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Many consumers trust bottled water for its purity. However, revelations of this October 31 raise critical questions about the safety and practices of the water industry. At the heart of an investigation carried out by Mediapartanalyzes point to a high concentration of arsenic.
Classified as a carcinogen, excess arsenic in consumer products represents a danger for the populations. But which water brands are these? And what measures are in place to protect consumers?
Water bottles contaminated with arsenic
The report in question, dated June 2022 and written by company engineers Mediaparthas been kept secret until today. The document describes in detail 20 breaches of water quality regulations et increase in environmental contamination.
What particularly attracts attention is the alert launched by experts concerning the presence of arsenic. The levels would exceed safety standards.
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The analyzes of Mediapart show that some water bottles could contain a concentration of arsenic up to 13 µg/L. This level is, of course, beyond the authorized limit of 10 µg/L.
To limit this arsenic content, the company would have implemented a manganese dioxide (MnO2) filtration system. However, this treatment only covers 60% of the water produced.
The rest therefore does not undergo any treatment, and bottled water represents a mixture of these two sources. Therefore, there would be a risk that the final product has arsenic levels above standards.
Three brands pointed out
Among the brands cited in the report are three big names in mineral water: Hépar, Contrex and Vittel. These bottles of water, sold under the Nestlé umbrella, are highly prized for their purity and health benefits. The investigation reveals, however, that these waters would be the most exposed to exceeding arsenic thresholds.
The revelations prompted health authorities to open a thorough investigationincluding the DGCCRF, the IGAS and the Vosges Regional Health Agency.
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These water bottles are urgently recalled, they contain a substance banned in France
Furthermore, during a inspection in production plants located in this region, disturbing elements would have been discovered. Concealed structures, stainless steel walls hiding certain equipment, and even undeclared treatment systems.
Faulty handling of water bottles
Experts also report a filter wear which would reduce the efficiency of filtration. This flaw further accentuates the risk of exceeding the authorized arsenic thresholds.
Arsenic levels detected in untreated water sometimes reach 30 µg/L. However, forecasts predicted a maximum concentration of 24 µg/L. This difference of 40% shows a significant gap and calls into question the group’s ability to guarantee the quality of its water bottles.
In a context where consumer confidence is crucial, these revelations call for a rapid and transparent response from the company. Nestlé defends itself by asserting misinterpretation of the report. For the incriminated group, the study contained hypotheses, not certainties.
However, many questions remain, particularly on the concrete measures taken to correct possible water quality problems.
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