from eating ringed seal meat, narwhal muktuk and caribou meat.

The levels of mercury in mothers’ blood, hair, or umbilical cord blood follow a somewhat similar pattern to intake levels. Ten percent of mothers in Baffin region and 16% of Nunavik mothers have mercury blood levels that fall within Health Canada’s “increasing risk” category. Nearly 80% of Nunavik mothers and 68% of Baffin mothers have mercury blood levels that exceed a new guideline based on United States studies. Mercury levels in Yukon First Nations, Dene, Métis, and Inuit from Kivalliq and Kitikmeot regions are much lower and fall within Health Canada’s “acceptable” range.

Inuit in Greenland and people from the Faroe Islands contain higher levels of mercury than Inuit in northern Canada. Inuit in Greenland eat more marine mammals compared to Inuit in Canada and this is likely the reason for the difference in levels. Lead levels are elevated in some Dene and Métis mothers as well as in Inuit mothers. The use of lead shot for hunting is the probable reason. Cadmium levels are elevated in some Inuit, Dene and Métis mothers. Most cadmium comes from smoking cigarettes.

While intake levels of many POPs are below the TDIs, people from the Inuvialuit, Kitikmeot, Kivalliq and Baffin regions are taking in levels of chlordane and toxaphene that are on average higher than the TDIs. In some communities in the Baffin and Kivalliq regions, 25–50% of residents take in more chlordane and toxaphene than the TDIs. Intakes of PCBs are also higher than the TDI in Baffin region. The consumption of marine mammal blubber and muktuk is thought to be the reason.

Levels of chlordane, toxaphene and PCBs in the blood, hair and umbilical cord of mothers follow a similar pattern to intake levels. Levels of PCBs are elevated in the blood of mothers in Baffin, Kivalliq and Nunavik. Nearly 1z2 of the mothers have levels above the “level of concern”. Levels of PCBs are not thought to be of concern for Dene or Métis mothers.

Mothers from Nunavik have PCB blood levels similar to levels in mothers from the Netherlands. Levels are 2–3 times higher in mothers from Greenland compared to Canadian Inuit, likely because Greenland Inuit eat more marine mammals. People from the Faroe Islands also have blood levels 2–3 times that of Canadian Inuit.

Northerners are exposed to higher levels of radio-nuclides compared to people who live in the south. These radionuclides occur naturally and for thousands of years have been reaching humans at approximately the same levels through the lichen → caribou ← human food web. No significant health risks have been associated with radionuclides in northerners to date.

Effects of contaminants on health
There have been few studies of the effects of mercury and other contaminants on the health of Canadian northerners. A study is now being conducted in Nunavik which should soon provide useful information on effects and risks, particularly for those groups most vulnerable to contaminants: women of child-bearing age, pregnant women, the fetus and children.

International research results presented in the Arctic Assessment and Monitoring Programme’s report “Arctic Pollution 2002” confirm that breastfeeding should continue and that the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the currently known risks. There are substantial benefits to both mother and child from breastfeeding, even though breast milk can contain most of the POPs found in the Canadian North.

While research in the Faroe Islands shows that low levels of mercury may lead to slightly slower development in children, other studies elsewhere in the world do not show any health problems related to low levels of mercury. There is early evidence based on animal research that vitamin E, and a combination of vitamin E and selenium may provide some protection against mercury. Certain fatty acids and fish protein may also help reduce the effects of methylmercury.

Very little is known as yet about the effects of chlordane and toxaphene on the health of northerners but some information is available about the effects of PCBs and DDT. In Nunavik, mothers having elevated levels of PCBs in their blood gave birth to slightly smaller infants. These infants may possibly have difficulty fighting infections and disease. DDT in breast milk may also be causing more infections in infants and children. Vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids found in many traditional/country foods may help protect people from the effects of contaminants such as PCBs.

Benefit-risk communication
The Aboriginal Partners and territorial health departments have taken the lead in providing benefit-risk information and advice to northerners. Both sides of the issue must be considered, including the type and amount of food consumed and the social, cultural, nutritional, economic and spiritual benefits of these foods. Management decisions are taken together with the communities affected. The benefits of continued consumption of traditional/country foods are currently considered to outweigh the known risks.

<< Top of page >>

Education, Training, Capacity Building and Communication

The NCP recognizes that any information northerners receive about contaminants in traditional/country foods may significantly affect their diet, economy and way of life. Therefore, the program invests considerable time and resources into education, training, capacity building and communication.

Specific initiatives undertaken during Phase II of the NCP include the development of educational materials for use in school curricula, Regional Contaminants Coordinators (RCCs), frontline training courses, community tours, and Elder-scientist retreats. One-on-one communications and small groups have proven effective. The lessons learned from experience are invaluable in the ongoing delivery and exchange with northern residents on contaminant issues. However, more formal evaluation of these activities and their outcomes is needed.

Materials for school curricula
Education materials for school curricula were initially developed by the Metis Nation–NWT, together with teachers, school boards, and the Government of the Northwest Territories Department of Education. Materials were also developed in Yukon, using the Metis Nation–NWT model, but adapted to reflect the regional situation. School children were also involved.

Regional Contaminants Coordinators
With the support of the Aboriginal Partners, RCCs act as community and regional coordinators for some research activities, and as communicators and program representatives at the community level. Positions were created in regions where there are human safety concerns relating to contaminants, and as the RCCs are often local residents, they have been able to forge relationships of trust with their communities. Because the RCC positions are successful in providing experience and supporting interest in contaminant issues, many RCCs have been able to move on to positions of greater responsibility, or to higher education.

Frontline training courses
Frontline workers in northern communities, including renewable resources officers, health workers, and Elders among others, are the people most likely turned to locally for information and advice. During Phase II of the NCP, six training courses on contaminants were provided to over 100 frontline workers in Labrador, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. Materials were developed by the Metis Nation–NWT, which also helped to run the courses. These courses have greatly increased the awareness of contaminants issues at the grassroots level.

Community tours
Community tours about contaminants were taken to nearly 50 communities in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. A team of experts composed of an Aboriginal Partner, a health expert, a scientist, and an RCC presented information to community members. The community tours have had considerable success, with the crucial factor being the people involved.

Elder-scientist retreats
Retreats that bring Elders and scientists together were developed by the Dene Nation as a way for Elders and scientists to gain a better understanding of one another and to improve two-way communication. The retreats also provided scientists with an opportunity to learn more about traditional knowledge (TK). Four Elder-scientist retreats were carried out during Phase II of the program.

While informal experience-based evaluation has been ongoing, sometimes important points can be missed. Another area that needs to be evaluated is the effect that the information communicated has on people.

<< Top of page >>

Action at the National and International Levels

The NCP has led Canada to produce world-class science on the past and current sources of metals and POPs, and in predicting their movement through the atmosphere. The results of NCP studies have provided the basis for policy decisions and action in Canada and on the international stage. Canadian northern Aboriginal organizations have played a key role over the years, especially at the international level.

Domestic action
Children are particularly vulnerable to a wide range of environmental contaminants. Results and data from NCP studies on contaminants and their effects on the developing fetus, infants and preschool children has helped set the federal agenda on children’s health. The federal government now gives special attention to the ways in which northern Aboriginal children are exposed to contaminants, and to the levels and effects of these contaminants on their health. The NCP continues to provide direct input and direction to both the federal and NAFTA initiatives. NCP research played a significant role in the development of the domestic voluntary agreement to stop using lindane.

International action
International agreements to control emissions are recognized as the only long-term solution to the problem of contaminants in the Arctic. It has taken less than 15 years – light-speed for international diplomacy – to move from initial research that identified a POPs-related problem in the Canadian North to global action that addresses the issue. The NCP produced persuasive evidence that certain contaminants which originate from outside Canada are accumulating in the traditional foods and in the tissues of some northern people at levels which are of concern to health authorities. This information strongly influenced international agreements, concluded in 1998 and 2001, to significantly reduce emissions of key heavy metals and POPs to the environment.

Long-range Transboundary Atmospheric Pollution Convention Protocols
NCP research results contributed to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Long-range Transboundary Atmospheric Pollution (UN/ECE LRTAP) Convention Protocols which address heavy metals and 16 POPs, all of which are of concern in the Canadian North. The objective of the POPs Protocol is to control, reduce, or eliminate discharges, emissions and losses of these 16 POPs, and it makes special reference to the distinct concerns of Arctic and Indigenous peoples. The (UN/ECE LRTAP) Convention Protocols were signed by 36 countries in June 1998. As of October 2002, the POPs Protocol had been ratified by 13 countries, as had the Heavy Metals Protocol. Canada ratified both protocols in December 1998.

The Stockholm Convention
The NCP data also contributed significantly to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Global POPs Convention (Stockholm Convention) which aims to: eliminate or severely control the production and use of 12 POPs; ensure environmentally sound POPs waste disposal; and prevent new chemicals with POPs-like characteristics from emerging. This convention also specifically acknowledges the special situation and risks faced by the North and Aboriginal peoples. The (UNEP) Global POPs Convention became available for signing in May 2001 in Stockholm, Sweden. Canada was the first country to ratify the convention. As of October 2002, over 150 countries had signed the POPs Convention and 22 countries had ratified it.

Canadian Arctic Indigenous Peoples against POPs (CAIPAP)
The Canadian Arctic Indigenous Peoples against POPs (CAIPAP) group was formed in 1997 to influence Canada’s position in the UN/ECE LRTAP and UNEP Global POPs negotiations. The NCP Aboriginal Partners formed the members of (CAIPAP). CAIPAP participated actively and very successfully in the global POPs negotiations, due in part to the support of the ncp.

Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP)
The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) of the Arctic Council draws heavily on NCP research results. In addition, an Aboriginal Partner to the NCP, the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, together with the Gwich’in Council International and Arctic Athabaskan Council, helps develop policy recommendations for AMAP, many of which are based on NCP experience.

The NCP model is now well-known and being copied in the circumpolar Arctic. Aboriginal peoples in northern Canada also view the NCP as a model for other research and monitoring programs to address issues such as climate change and biodiversity conservation. The success of the NCP was also recognized in the 1999 Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development and in an independent evaluation conducted in 2002.

<< Top of page >>

Summary of Recommendations

Contaminants and the Physical Environment

• it is important to monitor the levels of the new POPs in the physical environment, e.g., brominated flame retardants, chlorinated paraffins and chlorinated phenols
• continued research on the properties of contaminants will help identify which are more likely to travel to the Canadian North from southern sources
• older POPs should continue to be monitored in the atmosphere, as there is not enough data as yet to determine long-term trends
• air monitoring and modelling need to continue to increase understanding of the sources, routes and levels of contaminants coming to the Yukon from Asia
• more work is needed on the routes taken by heavy metals (especially mercury) to the Canadian North
• continued research is required to assess the importance and nature of mercury depletion events
• studies on levels of contaminants in lake water and sediments should continue as these are very sensitive to changes in inputs from the atmosphere, runoff and rivers
• research is needed to increase understanding of the importance of microbes in removing contaminants from the physical environment
• POPs in seawater should continue to be monitored, as ocean currents are now recognized as being more important transport routes than previously thought
• the role of sea ice in moving contaminants from one part of the environment to another needs to be better understood – this is particularly important given climate change may change sea ice patterns
• research using radionuclides to “trace” ocean currents may provide information on the routes used by contaminants in seawater to reach the Arctic
• more research on the properties of contaminants will provide useful information on what is likely to happen to them once they reach the Canadian North
• although snow is known to be important for bringing contaminants to the surface, more needs to be understood about how this happens, and what happens to the contaminants once they reach the surface
• climate change is expected to have a profound effect on the Canadian North and more research is needed to increase understanding of the effects of climate change on contaminants
• studies are needed on how melting permafrost will affect the flow of contaminants
• it is important to look closely at the links between human behaviour worldwide (e.g., energy consumption, and international policies), and contaminants in northern Canada

Contaminants and Plants, Fish and Wildlife

• monitoring of contaminants now subject to international controls should continue in animals, to study the effectiveness of these controls
• the new POPs should continue to be monitored in a variety of animals including freshwater fish and marine mammals
• large variations in mercury levels in seals cannot yet be explained and should be studied further
• the potential effects of PCBs on polar bears may be serious and need to be considered further
• mercury and other metals should continue to be monitored in fish and wildlife as levels appear to be increasing in some populations and locations, but decreasing in others — these differences are not well understood
• much existing POPs data should be analyzed and interpreted to gain a better understanding of POPs and trends in freshwater fish
• research is needed to assess the levels of PCBs in black guillemots across northern Canada as even low levels are thought to cause effects
• the biological effects of contaminants on animals remain a gap in knowledge – more research is needed on what levels of contaminants (including the new POPs and toxic forms of PCBs) will cause effects for northern species
• the movement and effects of contaminants in northern ecosystems and in food webs has not been well studied – the behaviour of the new contaminants is not well understood, and the ability of contaminants to biomagnify, bioaccumulate and transform into other forms is also an area needing further research
• climate change should be a priority area for future work since climate change may result in higher levels of some contaminants in animals
• archives of samples of animals and plants are extremely valuable and should continue to be supported
• quality assurance monitoring programs should also continue for laboratories involved in
  analyzing samples
• greater analysis of data and publication in peer-reviewed journals is also encouraged
• the health of plants, fish and wildlife near sources of local contaminants (e.g., harbours and military sites) should be assessed, as these local sources are of considerable concern to the northern peoples

Contaminants and Human Health

• more research is needed on the health consequences of not consuming traditional/country foods
• the risks of taking in higher levels of mercury need to be studied further, especially in Baffin and Nunavik regions
• regular monitoring of contaminants in humans, especially mercury and various POPs (e.g., PCBs, chlordane and toxaphene), should continue to get a better idea of whether levels are increasing or decreasing
• it is important to continue monitoring the consumption patterns of traditional/country foods in those communities consuming the most traditional/country food containing contaminants
• levels of mercury, chlordane, toxaphene, PCBs and other POPs in northern populations should also continue to be monitored to provide a better picture of intake levels, regional variations and trends
• more human health research should focus on the toxic effects of contaminants on northern peoples, and if and how contaminants are related to health problems
• a controlled human study of the effects of various nutrients such as certain fatty acids, selenium and vitamin E on methylmercury would be useful to confirm the results of animal experiments
• NCP research relating to human health should be published in the peer-reviewed literature and evaluated to see how it affects the present provisional tolerable daily intake (tdi)
• more research is needed on how various types of toxaphene bioaccumulate and behave in animals including people, to shed light on the potential effects of toxaphene and to assess safe intake levels
• more research is needed on how the levels and effects of chlordane on animals can be related to effects in people
• new ways to predict health effects should be explored in the ongoing Nunavik study as well as in other studies elsewhere in the circumpolar Arctic
• more work is needed on the effects of mixtures of POPs on human health, especially on the fetus, infants and children
• conduct further research on the perceptions and understanding of risk among different northern groups (e.g., women of child-bearing age) to better tailor benefit-risk messages and communicate risk management options
• written benefit-risk materials should take into account different dialects
  

Education, Training, Capacity Building and Communication

• maintain the focus and direction of contaminants-related research and activities through the use of strategic “blueprints” that are reviewed and revised annually
• maintain the integrity of the review process for project funding so that northern research continues to meet high scientific standards as well as criteria for social and cultural considerations
• continue to address the contaminants issue through a multidisciplinary, ecosystem-based and partnership management approach
• continue to develop and strengthen partnerships with northern Aboriginal peoples at the regional, territorial and national levels to enhance the capacity development and meaningful involvement initiated by the NCP
• conduct a formal evaluation of the new NCP consultation process and adapt the process as appropriate
• continue to promote and support responsible research through the use and application of guidelines and requirements for consultation, as established under the NCP
• develop and implement a more formal process to identify and incorporate community concerns in research projects on contaminants and health
• continue to address local contaminants issues through regionally managed funds such as Local Contaminants Concerns
• develop practical guidelines on incorporating traditional knowledge in northern contaminants and health research
• evaluate current approaches used to deliver health advice and advisories regarding their impact on how individuals make decisions about their food use
• continue to support ongoing open communication with communities on contaminants and related environmental health issues using a variety of methods
• develop a dictionary or guide for translators on these issues in northern Aboriginal languages
• assess the feasibility of using new information technologies in the North and exploit them where appropriate in future activities
• revise NCP educational material to make it more compatible with existing curricula and useful for teachers and students; provide in-service training for teachers to introduce them to the material, and make it more widely available in print and digital format
• strengthen communications activities for youth about these issues as they are the decision makers of tomorrow in northern communities and regions
• evaluate the effectiveness of specific communication activities under the NCP to improve understanding about contaminants issues in northern communities, and build capacity and communication networks
  

Action at the National and International Levels

• ensure effective support for national and international policy and implementation activities related to contaminants of concern in Canada’s North
• support the role of northern Aboriginal peoples in international negotiations and initiatives aimed at ensuring the safety of their traditional/country foods

<< Top of page >>

Back to index page