Communicating Contaminant Information to Inuit: The Northern Contaminants Program

Sound Management of Chemicals Working Group: Tucson 2008

2008 Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and Northern Contaminants Program

Inuit in Canada

55,000 Inuit in Canada53 Communities

• Nunatsiavut• Nunavik• Nunavut• The Inuvialuit Region

The not so pristine Arctic

• 1970-80s – scientist discover contaminants in the Arctic.

The Contaminants:

Heavy Metalsmercury, lead, cadmium…

• Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPS)PCBs, DDTs, toxaphene, chlordanes, HCHs…

• New Chemicalse.g. brominated flame retardants,fluorinated organic compounds…including current use pesticides

Air

Ocean

River

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

Inuit Dene Yukon PTDI

ChlordaneToxapheneMercury

N=1875 N=1012 N=802

Kuhnlein, Chan, Receveur. Int J Circ Health, 2001

Mean Intake of Chlordane, Toxaphene and Mercury in Northern Canada (µg/kg/d)

The Northern Contaminants Program

• 4.4 million dollar program– $1.8K Human Health– $.9.5K Environment Trends– $.7K Education Communication– $1.350 National/Regional Coordination

“The aim of the NCP is to work towards reducing and, where possible, eliminating contaminants in traditional/country foods, while providing information that assist individuals and communities in making informed decisions about their food use”

The priorities of the Northern Contaminants

Program (NCP)

• Levels and trends in the environment & wildlife

• Levels, trends and effects in people

• Communication, education, and capacity building

• International Action

Human Health

1.8 Million

• Exposure Assessment • Epidemiological Research

• Toxicological Research • Benefit/Risk Evaluation and

Communication

Wildlife MonitoringAnnual sampling

Sampling every 5 years

$ 9.5K

Education $7K Teaching the youth about the benefits of country foods

Training frontline workers

Elder youth exchange

Online Course

But not just Inuit are effected, Risk Benefit Communication also needs to be geared to the Other aboriginal peoples of Canada’s north– Dene (29 communities)– Yukon First Nation (14 communities)– Metis

Developing Capacity

• $1.350K

Networks for Communication

NCP Management Committee *

Frontline Community Workers

(CHRs, Wildlife Officers, local communicators etc.)

Regional Contaminants Coordinators

Northerners (Community residents)

Territorial Environmental Contaminants Committees *

Sci

entif

ic C

omm

unity

*Includes Aboriginal

Partners

Developing Partnerships

Networks for Communication

NCP Management Committee *

Frontline Community Workers

(CHRs, Wildlife Officers, local communicators etc.)

Regional Contaminants Coordinators

Northerners (Community residents)

Territorial Environmental Contaminants Committees *

Sci

entif

ic C

omm

unity

*Includes Aboriginal

Partners

• The Territorial Contaminants Committees are central to the development, review and flow of communications between the communities, researchers and the NCP.

• key communicators and frequently act as developers, reviewers and distributors of communication messages and materials in the region

• a conduit through which communities can raise concerns and perspectives to the national management levels of the program

Networks for Communication

NCP Management Committee *

Frontline Community Workers

(CHRs, Wildlife Officers, local communicators etc.)

Regional Contaminants Coordinators

Northerners (Community residents)

Territorial Environmental Contaminants Committees *

Sci

entif

ic C

omm

unity

*Includes Aboriginal

Partners

Networks for Communication

NCP Management Committee *

Frontline Community Workers

(CHRs, Wildlife Officers, local communicators etc.)

Regional Contaminants Coordinators

Northerners (Community residents)

Territorial Environmental Contaminants Committees *

Sci

entif

ic C

omm

unity

*Includes Aboriginal

Partners

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Online Contaminants Course

Networks for Communication

NCP Management Committee *

Frontline Community Workers

(CHRs, Wildlife Officers, local communicators etc.)

Regional Contaminants Coordinators

Northerners (Community residents)

Territorial Environmental Contaminants Committees *

Sci

entif

ic C

omm

unity

*Includes Aboriginal

Partners

Putting the information into context:Getting to know the communities

How do harvesting activities, wage employment, food mail, the introduction of a new store manger and fresh foods in the community influence the research and communication efforts?

Where is this contextual information to help us understand if our food is safe to eat?

Working with Researchers

Elders Science Retreat

“A perfect setting for thought-provoking discussions on how traditional knowledge is being applied to environmental contaminant crises. It gave me an opportunity to experience Dene culture first-hand, and consequently has changed the way that I implement southern standards in the North.”(from a written evaluation of the 1999 retreat)

PotentialPotential Impact of Impact of Contaminants CommunicationContaminants Communication

Impacts on health and behaviour (physical, mental, social),

Increased anxiety and stress;

Decreased hunting and fishing activities;

Decreased consumption of country foods;

Increased exposure to new risks (heart diseases & diabetes);

Distrust of scientific information.

Nutrition in Nunavut

56% Food Insecurity (vs. Canada = 14.7%)

What we know…

People have better nutrition on the days they eat country food:

Higher iron

Higher zinc

Higher protein

Lower saturated fat

↓ number of species

↓ transfer of cultural knowledge to youth

↑ concern of environmental contaminants

↓ density of species

↓ harvesting

↑ sedentary life

↓ dietary diversity

↓ cultural moral

↓ culture specific

food activities

ANEMIA, FOOD INSECURITY, OBESITY, DIABETES, HEART DISEASE, TOOTH LOSS, INFECTIONS, CANCER,

TRANSMITION OF CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE, ETC.

Loss of Traditional Food Systems

Chan 2008

Why NCP is a model for research programs

• Strategic yet balanced and flexible program • A program designed with a basis in sound science and

responsible research; • Partnerships with open communication networks; • Ongoing processes of capacity-building using a variety

of approaches; and a commitment of resources to support these activities.

Local Solutions:Arctic Char Program

Use of Arctic Char to minimize the exposure levels of POPs in pregnant Inuit women

It may be irresponsible to continue bombarding northern community members with information about contaminants, for fear of increasing their anxiety around the issue. It may be more appropriate to insert contaminants messaging into existing public health messages and build capacity to individuals in order to make informed food choices.

Qujannamiik!