VANCOUVER — A new study says sea otters in British Columbia have been found to be contaminated with so-called forever chemicals found in food packaging, non-stick cookware, cosmetics, electronics and other products.
The study published in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry says samples from dead otters collected off the B.C. coast between 2016 and 2021 showed varying concentrations of several chemicals in the animals’ liver and skeletal muscle tissue.
The study say otters collected near major cities and shipping routes had triple the concentrations of the contaminants, but the threat to the animals’ health posed by the chemicals is unknown.
Researchers say the study is the first to examine forever chemical accumulation in B.C. sea otters, filling a “geographical gap” after the chemicals have been found in the animals in other locations, including California, Washington, Alaska and Russia.
The study says there were eight different compounds identified that have entered the food chain and accumulated in the sea otters, which researchers say is a “keystone species” that can shed light on contamination levels of ecosystems near shorelines.
The study says the long-term consequences of forever chemical accumulation remains unknown, but it’s the first study of its kind on the otters in the region to help with future studies and their recovery efforts.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2025.
The Canadian Press
