GEF

Unit 3  |  Primary Sustainability Issues 80 In the Arctic, microorganisms absorb PCBs from ocean water, which are then passed on to and concentrated in fish and seals. Polar bears, which feed on seals, receive a high dose of PCBs, which is stored in their body fat and causes neurological and reproductive problems. Because of the global ban on PCB pro- duction, PCB levels in polar bears have fallen, but are still high enough to be of concern. There are many thousands of chemicals that remain on the market in spite of considerable evidence of their risk to human health. Other chemicals have not been studied to understand the possible harm their use can cause. Sustainability initia- tives are gaining traction in campaigning for alternatives to these chemicals and reducing the load of toxins on people and the environment. In 2007, Dr. Arlene Blum founded the Green Science Policy Institute (GSPI) to help integrate safety standards in policy for toxic chemicals. GSPI is providing research and awareness to governments, nonprofits, and industry with many successes, including policy changes and industry restrictions on certain chemicals. The bottom-up approach that Dr. Blum has taken models the type of leadership often needed to address this and other types of sustainability challenges. Tuna often bioaccumulate mercury and other toxins.