Pesticides and microplastics: 4 out of 10 mineral waters are contaminated
19.6.2024
Translation: machine translated
Kassensturz tested ten popular mineral waters for pesticides and microplastics. The result: four contain residues. Find out here what they are and what a toxicologist and a cantonal chemist have to say about them.
"From a reliable source", "Pure and pure, as nature created it" - mineral water manufacturers like to emphasise the purity of their products. In doing so, they stimulate the thirst of many consumers. Especially because tap water increasingly contains microplastics and pesticides. But do San Pellegrino and co. really not muddy the waters?
An investigation by Kassensturz shows that they do. The consumer magazine tested ten well-known mineral waters. Four of them did not receive top marks.
One with PFBA, two with microplastics
The first contaminated mineral water is Valser. Three nanograms of perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) per litre were discovered. This is a chemical from the group of perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS), which is used in the production of water-, grease- and dirt-repellent textiles, non-stick cookware and packaging. When asked by Kassensturz, Valser said that a third-party laboratory had been unable to detect any PFBA.
Kassensturz detected microplastics in San Pellegrino. A total of 0.7 micrograms of PET per litre. According to toxicologist Davide Städler from the University of Lausanne, such impurities often arise during bottling. Nestlé says that its analysis did not reveal any such result.
Microplastics were also found in Swiss Alpina Qualité & Prix: 0.3 micrograms of polystyrene per litre. Toxicologist Davide Städler explains to Kassensturz that this often gets into the bottle via the cap or the thread when it is opened. Coop says that it has not found the substance in its own samples.
One with pesticides
Pesticides were only detected in one water tested by Kassensturz: the Henniez non-carbonated water. Specifically, it contains the fungal toxin chlorothalonil and the weedkiller chloridazon. Henniez says that tiny traces may be present in the water. However, this does not pose a health risk.
This is how dangerous the residues are
Is that true? Or do you now have to dispose of your mineral water harasses in the cellar? No. Toxicologist Davide Städler says with regard to microplastics: "The quantities are harmless to humans." And Geneva cantonal chemist Patrick Edder also emphasises to Kassensturz that the traces of pesticides in mineral water pose no risk to health.
Nevertheless, it is worth thinking about water quality. There are still no limit values for microplastics. However, the tiny plastic particles have been linked to cardiovascular diseases and infertility, for example.
Pesticides are not harmless either. New limits are constantly being set and products are being withdrawn from the market based on new findings. One example is chlorothalonil, which has been banned in Switzerland since the beginning of 2020 because it is classified as potentially carcinogenic. The Kassensturz test shows that four years later, traces of it can still be detected in Henniez.
Unbelaste.
Uncontaminated water and extra tip
If you want to drink mineral water that is as uncontaminated as possible - no residues have been detected in these six products: Aproz Cristal, Cristallo, Evian, Rhäzünser, Saskia and Denner mineral water.
And finally, an extra tip from the toxicologist: It's best to buy mineral water in glass bottles and only use PET containers once. So cheers to the first days of summer!
What do you think of the results? Do you drink tap water or mineral water? Let us know in the comments.
Darina Schweizer
Senior Editor
Darina.Schweizer@digitecgalaxus.chI love anything with four legs or roots - especially my shelter cats Jasper and Joy and my collection of succulents. My favourite things to do are stalking around with police dogs and cat coiffeurs on reportages or letting sensitive stories flourish in garden brockis and Japanese gardens.
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