Much of the soil in the centre of Lausanne is contaminated with dioxin, it was announced on Monday. Residents have been advised to avoid local free-range eggs and certain vegetables.
This content was published on
3 minutes
Keystone-SDA/sb
Русский
ru
Лозанна — швейцарский город, отравленный диоксином?
Canton Vaud councillor Béatrice Métraux said 126 sites were studied for dioxin contamination in the western Swiss city. The problem is worse than had been expected: a total of 26 sites were found to have concentrations over the cantonal limit (100 nanograms per kilo).
The worst-polluted area is in the Old Town (640ng/kg), north of the city centre, but other badly affected areas include the Hermitage Park, the Sauvabelin forest, and the southern parts of Mont-sur-Lausanne and Epalinges; the municipalities of Pully and Prilly are less affected.
Map below shows the areas of Lausanne that are worst affected by the dioxin contamination.
The cantonal dioxin limit (100ng/kg) is low compared with neighbouring countries France and Germany, which have a 1,000ng/kg danger level.
No reason to panic
The Lausanne Unisanté health service, which carried out an analysis of the health risks, said dioxin is carcinogenic but there is no reason to panic. Only a daily absorption of large quantities of dioxin is problematic. The city’s drinking water is not affected.
Unisanté recommended that in the worst-affected areas residents should not consume local free-range eggs, courgettes, pumpkins or similar vegetables. Local fruit and vegetables should be washed properly or peeled. A special hotline and information siteExternal link has been set up for local residents.
Investigations are continuing, but the contamination in Lausanne is thought to have come from the Vallon incineration plant, which closed in 2005.
Other cantons are planning to carry out similar dioxin studies, it was reported on Monday.
Exposure through food
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), dioxins are environmental pollutants that belong to a group of dangerous chemicals known as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). They are found throughout the world in the environment, where they can persist for decades and accumulate in the food chain. More than 90% of human exposure is through food, mainly meat and dairy products, fish and shellfish.
Dioxins are mainly unwanted by-products of manufacturing processes including smelting, chlorine bleaching of paper pulp and the manufacturing of some herbicides and pesticides. Uncontrolled waste incinerators (solid waste and hospital waste) are often the worst culprits owing to incomplete burning, says the WHO.
Popular Stories
More
Workplace Switzerland
Meet the foreigners who make up a quarter of the Swiss population
What can be done to protect biodiversity in your country?
Swiss voters are set to decide on a people’s initiative calling for better protection of ecosystems in the country. Have your say on the September 22 vote.
Beleaguered Swiss watch industry calls for political support
This content was published on
The Swiss watch industry is going through difficult times as global demand declines and the strong franc piles on the pressure.
This content was published on
Hollywood star Pamela Anderson will be honoured at the Zurich Film Festival for her career and role in the film The Last Showgirl.
Switzerland to host Ukraine mine action conference in October
This content was published on
Together with Ukraine, Switzerland is organising the Ukraine Mine Action Conference (UMAC2024) in Lausanne on October 17 and 18.
Switzerland revises pension expenditure downwards by billions
This content was published on
The Swiss government has corrected downwards the projected expenditure on old-age and survivor insurance in 2033 by CHF2.5 billion ($2.66 billion).
Excess mortality rate post-Covid could persist until 2033
This content was published on
According to a report by reinsurer Swiss Re, many countries are still experiencing excess mortality following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Swiss Army ends clean-up operation in storm-hit Maggia Valley
This content was published on
The Swiss Armed Forces completed 76 flight hours during the clean-up operation following the storm in the Maggia Valley in Ticino at the end of June.
This content was published on
Over 60% of Swiss voters have thrown out a pair of initiatives aiming to ban the use of synthetic pesticides in the country.
Swiss students on the hunt for microplastics in the Alps
This content was published on
Could lakes and rivers in the Upper Engadine be transporting minuscule plastic fragments and fibres? A team of Swiss scientists wants to find out.
More rare earth metals detected at Swiss wastewater plants
This content was published on
Rare earth metals used in industry and hospitals are increasingly being detected at Swiss wastewater plants, new research shows.
Army ammo dumped in Swiss lakes presents no water quality risk
This content was published on
The defence ministry says the thousands of tons of old munitions at the bottom of Swiss lakes have not affected water quality.
This content was published on
Swiss chemical company Lonza has been accused of violating the federal water protection act and contaminating drinking water.
This content was published on
Switzerland has an international reputation for cleanliness and pristine landscape, but a team of scientists from the University of Geneva and Britain has revealed that the lake is as susceptible to plastic waste problems as the ocean. The team analysed 3,000 objects, such as toys, pens, cotton swabs, food packaging and fragments of foam and…
This content was published on
Scientists have found persistent organic pollutants (POPs) like dioxins, PCBs and DDT in sediment at the bottom of the glacier-fed Lake Oberaar in central Switzerland. But question marks remain over the potential dangers for humans or the environment. “This is the first study of its kind,” Peter Schmid, a chemist at the Swiss Federal Laboratories…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.