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Figure 4 Blomstrand Peninsula in Svalbard
Svalbardkommisjonæren 1927, Utmålskart, blad 2
London
The map on the left is from 1927 and shows the whole of the Blomstrand Peninsula covered by a glacier. The map on the right shows the glacier snout as it was in 1998. The Peninsula has now melted
completely out of the glacier and proved to be an island.
Illustration: Norwegian Polar Institute.
5.2 Pollution and monitoring in the Arctic
Pollution in the Arctic has been one of the most important ields of work in the Arctic Council since the Council was created in 1996, and was a continuation of the Arctic
Environmental Protection Strategy from 1991.
164
Over the years, the Arctic Council has developed several reports on environmental toxins in the Arctic, a topic which is
discussed in Section 5.2.3. The Arctic contains all common main groups of pollutants, such as persistent organic
pollutants
165
such as pesticides, industrial chemicals and by-products from industry and combustion, heavy metals such as mercury, lead and cadmium and radioactive
substances. This type of pollution is not very degradable. The substances can accumulate in living
organisms and are toxic and can cause adverse health efects .
The Arctic is basically a very clean area. There are few local sources of pollution in Svalbard and the Arctic in
general. The contamination that is detected there is transported over long distances by winds and ocean currents, and is derived from human activities and industrial
operations in more densely populated areas and from the industrialised world.
166
164 The Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy AEPS was formally established by the Rovaniemi Declaration in 1991. The purpose of the AEPS was to have a collaborative forum to discuss and collaborate on the Arctic environment, and all eight
of the Arctic states were part of this. 165 The English term POP persistent organic pollutant is also used in Norwegian.
166 There are several reports about this including AMAP studies. Information on the topic also came up in the interview with AMAP on 13 June 2013.
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Figure 5 Air and ocean currents carry environmental toxins to the High North
Blue arrows: Arctic waters. Red arrows: Atlantic waters. Green arrows: Coastal waters
Source: NILU and the Institute of Marine Research.
Photo of normal conditions and long-range polluted air at Zeppelin research station in Svalbard. Right: Result of stubble burning in agriculture in Eastern Europe, mainly in Russia.
Photo: Norwegian Institute for Air Research
5.2.1 Environmental toxins and heavy metals in the Norwegian Arctic, and monitoring of them
According to Miljøstatus.no
167
Svalbard is globally considered to be one of the clea- nest areas on the planet. The Norwegian Polar Institute pointed out that international
regulations and bans on selected pollutants produced good results. However, the Norwegian Environment Agency
168
, Norwegian Polar Institute and AMAP
169
pointed out that ever more new chemicals are being produced and used, and that it is therefore
167 Miljøstatus.no was developed by the environmental agencies at the request of the Ministry of the Environment. The website contains the latest information about the state of the environment and development, and is regularly updated.
168 The Norwegian Environment Agency in cooperation with the Norwegian Food Safety Authority and the Norwegian Foundation for Environmental Labelling. Er det farlig? – om farlige stoffer i forbrukerprodukter. Is it harmful? – Hazardous substances in
consumer products www.erdetfarlig.no. 169 Interviews on 7 May and 13 June 2013, respectively.
Air currents Ocean currents
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necessary to monitor the development of pollution resulting from new pollutants. In November 2013, a report was published showing that there are high levels of some of
these new contaminants in animals and in human milk.
170
Figure 6 The highest concentrations of environmental toxins are usually at the top of the food chain
Human in the Arctic Polar bear
Ring seal
Cod
Shrimp Plankton
Concentration of environmental toxins in the food chain
The larger the dots, the higher the concentration
Source: Miljøstatus.no
Although there has been positive change in many areas, the Norwegian Polar Institute also noted that contamination from pollutants in the air and animals varies in scope
and development. Some of this development in Svalbard is shown in Figure 7.
Figure 7 shows a pronounced decline in the incidence of the main pollutants HCH, PCBs, chlordanes, DDT and PAHs in Svalbard. Measurements for the pesticide HCB
have not fallen despite the fact that there is an international ban on its use.
170 Chlorinated parafins, see the Norwegian Environment Agency 2013 Perfluorinated alkylated substances, brominated flame retardants and chlorinated paraffins in the Norwegian Environment-Screening 2013. Report M402013.
