Signal Microplastics near Everest and pollutants in Arctic animals

Summary

The report finds that pollution is spreading across boundaries into even the most remote places. Microplastics have recently been found close to the peak of Mount Everest. In the North American Arctic, animals have been found to carry mercury and persistent organic pollutants. Many PFAS chemicals have also turned up in the blood of people and animals around the world. The report explains that long exposure to pollutants at low levels can still cause bioaccumulation and is a major risk factor for a range of diseases. It judges that the consequences for human and planetary health of long-term exposure to complex pollutant mixtures are still largely unknown.