Toxic PFAS: Otters and dolphins contaminated in England
Some wildlife species have accumulated many times the safe amount of PFAS in their tissue and organs.
Dolphins, otters, porpoises, fish and birds across England have toxic «forever chemicals» in their tissue and organs, according to an analysis of official data.
The artificially manufactured chemicals known as PFAS, so named because they do not break down, are used in a wide range of consumer goods and industrial processes. Some of them have been linked to serious diseases in humans and animals, including cancer. PFAS have been found to contaminate water and soil on a large scale, and are believed to be present in the blood of every person on Earth.
Widespread contamination in over 1’000 animals
Official data from more than 1’000 animals showed widespread contamination by a range of PFAS, in particular PFOS and PFOA.
There are more than 10’000 types of PFAS, and little is known about the toxic effects of most of them.
An environmental quality standard for PFOS states that no fish should contain more than 9 micrograms per kilogram (9.1 µg/kg) in its tissue, in order to protect apex predators and humans who consume the fish from the bioaccumulation of PFAS in their systems. However, 12% of the fish in the datasets exceed this limit, with some such as flounder and roach reaching as high as 34 µg/kg or 41 µg/kg. A similar environmental burden also affects Swiss waterways.
Almost half of all animals exceed limit values
If the limit were to apply to all species, almost half of all sampled animals would exceed it. The threshold is considered too high by many, and the EU is considering lowering it to 0.077 µg/kg. In that case, 92% of animals would exceed the limit.
Main perpetrators: Airports, military and industry
The main sources of PFAS contamination include airports, military sites and chemical manufacturers. A study by Cardiff University from last year showed that PFOA concentrations were found in otters near a chemical plant where PFOA had historically been extensively processed, and levels decreased the further the otter was from the site.
Further sources include sewage treatment plants, fire stations and firefighter training facilities, metal companies, pulp and paper mills, leather and textile manufacturers, energy and industrial facilities, and landfill sites, including historical and permitted disposal sites.
PFAS can also enter soil and water through contaminated sewage sludge spread on agricultural land. According to a report by the Environment Agency in England, there could be as many as 10’000 PFAS hotspots across the country. Some of the animal data spans several decades. PFAS are persistent and only break down after thousands of years. The exposure of wildlife to environmental toxins is a global problem, which is also evident in Swiss pesticide policy.
