Coke, Pepsi found to contain pesticides
The Indian state of Rajastan has banned the sale of Coke and Pepsi soft drinks until the manufacturers disclose the ingredients that go into their beverages, the AFP has reported. This development has come almost exactly three years from the day the Center for Science and the Environment reported the results of its first study showing higher-than-allowed levels of pesticides in soft drinks.
The Center recently published a new study, which tested 57 samples of 11 Coca Cola and PepsiCo brands from 25 manufacturing plants in 12 states found three to five pesticide residues in every sample -- including DDT, lindane, chlorpyrifos, malathion. A bottle of Coke from Calcutta, for instance, contained 140 times more than the allowed levels of the pesticide Lindane. While the average fell from 34 times the amounts allowed to 24 times, between the 2003 study and the recent one, amounts found in bottles in some cities, including Calcutta, Nainital and Ghoragpur had risen to higher levels.
These pesticides cause several serious conditions, including liver, kidney and immune system damages, cancer and even death.
Critics of the two companies have condemned them for taking advantage of the lack of regulations in India to lower their production standards. Several news outlets, however, have reported the Indian Softdrink Manufacturers' Association as saying that soft drinks manufactured in India comply with stringent international standards.
The manufacturers came under fire in 2003, but so did the CSE. In the latest issue of Down to Earth ,the CSE team protests vigorously against the way they were treated, both by the companies and by the Indian government after releasing their findings in 2003, which included questions about the study's veracity and its methodolgy. The CSE, however, managed to vindicate itself, when the Joint Parliamentary Committee assigned to look into the matter, backed the Center.
The companies seem to be pointing the finger at the CSE again. But this time, one party at least, has taken the CSE's side. The state government of Rajastan has called for the companies to reveal exactly what's in their beverages if they want to keep its customers in the desert state. Interestingly enough, it seems to be the only state to have done so. Are the others waiting to see what the Central Government will do? Are they waiting to see if enforcement of the rules created after 2003 will take place? Or do they subscribe to the arguments of Coca Cola and PepsiCo that customer interests come first, and that, as long as there's demand for their products, they'll keep selling them?
The Center recently published a new study, which tested 57 samples of 11 Coca Cola and PepsiCo brands from 25 manufacturing plants in 12 states found three to five pesticide residues in every sample -- including DDT, lindane, chlorpyrifos, malathion. A bottle of Coke from Calcutta, for instance, contained 140 times more than the allowed levels of the pesticide Lindane. While the average fell from 34 times the amounts allowed to 24 times, between the 2003 study and the recent one, amounts found in bottles in some cities, including Calcutta, Nainital and Ghoragpur had risen to higher levels.
These pesticides cause several serious conditions, including liver, kidney and immune system damages, cancer and even death.
Critics of the two companies have condemned them for taking advantage of the lack of regulations in India to lower their production standards. Several news outlets, however, have reported the Indian Softdrink Manufacturers' Association as saying that soft drinks manufactured in India comply with stringent international standards.
The manufacturers came under fire in 2003, but so did the CSE. In the latest issue of Down to Earth ,the CSE team protests vigorously against the way they were treated, both by the companies and by the Indian government after releasing their findings in 2003, which included questions about the study's veracity and its methodolgy. The CSE, however, managed to vindicate itself, when the Joint Parliamentary Committee assigned to look into the matter, backed the Center.
The companies seem to be pointing the finger at the CSE again. But this time, one party at least, has taken the CSE's side. The state government of Rajastan has called for the companies to reveal exactly what's in their beverages if they want to keep its customers in the desert state. Interestingly enough, it seems to be the only state to have done so. Are the others waiting to see what the Central Government will do? Are they waiting to see if enforcement of the rules created after 2003 will take place? Or do they subscribe to the arguments of Coca Cola and PepsiCo that customer interests come first, and that, as long as there's demand for their products, they'll keep selling them?
posted by Anonymous at 4:31 PM
1 Comments:
Pesticides in soft drinks? Go figure.
Of course, one wonders about the "acceptable" ingredients as well... though, this is up to the imbiber to decide.
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