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The Conversation
The Conversation
Environment
Colin McCarter, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Arts and Science, Nipissing University

Pollution timebombs: Contaminated wetlands are ticking towards ignition

Pollution the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
A flaming peatland fire in Alberta, Canada. (Greg Verkaik), Author provided

Wetlands across the globe have long served as natural repositories for humanity’s toxic legacy, absorbing and retaining hundreds to thousands of years’ worth of pollution.

These swampy vaults have quietly been trapping air and water pollution for thousands of years, protecting the world from some of the worst effects of lead, mercury, copper, nickel and other poisonous materials.

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