[INFORMATIVE] Persistent Organic Pollutants

Persistent Organic Pollutants

By: Regina Sushenko

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are chemicals toxic to humans and wildlife. They are organic substances that remain in the environment for long periods of time and are transferred rather easily from their place of origin via air as well as water. What’s also concerning about POPs is that they can enter the food chain of living organisms which causes it to be passed through wildlife. The health effects of long term exposure to these chemicals include increased risk of cancer, reproductive and immune system issues, increased birth defects, and negative neurobehavioral impacts in people. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also states that it can have negative effects in fish, birds, and other mammals.

POPs were originally used during World War II due to the popularity of synthetic chemical use in more ordinary activities such as pest control. At the time, nobody was expecting them to have such negative health effects. Despite this, some POPs are still in use in the industry due to its benefits in manufacturing such as their longevity. However, as previously mentioned, this longevity also affects the environment and humans. In fact, according to the UN Environment Programme, some decades have banned POPs such as dieldrin, which are still present in our environment at elevated levels which of course isn’t good due to the risks of long term exposure. Dieldrin isn’t the only chemical to worry about. The EPA also calls attention to DDT. DDT is a pesticide used since 1940 due to its cheapness. Through implemented worldwide, the USA used DDT for cotton production and joined with other countries in using it to protect soldiers in the Second World War from insect borne diseases. This led to use of it in tropical environments to address health issues. Due to this wide use, DDT started to heavily accumulate in the world and contaminate animals which caused an entire domino effect. In the US, the bald eagle was especially affected by a version of DDT since it was causing the egg shells of embryos to thin to the point where they were no longer developing.

On top of this, POPs can’t be tracked through materials such as smoke and smog. The EPA wrote that they can easily change matter phases and forms. This means that they can travel via attachment to particles or animals. They can even come back as precipitation such as rain. This is all concerning since this means that there are multiple different ways for these chemicals to spread and contaminate food chains. Due to the fact there are so many different ways POPs can move, POPs can easily spread and there are many different access points for exposure to them.

Now, clearly there are a lot of problems that come with these pollutants. The question is what is being done? The Stockholm Convention delegates what POPs should be reduced and what POPs should be banned. So far, according to the UN Environment Programme, they have 34 POPs listed and 185 countries who have agreed to follow this which is progress and a hopeful sign of further addressment.


Works Cited
“Persistent Organic Pollutants: A Global Issue, A Global Response.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa.gov/international-cooperation/persistent-organic-pollutants-global-issue-global-response. Accessed 22 Sept. 2024.

“Understanding Pops.” ECHA, echa.europa.eu/understanding-pops. Accessed 22 Sept. 2024.

“Why Do Persistent Organic Pollutants Matter?” UN Environment Programme, www.unep.org/topics/chemicals-and-pollution-action/pollution-and-health/persistent-organic-pollutants-pops/why.