Wildlife

PCB Pollution Still Killing European Marine Mammals

Lingering PCB pollution in the environment continues to kill whales and dolphins in European coastal waters even though the toxins have been banned since the 1970s because of their deadly effects.

A new study led by Paul Jepson from the Zoological Society of London found that levels of PCBs in Europe’s cetaceans are among the highest in the world.

Writing in the journal Scientific Reports, Jepson says the contamination is so high among some killer whale populations that the species is facing local extinction.

He says only eight killer whales are left off western Scotland and Ireland.

But some of the highest concentrations of PCBs are found in the western Mediterranean and southwestern Iberian Peninsula, according to the report.

Scientists have detected toxic levels of PCP pollution in the fat of dead killer whales and dolphins.