ANSWERS: 1
  • Because of a common border, Canada and the U.S. share a list of priority pollutants that can build up and adversely affect the environment.

    EPA

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains a list of persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic pollutants (PBTs). Priority pollutants are those that pose the greatest environmental hazards.

    PCBs

    PBTs include PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), manmade chemicals present in old hydraulic fluids and used in the manufacture of electrical equipment and devices before 1978. Residue from improper dumping and badly maintained waste sites contaminates air, water, land, livestock, fish, and breast milk. These chemicals can damage the thyroid, liver, and kidney and may cause cancer.

    Dioxins

    Trace levels of dioxins, unintentional byproducts of combustion, waste, wood burning, and industrial chemical processes, build up in the environment. Humans ingest dioxins mostly through food. Dioxins can act as carcinogens, according to the EPA.

    Mercury

    Manufacturing or burning coal emits mercury into the air. It can remain airborne for long distances before it falls onto land or water sources, where it can move up the food chain. Mercury can also leak into the environment from broken instruments such as thermometers and thermostats. Some dental amalgams, fungicides, and disinfectants also contain mercury. Mercury can cause nervous systems disorders, especially in babies and young children.

    Benzo(a)pyrene

    B(a)P, a type of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, comes from incomplete combustion processes such as wildfires, industrial processes, energy production, cooking, smoking tobacco, and open trash burning. B(a)P can cause skin disorders, human cancers, and harmful developmental and reproductive effects.

    Source:

    Environmental Protection Agency: Multimedia Strategy

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