Tackling pollution and waste in the Arctic

Pollution affects everyone. Although managing materials and solid waste reduces pollution, some communities have an easier time doing so. In the Arctic—where communities are spread across vast, remote expanses and often disconnected from, or underserviced by, roads or transport systems—the social and financial costs of properly managing waste are formidable.

We often think of the Arctic as unspoiled, but in reality, plenty of pollution and waste sources affect the region. Resource extraction, shipping, and industrial boom and bust cycles affect the capacity of communities to operate and maintain essential services, leading to pollution and solid waste. When not managed properly, these activities can contaminate the natural environment that people depend on for livelihoods and survival. Dumpsites, unlined landfills and buried waste are perpetual challenges in Arctic communities, where the mounting impacts of climate change are reshaping coastlines, roads, river systems—and the movement of landfill waste. Add to that the heavy inflow of waste and pollution from beyond the Arctic, transported on air and ocean currents, and you have a serious challenge.

This harsh reality is both visible and invisible. For example, seabirds, seals and whales can consume or become entangled in plastic, sometimes dying as a result, while people can inadvertently ingest unseen microplastics and chemicals when consuming fish or water.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution, and federal entities have limited authority to manage solid waste. They do at least provide baseline laws and regulations in addition to resources to help communities implement waste management programs. But even when municipalities are committed to meeting the challenge, they can be overwhelmed by rising costs, safety concerns, and the complex logistics of collection and removal. And corporate liability often ends the moment a package is opened or a product is used, leaving individuals to decide how to dispose of or manage items after they’re no longer useful.

Fortunately, there is hope. Arctic Indigenous communities and local residents are developing innovative and collaborative solutions, working hard to better manage solid waste and protect human, animal and environmental health. An Indigenous community in the Alaskan Islands recently hosted a community event to safely dispose of hundreds of pounds of e-waste and other materials. Sámi communities in Europe have partnered with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and municipal authorities to formally identify and clean up illegal dumpsites. Successful local clean-ups of illegal dumpsites have also become important community-building, awareness-raising events for Arctic residents.

Communities are creating waste solutions that involve local, municipal and governmental actors as well as private corporations and NGOs. Federal governments are negotiating a legally binding instrument on plastics. Indigenous communities are implementing tools, best practices and resources that can be replicated by or shared with other communities. Corporations are improving the design and circularity of products, the recyclability of materials, and the management of products at the ends of their lifecycles.

Managing waste requires a comprehensive materials management approach infused with better funding, innovative collaboration across knowledge systems, and infrastructure changes to help communities prevent pollution that arises from buildings falling into the sea as shorelines erode. Urban and rural communities are leading projects that highlight both the complex challenges of life in the Arctic and the great potential for solutions. Despite some adversity, healthy ecosystems are still possible across the Arctic—and if we work together, we can make a difference.