Polar bear cubs

"A poisoned Inuk child, a poisoned Arctic, and a poisoned planet are all one and the same." Sheila Watt Cloutier, chair (2002-06) of Inuit Circumpolar Conference

The Arctic acts as a final "sink" where pollutants become trapped
There is a tendency for many chemicals to move from warmer to colder climates. The so-called "Persistent Organic Pollutants" (POPs) are highly volatile, man-made chemicals that easily evaporate into the air but are slow to degrade.

Pollutants are also transported to the Arctic via ocean and river currents, melting sea-ice, and migratory birds.

Plants and wildlife take up toxins through contaminated air, soil, water, and food. Arctic animals, such as polar bears, whales and seals, are long-lived and have high levels of fat to insulate them against the cold climate.
Many toxins accumulate in fat and animals with a long life span have time to build up high levels of toxins in their bodies. As animals use their fat reserves during periods of hibernation, toxins become more concentrated in blood, organs, and their remaining fat.
Toxin levels increase moving up the food chain (a process called biomagnification) and are highest in top predators, such as polar bears and wolves. Humans are at the very top of the food chain and Arctic indigenous peoples are exposed to contaminants through a traditional diet.