Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Mel Jordan & Taylor Park

What are they? ●Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are chemical substances that persist in the environment, bioaccumulate through the food web, and pose a risk of causing adverse effects to human health and the environment ●present in pesticides, crops, food, soil, air, and water ●12 targeted POPs include eight pesticides and two types of industrial chemicals ●goes through the water cycle

Brief History ●During WWII, POPs were broadly used to control insects ●proved beneficial in pest and disease control, crop production, and industry ● Unintentionally produced chemicals that result from some industrial processes and from combustion (for example, municipal and medical waste incineration and backyard burning of trash)

Substances in Depth ●Pesticides: aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, hexachlorobenzene, mirex, toxaphene ●Industrial chemicals: hexachlorobenzene, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) ●By-products: hexachlorobenzene; polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDF), and PCBs ●Main 12 recognized, “Initial POPs” ●There are 9 more later recognized by the Stockholm Convention, but these 12 most known ●Are very often chlorinated, with benzene rings ●This makes them very stable and not water- soluble ●Therefore, they take longer periods to break down

How are they harmful? ●People are mainly exposed to POPs through contaminated food ●high bioaccumulation potential ●travels through water ●extremely toxic (pesticides) ●persistent in the environment, resisting biodegradation ●can cause reduced reproductive success, birth defects, behavioral changes, & death ●can be passed from Mother to fetus

How do they travel? ●Travels through bodies of water ●Can be present in the water cycle ●Are semi-volatile, travel easily

What are some solutions? ●The production and use of many POPs is already halted in many places ●There is no set protocol to remove the chemicals from the environment except prevention of further contamination ●Most plans of action involve stopping manufacture and use, as well as securing stockpiles ●Have to wait for them to degrade ●Not like heavy metal contaminants, cannot be dredged ●Not used any more in developed countries but can still be present due to heavy usage in the 1960’s era

The Stockholm Convention on POPs ●The Stockholm Convention (arose in 2004) bans use of the main POPs ●Participating countries agree to phase out manufacture and use of POPs as pesticides ●They also agree to work to prevent accidental industrial production ●Countries are also expected to ensure stockpiles of chemicals are secure and not a contamination risk ●172 participating countries when formed The 179 participating countries as of 2012

Other Notable Actions ●The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, as well as the Toxic Substances Control Act and the Clean Air and Water Acts stopped production and use of the 12 main contaminants in the 1970’s-80’s ●The U.S. is not participating the Stockholm Convention, but has an agreement with Canada to protect the Great Lakes ●An agreement with Canada and Mexico, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, led to regional plans of action in North America

Sources: agreements/the-stockholm-convention/facts-and-figures/what-are-persistent-organic-pollutants-pops.html http