In early 2014, Canadian news broadcast station, CBC Marketplace decided to test out what is lurking in our teabags. Using the testing methods used by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), CBC tested for pesticide residues in supermarket teabags.
CBC found that some of the most popular brands, including Lipton, Tetly and Twinings all contain illegal amounts of chemical residues, some of which are pesticides that are in the process of being banned in some countries.
Nearly 22 different types of pesticides are found in these teabags. Among those include endosulfan, a pesticide declared unsafe by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) in 2010 for its similar properties to dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane (DDT) and its tendency to accumulate in human bodies.
Another toxic chemical found is monochrotophos, a pesticide most commonly used against mites, spiders and ticks. Monochrotophos was declared as highly hazardous by the WHO for its high toxicity and its poisonous effect on our central nervous system – in other words, it poisons your brain.
A total of 10 popular brands were tested, and only one – Red Rose, came back free of pesticides.
Pesticide in your cup
In a study published by the CFIA in January 2014 shows that the pesticide residue may seep from the dried tea leaves into your drink through the brewing process.
Few spokespeople of the tea industry respond to this test result by declaring that the level of residue is too small to cause alarm, but environmental lawyer, David Boyd, disagrees.
Because even at small doses, pesticides can cause adverse effects, says Boyd.
Luckily, there is an easy way to avoid the risk altogether. Many organic stores now carry a huge array of delicious organic tea brands for us to choose from. With the strong regulatory control on organic products in Europe and Switzerland, you can go ahead and enjoy the hot brew peacefully, without wondering about chemical residues in your cup.
So next time, think twice before you grab that box of Lipton black tea. Besides, there are so many good things that taste better than Lipton or Twining, anyway.
The full results of the tea test conducted by CBC Market place can be found here.