New accord targets long-lived pollutants

This week, negotiators from the United States and 121 other nations agreed to ban or phase out some of the world’s most notorious chemicals. The 12 pollutants are renowned for their toxicity, long life, and propensity for leapfrogging around the world—often for decades.

Some toxic pollutants frequently leapfrog around the world, even reaching polar regions, where they can accumulate in top predators like this polar bear.