Chemicals of concern

Experts sound the alarm: water resources under threat

Chemicals were discovered in the water and even in mineral water.

(Bild: Global 2000)

Because traces of particularly harmful chemicals have even been found in mineral water, GLOBAL 2000 is criticizing politicians and the agricultural lobby! The demand is for rapid filtering of the contamination.

Clean drinking water - actually a matter of course in Austria. However, new studies are clouding this picture. The samples, which were meticulously taken down to the last drop, reveal an alarming level of contamination with the highly toxic chemical TFA (trifluoroacetate), a degradation product of pesticides.

The facts are alarming: on average, ten times the permitted EU limit value for this type of contamination was detected at official measuring points. Peak values such as those from the Tullnerfeld (Lower Austria) are even 300 times higher! Generally particularly affected: intensively farmed regions in Styria, Burgenland and Upper and Lower Austria. Individual domestic mineral water brands are also contaminated - albeit to a lesser extent.

Mineral water during bottling

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/Sergey Klopotov)

TFA

• enters the groundwater mainly as a degradation product of PFAS pesticides
• Contamination levels higher than from other man-made chemicals
• is toxic to reproduction in animal experiments
• is a persistent chemical
• currently no official monitoring and no limit values

To date, there is not a single officially ordered drinking water test for TFA perpetuating chemicals in Austria.

GLOBAL-2000-Öko-Chemiker Helmut Burtscher-Schaden

Other countries have stricter values
This also worries the ecological veteran Helmut Belanyecz: Nobody knows how many water supply systems are also massively contaminated, he says. "There is no comprehensive overview. The operators often have no idea what quantities of this eternal chemical are flowing through their pipes," confirms Helmut Burtscher-Schaden, environmental chemist at GLOBAL 2000. His concern: instead of tackling the problem decisively, Austria could soon adopt a limit value that was already set in Germany in 2020 - but without taking into account the particular risks for children and infants. A fatal mistake. After all, other countries such as the Netherlands and Belgium have long had stricter values that actually provide protection.

The German limit value would still classify even the worst values measured in Austria to date as 'harmless'. This is absolutely irresponsible, Burtscher-Schaden specifies his criticism.

Political failure and delayed transparency
While renowned scientists are sounding the alarm all the more clearly in crystal-clear terms, politicians are apparently mired in inaction. "For years, there have been discussions about an urgently needed pesticide application database that could finally provide clarity about where, when and in what quantities toxic chemicals are applied. A feasibility study has already been carried out - but it is lying unused in a drawer," says Olga Voglauer, agriculture spokesperson for the Greens, sounding the alarm!

Even the tiniest milligram of pesticide sprayed in nature must be precisely documented. We need a database.

Abgeordnete Olga Voglauer (Grüne)

So while pesticides are poisoning our water in an uncontrolled manner, more and more species are dying. TFA remains in the water cycle - with unknown long-term consequences. Germany has now applied for it to be classified as "harmful to reproduction". GLOBAL 2000 is calling for a legal drinking water limit that provides real protection - especially for children and pregnant women. The last chance to set the right course lies with the outgoing Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens). If he fails to act, his successor must make this a priority immediately, Greenpeace boss Alex Egit also demanded.