Environmental Trends 2007

Contaminants

Monitoring the toxic burdens in eggs of three species of birds from different locations shows broad trends in environmental contamination.

Levels of PCBs, dioxins and organochlorine pesticides have decreased, but concentrations of PBDEs (flame retardants) are increasing rapidly.

Overall levels of older POPs have decreased in the environment since 1980s, consistent with the efforts to eliminate them. These efforts began in the late 1970s and have become more stringent since then.
The rapidly increasing level of a newer class of flame retardant compounds, the PBDEs, reflects the widespread use of these compounds in consumer goods.

For detailed information, including graph data, see In-Depth Report [pdf].