Global warming is accelerating the release of mercury that had been trapped for millennia in glaciers and other frozen environments. The melting of Antarctica is releasing 6.5 tons of mercury into the ocean each year, one of the most dangerous pollutants on the planet.
A recently published study reveals that the release of mercury from the melting of glaciers on the Antarctic Peninsula has increased by 550% since the pre-industrial era. Researchers warn that pollutants accumulated in high mountain ranges could also end up flowing into water as glaciers continue to melt and permafrost thaws.
