Plastic pollution in Eastern Arctic

April 13, 2021
Science

A newly published collaborative paper studies the abundance and types of plastic pollution in surface waters in the Eastern Arctic (Inuit Nunangat) using data collected during the 2018 Arctic Expedition of Amundsen Science. The authors also provide insights on how to move the scientific work towards reconciliation while producing knowledge about environmental pollution.

Key findings are:

• Plastics are reported in surface water in SW Greenland (0.026/m2) & Tasiujarjuaq, Nunavut (0.014/m2)
• Recovered plastics show indications of both long-range and local sources.
• Surface water plastic research in Inuit Nunangat and Greenland is led by southerners and non-Inuit.
• “Reconciliation science” requires changes in personnel, methods, and communicating results.

Read the paper here.