New Report Finds Toxic Bottled Water at Wal-Mart
Posted in:
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) tested ten brands of bottled water and found that Wal-Mart’s “Sam’s Choice” contained chemical levels higher than is legal in California, and exceeding voluntary limits set by the industry.
The study found that 10 popular brands of bottled water, purchased from grocery stores and other retailers in 9 states and the District of Columbia, contained 38 chemical pollutants altogether, with an average of 8 contaminants in each brand. The group is not disclosing most of the brand names at this point, but did single out Wal Mart’s “Sam’s Choice,” as a brand to be wary of.
The Environmental Working Group found that some of the Sam’s Choice bottled water bought from stores in Mountain View and Oakland, California, came from the Las Vegas Valley Water District’s public water supply, which is sometimes chlorinated. Scott Huntley, a spokesman for the Las Vegas Valley Water District, said he had no knowledge that Wal-Mart was using Las Vegas’s water supply for bottling.
On Tuesday, the Environmental Working Group filed a notice to sue Wal-Mart, stating that the chain did not effectively warn the public about the health risks of their bottled water.
- » See also: Study Suggests Insecticide Causes Lupus and Arthritis
- » Get Planetsave by RSS or sign up by email.
“Our study was a snapshot of the marketplace. We found some brands that provided good quality and other brands that contained various chemical pollutants. What this shows is that consumers cannot have confidence. They don’t know what they’re getting,” said Olga Naidenko, a toxicologist at the Environmental Working Group and lead author of the bottled-water study.
Wal Mart thus far has offered the following response:
“Both our suppliers’ tests and tests from an additional external laboratory are not showing any reportable amounts of chlorine or chlorine byproducts. We’re disappointed that the EWG has not shared more details with us as we continue to investigate this matter,” said Shannon Frederick, senior communications manager at Wal-Mart’s corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. “We’re puzzled by the EWG’s findings.”
For specifics on toxins found in the water, check out the actual report from EWG.
Photo Source: Flickr under a Creative Commons Lisence
Social Web