Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
al governments usually prepare the communication materials. There is frequently a spe-
cial focus made on children and females below and during reproductive age in order to
point out how individual diet choices even within an indigenous diet can reduce exposure
to POPs and mercury. The bottom line was (and continues to be) that the weight of evid-
ence points to the conclusion that the known health benefits of indigenous diets outweigh
the risks posed by the POP and mercury contaminant burdens of those diets. Twenty years
ago, I was never comfortable with this communications message but had to agree that it
was the correct one to follow. Today, I think it is still the correct message. However, with
our increased understanding of the association of prenatal exposure to POPs and mercury
with the potential for lasting neurological and behavioural outcomes, I am even less com-
fortable. To appreciate the full measure of the Arctic dilemma, it helps to try to imagine
oneself in the position of the Arctic leaders who have shown great courage in promoting
the message. We must not be complacent, however, because the veracity of that message
totally depends on the underlying science. Governments of Arctic Council countries must
ensure the long-term well-being of the science base and never hesitate to adjust their public
health message if the balance of evidence begins to shift towards different dietary advice.
Now that we are almost up to date with the stories of POPs and heavy metals from
the Arctic Messenger, I have to pay homage to the hundreds of people who advanced our
understanding of the behaviour of POPs. Even more praise is due to those who saw the im-
portance of contributing to the AMAP assessments. It was this commitment, coupled with
the organisational skills of Lars-Otto Reiersen and Simon Wilson, that enabled the Arctic
story to gain political attention. It provided the foundation for the CLRTAP protocols and
the Stockholm and Minamata conventions to control these substances. A few of these sci-
entists have actually been the lead (or close to it) on every AMAP assessment on that topic
- for example, Derek Muir and Cynthia de Wit for POPs and Rune Dietz for metals. As
a Canadian, it is hard for me to imagine the Arctic Messenger without Derek. He always
seems to have been at the very centre of POPs work - at least in Canada. What I appre-
ciated most of all was that, like Robie Macdonald, any panic call for help always had a
quick response that hit at exactly what I needed. I think I probably owe more to Derek for
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