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Sea otters in British Columbia have been found to be contaminated with “forever chemicals,” according to a recent study whose authors say was the first to do this type of research in the marine mammal in the province.
Researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC) say they have identified PFAS in sea otters around coastal B.C. PFAS is short for perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. They are a class of thousands of extremely persistent human-made substances that are deemed harmful to humans and the environment, according to Environment Canada.
Published on Nov. 4, the research analyzed liver and skeletal muscle samples from 11 dead sea otters that had been recovered along the B.C. coastline between 2016 and 2021. It found “eight of 40 tested PFAS chemicals present in every otter, with seven found only in the liver,” a Nov. 5 UBC news release said.
The researchers say concentration of the substances were on average three times higher in otters found near major cities and shipping routes around B.C.’s coast, such as Victoria and Tofino.
“There is a proximity relation to the sources in play here, whether from runoff, landfills or in the air: being nearer to the PFAS sources makes a difference,” said first author Dana Price, a masters student at the UBC Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, in the news release.
PFAS are often called “forever chemicals” as they do not break down easily in the environment. They are widely used in household products such as cosmetics, food packaging, cookware, firefighting foam, and furniture, due to their resistance to heat, grease, and water.
Health issues related to PFAS exposure have been studied. According to Health Canada in a September information sheet, it said exposure to these human-made chemicals risk affecting multiple organs and systems of the human body, including the liver, kidney, thyroid, and nervous system.
Researcher Price noted that while the current PFAS concentrations found in B.C. sea otters “weren’t high enough” for immediate concerns, the UBC study nonetheless provided information on “how the contaminants might contribute to the bigger picture of sea otter health.”
“Now that we have a baseline for PFAS levels in local sea otters, we can monitor for any changes, including potential new sources of pollution, or any positive effects of regulation,” she added.
Regulations
The federal government has undertaken a series of steps to address PFAS risks in Canada. In 2021, it published a notice of intent expressing its plan to classify the substances as “a class of chemicals” rather than singling out each on a case-by-case basis, to “better address situations where exposure occurs to multiple PFAS at the same time.”
In March, Ottawa announced it would take a three-phase approach to regulating the use of those chemicals, while also releasing a report which concluded that most PFAS, excluding fluoropolymers, meet the criteria for being labelled as toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.
In September, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) published a consultation document on the first phase of the risk management of PFAS, excluding fluoropolymers, saying the department would start with a 60-day public consultation period on how to regulate PFAS use in firefighting foams for those PFAS not already regulated, with the aim of publishing related regulations in 2027.
In the release of the March report, jointly published by ECCC and Health Canada, Ottawa noted that the second phase of the effort will focus on “limiting exposure to PFAS in products that are not needed for the protection of human health, safety, or the environment.” These will include products such as cosmetics, food packaging materials, and textiles. The report did not say when Ottawa intended to publish those regulations.
There was also no expected timeline for consultations or regulations on the third and final phase, which would look at the role of PFAS in products where there may be no feasible alternative, including certain prescription drugs, medical devices, transport and military applications.
