#Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances

[mindblowingscience]

Chemical engineers at the University of British Columbia have developed a new treatment that traps and treats PFAS substances—widely known as "forever chemicals"—in a single, integrated system. The research appears in Nature Communications Engineering. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used in manufacturing consumer goods like waterproof clothing due to their resistance to heat, water and stains. However, they are also pollutants, often ending up in surface and groundwater worldwide, where they have been linked to cancer, liver damage and other health issues.

Continue Reading.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this New York Times story:

The defense lawyer minced no words as he addressed a room full of plastic-industry executives. Prepare for a wave of lawsuits​ with​ potentially “astronomical” costs​. Speaking at a conference earlier this year, the lawyer, Brian Gross, said the coming litigation could “dwarf anything related to asbestos,” one of the most sprawling corporate-liability battles in United States history.

Mr. Gross was referring to PFAS, the “forever chemicals” that have emerged as one of the major pollution issues of our time. Used for decades in countless everyday objects — cosmetics, takeout containers, frying pans — PFAS have been linked to serious health risks including cancer. Last month the federal government said several types of PFAS must be removed from the drinking water of hundreds of millions of Americans.

“Do what you can, while you can, before you get sued,” Mr. Gross said at the February session, according to a recording of the event made by a participant and examined by The New York Times. “Review any marketing materials or other communications that you’ve had with your customers, with your suppliers, see whether there’s anything in those documents that’s problematic to your defense,” he said. “Weed out people and find the right witness to represent your company.”

A wide swath of the chemicals, plastics and related industries are gearing up to fight a surge in litigation related to PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a class of nearly 15,000 versatile synthetic chemicals linked to serious health problems.

PFAS chemicals have been detected almost everywhere scientists have looked: in drinking water, in rain falling over the Great Lakes, even in Antarctic snow. They are thought to be present in the blood of nearly every American. Researchers have linked exposure to PFAS to testicular and kidney cancers, developmental delays in children, decreased fertility, liver damage and thyroid disease. The man-made chemicals are so long-lasting that scientists haven’t been able to reliably identify how long it might take for them to break down.

PFAS-related lawsuits have already targeted manufacturers in the United States, including DuPont, its spinoff Chemours, and 3M. Last year, 3M agreed to pay at least $10 billion to water utilities across the United States that had sought compensation for cleanup costs. Thirty state attorneys general have also sued PFAS manufacturers, accusing the manufacturers of widespread contamination.

[wikipediapictures]

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances

[elektroskopik]

Tell me you hate food without telling me you hate food

“Since satiety is largely due to stretch of the stomach and people tend to eat a consistent weight of food, increasing food volume and mass increases satiety. This can be achieved without increasing the calories of food by mixing food with a material that cannot be metabolized. Such a material should be inert, safe, resistant to stomach acid, lack taste, available in powder form, smooth, resistant to heat, and cost effective. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is an ideal substance for this purpose. It is a soft plastic that is widely considered to be the most inert material known and is extremely stable.”

[xtruss]

Research Reveals Toxic PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Accumulate In Testes

Study Suggests Exposure to Chemicals Manufactured to Resist Water and Heat Likely to Affect Health of Offspring

— Tom Perkins | Saturday 22 June 2024

The Toxic Chemicals Can Damage Sperm During a Sensitive Developmental Period, Researchers Found. Photograph: Mads Nissen/Panos Pictures

New research has found for the first time that PFAS “Forever Chemicals” accumulate in the testes, and the exposure probably affects children’s health.

The toxic chemicals can damage sperm during a sensitive developmental period, potentially leading to liver disease and higher cholesterol, especially in male offspring, the paper, which looked at the chemicals in mice, noted.

The research is part of a growing body of work that highlights how paternal exposure to toxic chemicals “can really impact the health, development and future diseases of the next generation”, said Richard Pilsner, a Wayne State University School of Medicine Researcher who co-authored the study.

“We’ve always been concerned with maternal environmental health effects because women gestate the babies … but this research is really saying there is a paternal contribution to offspring health and development,” Pilsner added.

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Most US Sandwich Baggies Contain Toxic PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’, Analysis Says! Testing commissioned by Mamavation blog found high levels of a marker of PFAS in nine of 11 baggies tested. ‘The more we look into PFAS, the more we know there is not a safe level,’ said Maricel Maffini with the Environmental Defense Fund. Photograph: Yongyut Khasawaong/Alamy. Tom Perkins, Thursday 14 March 2024, The Guardian USA

Most of the nation’s plastic sandwich baggies contain toxic PFAS “forever chemicals”, an analysis suggests, raising questions about the products’ safety in the US.

Testing of 11 types of baggies made by major producers showed high levels of a marker of PFAS in nine.

The analysis, conducted by an Environmental Protection Agency-certified lab and commissioned by the Mamavation blog, is the latest to highlight the use of PFAS in the nation’s food packaging.

US Food and Drug Administration rules allow much higher levels of some individual PFAS compounds in plastic than what the testing found, but the FDA is working off “outdated science” and the baggies present a health threat, said Maricel Maffini, a researcher with the Environmental Defense Fund who tracks PFAS in food.

“The more we look into PFAS, the more we know there is not a safe level, and the [FDA’s limits] don’t correspond with the science and knowledge we have of these chemicals,” she said.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a class of about 15,000 chemicals often used to make products resistant to water, stains and heat. They are called “forever chemicals” because they do not naturally break down, and are linked to cancer, liver problems, thyroid issues, birth defects, kidney disease, decreased immunity and other serious health problems.

Contaminated food represents the main exposure route to PFAS, though most regulatory attention has focused on water. The FDA has faced criticism from independent scientists who say it is failing to protect the public from concerning levels of PFAS found in a range of foods.

Packaging is a major source of contamination. PFAS are widely added to packaging to prevent foods from sticking to products or as a grease-proofing agent, and research shows the chemicals can migrate at high levels into food and liquids. PFAS are also used to prevent plastics from sticking to equipment during manufacturing, which is what probably accounts for the chemicals found in the baggies, Maffini said.

Mamavation’s testing showed levels between 9 parts per million (ppm) and 34ppm, while the FDA allows up to 2,000ppm for seven types of PFAS it allows to be used in food-contact plastic. But it is unclear which PFAS were added to the baggies because the test did not look for individual compounds.

The revelation comes just after the EPA found that virtually no level of exposure to some PFAS in drinking water is safe, and a growing body of independent research shows widespread exposure to similar levels in food.

Regulators also have a history of allowing subgroups of PFAS to be added to packaging at high levels, only to later determine the products were poisoning consumers.

Among the brands Mamavation found contained the chemicals are Boulder, Complete Home, Great Value, If You Care, Lunchskins, Meijer, Target and Walgreens.

The only brand that did not show any markers of PFAS was Ziploc. Public health advocates say the best way consumers can protect themselves is to use glass containers instead of plastic.

**********************************************************************************

PFAS are a class of about 16,000 compounds used to make products resist water, stains and heat. They are called “forever chemicals” because they do not naturally break down and have been found to accumulate in humans. The chemicals are linked to cancer, birth defects, liver disease, thyroid disease, plummeting sperm counts and a range of other serious health problems.

PFAS alters sperm DNA methylation, which is a process that turns genes on and off, Pilsner said. The methylation patterns can be inherited at fertilization and influence early-life development as well as offspring health later in life.

The interference can alter genes in a way that affects how the liver produces cholesterol, which can lead to elevated levels. Researchers also found the chemicals affected genes associated with neuro-development, but the study did not check offspring for potential impacts.

Though PFAS most commonly accumulate in the blood and liver, they have been found to accumulate in organs throughout the body, as well as bones. Finding the chemicals in the testes highlights how pervasive the chemicals are in mammals’ bodies, said Michael Petriello, a Wayne State researcher and co-author.

The study looked at relatively low exposure levels compared with previous research. It also included long- and short-chain PFAS, the latter of which industry has claimed are generally safe and do not accumulate in the body. The study is among a growing body of research that shows the “safe” PFAS can also be measured in tissue or blood in mammals.

Water and food are the two main exposure routes to PFAS. New federal limits for some compounds in water are being implemented, but public health advocates say filtration systems can limit exposures. Men can protect themselves by avoiding nonstick cookware and waterproof clothing, and by educating themselves on products in which PFAS are commonly used.

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week - October 30, 2023

1. Bill to Ban Hidden Fees in California Signed into Law

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has released a statement regarding the signing of Senate Bill 478 (SB 478). SB 478, coauthored by Senators Bill Dodd and Nancy Skinner, will eliminate hidden fees, also known as 'junk fees,' in California starting from July 1, 2024. Hidden fees are deceptive charges that sellers include in transactions, either through obscured disclosures or later revelations, impacting consumers negatively.

2. New Portable Water Treatment System Vaporizes 99% of ‘Forever Chemicals’

A startup based Washington has devised a portable system capable of removing the vast majority of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, from water.

The system uses hydrothermal alkaline treatment, or HALT, to eliminate 99% of forever chemicals from water.

3. Tumor-destroying sound waves receive FDA approval for liver treatment in humans

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of sound waves to break down tumors—a technique called histotripsy—in humans for liver treatment. Technique developed at the University of Michigan provides a noninvasive alternative to surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments for cancer

4. Japan's top court says trans sterilisation requirement unconstitutional

Japan's Supreme Court has ruled that it is unconstitutional to require citizens to be sterilised before they can officially change genders.

The 2004 law said people could only change their gender if they have no reproductive capacity. Wednesday's ruling came after a transgender woman filed a petition challenging the law.

5. Abandoned golf courses are being reclaimed by nature

Golf courses, despite occupying large green spaces, are not necessarily good for the environment.

Conservation nonprofits and local authorities are looking to acquire golf courses that have been abandoned due to high maintenance costs, low player numbers or other reasons, and repurpose them into landscapes that boost biodiversity and build natural defenses against climate change.

6. NSW court allows health officials to give blood transfusion to Jehovah's Witness toddler

Regional New South Wales health officials have won a court order authorising them to give a blood transfusion to a Jehovah's Witness toddler if needed in surgery. The Supreme Court has been told the girl, three, who can only be referred to as JI, is in need of two surgical procedures. 

On such an application, the overriding criterion to be applied by the court is the best interests and welfare of the child.

7. North Atlantic right whale population has steadied, scientists say

The population of critically endangered North Atlantic right whales appears to have levelled off after a decade of steep decline, according to updated data released this morning by Canadian and American scientists. Scientists in the consortium said Monday that the 2021 estimate of 340 North Atlantic right whales in existence has been recalculated to 365 primarily because of the number of calves born that year.

The estimate for 2022 is 356.

---

That's it for this week :)

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[darkmaga-returns]

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against chemical giants 3M and DuPont over PFAS, commonly known as "forever chemicals," accusing them of knowingly producing and marketing toxic substances while misleading the public about their safety.

The lawsuit points to scientific evidence linking PFAS to serious health risks, including cancer, liver damage and reproductive issues. PFAS have contaminated water, soil and air, posing a significant threat to public health due to their persistence in the environment.

Paxton's complaint seeks damages for cleanup, medical monitoring for affected communities and penalties for alleged violations of state consumer protection laws. The lawsuit emphasizes the need for accountability and immediate action to address PFAS contamination.

3M and DuPont have defended their practices, claiming compliance with regulations and efforts to reduce PFAS use. However, the lawsuit could set a precedent for future litigation against PFAS manufacturers and prompt other states to follow Texas's lead.

Although the lawsuit is a significant step forward, it highlights the need for stronger federal regulations to address PFAS contamination comprehensively and coordinate a nationwide response to the issue.

Texas Attorney General (AG) Ken Paxton has filed a landmark lawsuit against two major chemical manufacturers over so-called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as "forever chemicals."

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Engineers develop all-in-one solution to catch and destroy 'forever chemicals'

Chemical engineers at the University of British Columbia have developed a new treatment that traps and treats PFAS substances—widely known as "forever chemicals"—in a single, integrated system. The research appears in Nature Communications Engineering. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used in manufacturing consumer goods like waterproof clothing due to their resistance to heat, water and stains. However, they are also pollutants, often ending up in surface and groundwater worldwide, where they have been linked to cancer, liver damage and other health issues. "PFAS are notoriously difficult to break down, whether they're in the environment or in the human body," explained lead researcher Dr. Johan Foster, an associate professor of chemical and biological engineering in the faculty of applied science. "Our system will make it possible to remove and destroy these substances in the water supply before they can harm our health."

Read more.

[vote-democrat-president-congress]

Erin Brockovich: What’s at Stake in November

July 30, 2024

By Erin Brockovich

Ms. Brockovich is an environmental activist.

Every day, I get emails from people asking for help. They think I’m a lawyer. I’m not. They want to know what caused their cancer or why their farm has tested high for chemicals they’ve never heard of. They want someone to fight for them.

The recent Supreme Court decision overturning the 40-year-old Chevron precedent, which allowed federal agencies to interpret the laws they oversee, should wake us up to how truly alone we are when it comes to environmental health protections. If Donald Trump wins in November, things could go from bad to worse. Progress to protect Americans from dangerous chemicals could reach a standstill.

I could list dozens, if not thousands, of contaminants we come in contact with, some regulated by federal and state agencies, and others not. I’ll focus on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, a class of thousands of synthetic chemicals that are finally being recognized for the damage they cause.

PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because they persist in the environment and in human bodies for decades. These chemicals have been used to make common items from textiles to adhesives to food packaging to firefighting foams to nonstick cookware.

The health problems associated with exposure to PFAS include fertility issues, developmental delays in children and increased risk of certain cancers and of obesity, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Scientists have detected PFAS chemicals in the blood of almost all Americans.

Sign up for the Opinion Today newsletter Get expert analysis of the news and a guide to the big ideas shaping the world every weekday morning. Get it sent to your inbox. What’s frustrating is that we’ve known for decades which industries use these chemicals, and we’ve known they are accumulating in the environment. But companies and our regulators delayed action.

Take just one example. From the 1950s through the 1970s, 3M dumped its PFAS waste into pits around Minnesota’s eastern Twin Cities metro area. That led to a more than 150-square-mile plume of contaminated groundwater. Subsequent testing revealed that by 2004, more than 140,000 Minnesotans had tainted drinking water. Years later, a young woman named Amara Strande grew up near the plume.

In 2023, Ms. Strande testified in front of Minnesota lawmakers in support of legislation that would restrict PFAS, which she believed caused her rare form of liver cancer. She died weeks before legislation known as Amara’s Law banned the use of PFAS in Minnesota. She was 20 years old. There are more cases like hers.

The number of U.S. communities reportedly contaminated with PFAS compounds continues to grow. Last year, one or more types of PFAS were detected in almost half of the nation’s tap water.

People like to talk about the risks of federal oversight and regulations. But without those basic guardrails in place, large companies get to do whatever they want, and hard-working Americans get sick.

Some much needed action was taken on PFAS at the national level recently. In April, the E.P.A. mandated that municipal water systems remove six PFAS chemicals from tap water. Such efforts are now at risk.

Under the Supreme Court’s recent Chevron ruling, federal judges get the final say on how laws including the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act should be applied. This weakens the ability of regulatory agencies to do their jobs protecting the public’s health from problems such as PFAS. Future pollution cases could meander through the federal court system for years while drinking water remains contaminated.

Companies will take advantage of this ruling. Water utility and chemical manufacturing companies have filed challenges with the E.P.A., calling the rule “arbitrary, capricious, and an abuse of discretion.”

Now imagine you take these kneecapped regulations and pair them with a second Trump presidency. President Trump rolled back decades of clean-water protections and dozens of environmental rules. The E.P.A. is still reeling from the exodus of more than 1,200 scientists and policy experts during his administration. One of his political appointees meddled with a PFAS assessment, weakening the toxicity value of a chemical.

The E.P.A. already had its problems, but the agency fared even worse under Mr. Trump. He repeatedly tried to slash the E.P.A.’s budget and many staff members fled, meaning fewer inspectors, fewer resources to study the impact of toxins and more companies contravening environmental regulations.

I recently reviewed Project 2025, a playbook for the first 180 days of the potential next Trump administration. (Mr. Trump says he doesn’t support the project, though many of his former White House employees are involved.) In the E.P.A. chapter, PFAS are mentioned twice. Project 2025 says the administration should revise groundwater cleanup regulations and policies to reflect the challenges of contaminants such as PFAS, which seems fair. But then it also says the administration should revisit the E.P.A. designation of PFAS chemicals as “hazardous substances” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund. That seems contradictory and ill advised. The designation helps make available CERCLA’s enforcement tools and cost recovery, ensuring that the polluters, not taxpayers, fund or conduct investigations and cleanup.

I’m not giving Democratic administrations a pass. We need more accountability for the environmental ills that have passed under their watch. These include the water crisis in Flint, Mich., and Jackson, Miss. The state and federal responses to the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, left much to be desired. We must expect more from those we put in office; our lives depend on it.

The E.P.A. used to have bipartisan support. The Reagan administration changed that when President Ronald Reagan appointed a corporation-friendly E.P.A. administrator who railed against government regulation.

Rules are effective only if they can be enforced. State and federal agencies have done a poor job of building meaningful enforcement into the well-intentioned regulations that have been enacted, and they must do better. Americans’ health is at risk.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/30/opinion/erin-brockovich-pfas.html

[reality-detective]

STOP DRINKING PRIME!! I KNEW IT WAS BADD!!

Prime Lawsuit over forever chemicals!!

PFO chemicals, more commonly known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are a group of man-made chemicals used in a variety of consumer products for their water and grease resistance properties. These chemicals are considered harmful for several reasons:

Bioaccumulation: PFAS can accumulate in the environment, animals, and humans over time, leading to long-lasting effects and potential health risks.

Health Concerns: Exposure to PFAS has been linked to various health issues, including thyroid disruption, immune system effects, and an increased risk of certain cancers.

Persistence: One of the major concerns with PFAS is their persistence in the environment. These chemicals do not break down easily and can remain in the environment for long periods.

Regulatory Concerns: Due to the potential health and environmental risks associated with PFAS, there have been increasing regulatory actions to limit their use. 🤔

[mindblowingscience]

A first-of-its-kind study has measured the toxicity of several types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), better known as "forever chemicals," when mixed together in the environment and in the human body. The good news: Most of the tested chemicals' individual cytotoxicity and neurotoxicity levels were relatively low. The bad news: the chemicals acted together to make the entire mixture toxic.

Continue Reading.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this New York Times story:

Chemical and manufacturing groups sued the federal government late Monday over a landmark drinking-water standard that would require cleanup of so-called forever chemicals linked to cancer and other health risks.

The industry groups said that the government was exceeding its authority under the Safe Drinking Water Act by requiring that municipal water systems all but remove six synthetic chemicals, known by the acronym PFAS, that are present in the tap water of hundreds of millions of Americans.

The Environmental Protection Agency has said that the new standard, put in place in April, will prevent thousands of deaths and reduce tens of thousands of serious illnesses.

The E.P.A.’s cleanup standard was also expected to prompt a wave of litigation against chemical manufacturers by water utilities nationwide trying to recoup their cleanup costs. Utilities have also challenged the stringent new standard, questioning the underlying science and citing the cost of filtering the toxic chemicals out of drinking water.

In a joint filing late Monday, the American Chemistry Council and National Association of Manufacturers said the E.P.A. rule was “arbitrary, capricious and an abuse of discretion.” The petition was filed in the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

In a separate petition, the American Water Works Association and the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies said the E.P.A. had “significantly underestimated the costs” of the rule. Taxpayers could ultimately foot the bill in the form of increased water rates, they said.

PFAS, a vast class of chemicals also called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are widespread in the environment. They are commonly found in people’s blood, and a 2023 government study of private wells and public water systems detected PFAS chemicals in nearly half the tap water in the country.

Exposure to PFAS has been associated with developmental delays in children, decreased fertility in women and increased risk of some cancers, according to the E.P.A.

[vague-humanoid]

Forever chemicals are everywhere. 

They’re in school uniforms, food packaging, cosmetics and personal care products (SNE: 11/18/22; SN: 6/4/19; SN: 6/15/21). They seep into our food and drinking water. And now new research suggests that some can move through the skin, posing yet another avenue through which humans are intimately exposed to these chemicals, which have been linked to harmful health issues.     

When 3-D human skin models were exposed to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, the chemicals could cross the skin barrier, environmental chemists from the University of Birmingham in England report in the June Environment International. That suggests the compounds can be absorbed through the skin and may even travel into the bloodstream. 

@quasi-normalcy @startorrent02

[tailsandco]

hey i didnt see anyone talking about this until i stumbled upon a video this morning on instagram, and this blog has more of a platform than my others, so im gonna talk about this here. feel free to scroll on if it doesn't apply.

thinx period underwear were found to contain PFAs, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances which are, "human-made chemicals that are found in many consumer and industrial products, do not easily break down and have been linked to adverse health effects." per this NPR article. One of the quotes in this article does go on to have a unnecessarily gendered quote so my trans and nb friends who experience periods, read on with caution.

I do want to say that the lawsuit isn't supposing these PFAs are linked to any known cases of harm or diagnosed issues and Thinx, but their prior marketing made them out to be a safe and environmentally conscious choice. they have since had to retract a lot of prior statements, and other studies have been done on PFAs that are linked to some scary health stuff in people.

as a result of this suit and just generally preferring this type of period product to others (i understand that corporations are leaders in pollution and that i as one person cannot change the world, but i can make better decisions for myself and my personal waste production), here's what i found for my period experiencing friends to continue to use these types of products:

here's an article i used to find multiple brands that do NOT have PFAs and their pros & cons.

im also going to single a couple of these out for my friends on here to weed through. i didnt do a suuuper extensive deepdive, but i checked out a couple of these that are worth listing out i feel.

the period company had the cheapest single pairs i found at $9. i was unable to order from them because they currently dont have my size, but hopefully yall will be more fortunate, since im a pretty popular size. these guys only come in black.

tomboy x is gender neutral and donates to trans people which i love. they're pretty competitively priced and you can get 6 in a couple different colors at $110 before tax and shipping, which was pretty fairly priced. if you have the money to spend a little extra on a great cause or want a gender neutral experience this place is great.

i ultimately ordered from ruby love because they had bundle options (which i really wanted since id love to replace my tampon usage at home altogether and only keep them for emergencies/guests) and they had a 10 pack for $90, which came out to $100 after taxes and shipping. ill warn my nb and trans friends that this site is pretty gendered so tread with caution, but it did have the best bundle price that i cross shopped.

anyway i know this blog is about snakes but i was kind of horrified to find this out this morning and want to make sure that yall are shopping safe and able to make informed decisions on your hygienic products. i love you and you matter. be safe and be well.

[nationallawreview]

White House OSTP Releases PFAS Federal R&D Strategic Plan

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announced on September 3, 2024, the release of its Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Federal Research and Development Strategic Plan (Strategic Plan). Prepared by the Joint Subcommittee on Environment, Innovation, and Public Health PFAS Strategy Team (PFAS ST) of the National Science and Technology Council, the Strategic Plan…

[covid-safer-hotties]

Why the next pandemic could come from the Arctic — and what to do about it - Published Sept 4, 2024

By: Christian Sonne

Only a unified approach across disciplines can reduce the underappreciated threat of emerging diseases arising in the north.

The Arctic is under stress, that much is known. Between 1979 and 2021, the region warmed four times faster than the global average, with effects — as yet poorly understood — on its ecology and ability to store carbon, on global sea levels and on wider ocean-circulation and weather patterns.

Add in the effects of biodiversity loss and pollution, and people often refer to a triple planetary crisis. I think we should actually be talking about a quadruple crisis. Since starting research in the Arctic in 1997, I have spent nearly all of my summers there, monitoring changes in pollution levels, habitats and food webs using a ‘One Health’ approach that integrates effects on wildlife, humans and ecosystems. And it’s becoming clear that, as the Arctic warms, its environment degrades and human activities increase, new health threats are emerging. In particular, the Arctic is likely to become a hotbed for zoonotic diseases that spill over into humans from other animals. That threat was brought home to all of us by the COVID-19 pandemic. We need to take seriously the possibility that the next pandemic could come from the north.

Some 60% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic. Their emergence and spillover is in general highly interlinked with habitat degradation, biodiversity loss and food-web changes — all of which are present in the Arctic. But a warming Arctic harbours other risks. As sea ice thaws, ‘forever chemicals’ are increasingly being transported into Arctic environments. These include mercury, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and polychlorinated biphenyls, all known to modulate human and animal immune systems and increase vulnerability to respiratory infections. Invasive fish and whale species are also bringing in industrial chemicals and their own diseases.

The pathogens enter an environment in which some native species, such as polar bears (Ursus maritimus), have not been exposed to them, and so are at increased risk. The release of ancient microorganisms long frozen in ice and sediments as the landscape thaws adds to this danger: humans and other wildlife are likely to lack any immune defences against them.

These risk factors are set to increase. The first ice-free Arctic summers could come as early as the 2030s. The Arctic Ocean has huge potential for energy, fishery and tourism sectors, and is not subject to any global treaty regulating its exploitation. Further wildlife disturbance, pollution, overfishing and jurisdictional conflicts are the likely result.

The current perception is that the Arctic possesses relatively low microbial activity. Compared with temperate and tropical latitudes, many fewer resources are devoted to studying zoonoses in the Arctic, with sparse surveillance for emerging threats in most areas. This needs to change — taking account of human, animal and wider environmental perspectives.

When it comes to logistics, low-tech is high-tech in the Arctic. On the human side, Canadian researchers have already started taking samples from sewage and other sources that can easily be analysed for the presence of viral pathogens. This kind of approach should be combined with better access to community health care, clinical inspections and consultations with local doctors. A particular flash point is the handling and consumption of raw or dried animal meat in subsistence-hunting communities. Hygiene courses, meat inspection and better disease surveillance developed in partnership with those communities can help to both sustain food security and prevent spillover events.

On the wildlife side, long-term finance is needed for yearly and seasonal surveillance programmes. These schemes should collaborate with local communities using existing techniques that don’t rely on technologies such as cryogenics and so are easy to use in situ. Such activities could be embedded into the ongoing Arctic Council monitoring and assessment programmes on pollution, biodiversity and climate change, as laid out in the council’s ‘One Arctic, One Health’ project.

On the broader environmental front, efforts to reduce pollution, safeguard biodiversity and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions through international agreements play their part. Efforts spearheaded by various Arctic Council working groups, and other initiatives such as the ongoing negotiations for a United Nations-backed treaty on plastic pollution, show how intergovernmental and interdisciplinary collaboration across public health, biodiversity conservation, pollution and food security can help with achieving sustainability.

To make a true difference, there is need for a broader Arctic monitoring and assessment plan, underpinned by treaty, that combines surveillance of pollution and of disease. This is currently difficult to achieve through the Arctic Council, given the absence of Russia and Russian data since the country’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. A better opportunity to establish a holistic understanding and action plan might be afforded by the proposed pandemic-preparedness treaty, currently under negotiation at the World Health Organization. This could build on the efforts of almost 200 globally recognized One Health Networks, including those in the Arctic.

Action must be taken now. If it isn’t, it will become more difficult to mitigate wildlife interactions and diagnose, treat and isolate people with an infection — and the risk of a future pandemic with an Arctic ground zero will only increase.

Nature 633, 10 (2024)

doi: doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-02830-7