Persistent Organic Pollutants
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are man-made organic compounds that persist in the natural environment for long periods of time. Because of their long-lasting presence in air, water, and soil, they accumulate in the bodies of fish, animals, and humans over time. Exposure to POPs can create serious health disorders throughout the tiers of the food web. In human beings, POPs can cause cancer, autoimmune deficiencies, kidney disorders, birth defects, and other reproductive problems.
Because these chemicals are derived from manufacturing industries, pesticide applications, waste disposal sites, spills, and combustion processes, POPs are a global problem. Many POPs are carried long distances through the atmosphere. They tend to move from warmer climates to colder ones, which is why even remote regions such as the Arctic contain significant levels of these contaminants. Because of the global creation and transmission of POPs, no country can protect itself against POPs without assistance. An international commitment is essential for eradication of this problem.
In the early 1990s the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), World Health Organization (WHO), and other groups began to assess the impacts of hundreds of chemicals, including POPs. In 1998 36 countries participated in the POPs Protocol, sponsored by the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution.
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