Chemical wax smeared on skis may be in the food chain

WAX used by skiers and snowboarders on the bottom of skis and boards to enhance their glide down the slopes could have a devastating impact on wildlife, a study suggests.

Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found that perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in ski wax accumulate in the environment around skiing areas.

In humans, the chemicals have been shown to disrupt the immune system, interfere with hormones and increase the risk of cancer.

Scientists gathered earthworms and bank voles from around Granåsen Ski Centre in Trondheim, Norway, and compared them to a forested areas nine miles away that was not used for skiing.

In earthworms, two compounds were found at significantly higher levels at the ski resort, while bank voles from Granåsen had 5.7 times higher levels of the compounds in their livers.

Although the detected PFAS were below toxicity thresholds, the jump in levels between worms and the voles that eat them suggests that the compounds could be accumulating at far higher levels in predators further up the food chain. They could even eventually be consumed by humans.

Randi Grønnestad, a doctoral student who led the research, said: “These contaminants are very persistent in the environment, so they remain for decades, and can accumulate in the food web.”

Mr Grønnestad’s research was published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.