Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxins (PBT) Reduction

Council of Great Lakes Governor’s Priority:
“Continue to reduce the introduction of persistent bioaccumulative toxics into the Great Lakes ecosystem.”

Persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic pollutants (PBTs) are highly toxic, long-lasting substances that can build up in the food chain to levels that are harmful to human and ecosystem health. They are associated with a range of adverse human health effects, including effects on the nervous system, reproductive and developmental problems, cancer, and genetic impacts. The challenge in reducing risks from these toxins stems from the pollutant's ability to travel long distances, to transfer rather easily among air, water, and land, and to linger for generations in people and the environment. Researchers have documented the presence of chemicals routinely used in daily activities in air, water and fish and human tissue in the Great Lakes.

These toxins enter the Great Lakes ecosystem from primarily human activity sources. The need to control and eliminate these chemicals from the lakes is imperative to preserve human and ecological health. Phasing out the use, production and release of PBTs is important to protecting environmental and public health because once these chemicals are produced, it is difficult and costly to manage, destroy or degrade them. Atmospheric release through the production of energy, motor vehicle use, and other air emissions are a main source of these chemicals. More than 90% of these are leaving factories in products, not in waste, and are found in a wide range of consumer and industrial products including paints, pesticides, solvents, inks, dyes, solder, etc.

The goal of the PBT Strategy is to identify and reduce risks to human health and the environment from current and future exposure to priority toxic pollutants. Finding a way to achieve this goal is the next challenge.

For more information about persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic pollutants see the following links:

• DRAFT Wisconsin Great Lakes Strategy
• Wisconsin Mercury Strategy
• Great Lakes Environmental Contaminants Research
• Great Lakes Regional Collaboration - Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxics (PBT) Reduction Strategy Team
• U.S. EPA Persistent Bioaccumulative and Toxic (PBT) Chemical Program
• Department of Health and Family Services