Alaska Concerns

Chronic diseases and disabilities in the United States affect more than 100 million men, women, and children, which is more than one-third of our population. Asthma, autism, birth defects, cancers, developmental disabilities, diabetes, endometriosis, infertility, Parkinson’s disease and other diseases and disabilities are causing increased suffering and concern. Scientific evidence increasingly indicates a relationship between a range of environmental factors and these diseases and conditions. One important contributor may be increased exposure to a wide array of chemical substances, including pesticides, heavy metals, and other synthetic chemicals. These pollutants have become widespread in our air, water, soil, food, homes, schools, and workplaces, and thus also in our bodies. Since World War II, more than 85,000 synthetic chemicals have been registered for use in the U.S. and another 2,000 are added each year, and few are adequately tested for their potential impacts on health.
In Alaska, we are particularly concerned about the contamination of persistent chemicals from industrial and military sources that adversely affect the environment and human health. The north is a hemispheric sink for persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as PCBs, pesticides, and dioxins that threaten the integrity of ecosystems and human health. Many POPs originate from thousands of miles away, traveling northward via wind and ocean currents and accumulating in the bodies of migratory animals. The cold northern environment and fat-based food web favors the retention and accumulation of POPs. Even in minute quantities, POPs in our bodies can cause cancers, neurological and learning disabilities, hormonal (endocrine) disruption, and subtle changes to reproductive and immune systems. Children are especially vulnerable to exposures before birth, from breast milk, and during their early years of rapid growth and development. Workers, people living near industrial plants, Arctic communities, and Indigenous peoples who rely on traditional foods often bear the greatest burden of chemical contamination.