LEAD CONTAMINATION

NEWS: Lead contamination in 26% of vegetables samples in Bengaluru: CPCB

ABOUT

• Study by the Environment Management and Policy Research Institute (EMPRI) about heavy metal concentration in many of the 400 samples
• The National Green Tribunalàordered the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to–>examine the report of the EMPRI
• Five-member committee that collected 72 samples of vegetables.

KEY FINDINGS

• 19 contained lead higher than the prescribed limits as per the results of the test conducted in a FSSAI approved laboratory.
• Sample of brinjal, branded as organicà contained 1.953 mg/kg of lead, about 20 times more than the prescribed limit of 0.1 mg/kg.
  • It was about 18 times higher than the limit in little gourds (tondekai).
• Flat bean had 1.825 mg/kg of lead, nine times higher than the prescribed limit of 0.2 mg/kg.
• Leafy greens and cabbage samples contained five times more amount of lead than the prescribed limit of 0.3 mg/kg
• Collected 26 soil samples from 13 locations in Kolar, Chikkaballapur and Nelamangalaà 23 samples were found to be contaminated
• Tests found residues of 12 pesticides exceeding the limit prescribed by the FSSR standards

Highly toxic monocrotophos

• Banned in 2023 in India with an additional year to clear the stocks
• The samples of chilli bajji contained two times more monocrotophos than the prescribed limit of 0.2 mg/kg