Management and Disposal of Anthropogenic wastes and its Effects on the Antarctic Environment

As Antarctica is the only continent on Earth that does not maintain a permanent resident human population it is important to gain an understanding of how humans impact upon the local environment so the best management strategies and approaches can be defined. Throughout this review it was found that despite its vast land area and recent, comparatively low human population the necessary activities required for humans to inhabit Antarctica had a noticeable impact on Antarctic ecosystems as pathogens were found to be released from human waste products to infect local fauna and the community make up of several benthic and soil communities were altered via exposure to contaminants via fuel spills and leakage from abandoned station waste sites . Legacy waste left over from less environmentally focused periods in Antarctic history is a big problem for current managers. A more effective range of environmental measures may be required to ensure the Environmental Protocol is implemented efficiently. Many waste water treatment installations are still relatively new and the effects on the environment are as yet unknown