Tea is grown all over the world and one of the great pleasures of tea drinking is sampling teas from various countries and tea plantations. Unfortunately, not all countries have the same standards regarding pesticide use, and as a tea aficionado it can be difficult to know what you may be exposed to.
There is evidence of measurable pesticide residues in tea available to consumers in various countries,[1,2,3] but an investigation by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) determined that the pesticide levels are within acceptable levels.[4]
There are more and more organic teas available on the market, which is an option for those who want to eliminate pesticide residue from their diet as much as possible. Another consideration is the effects of pesticide application and environmental residues on tea plantation workers.[5]
Finding information on this topic online takes time and energy. Most of the peer-reviewed studies on the subject are not publicly available (the hiding of information behind subscription paywalls is one of the issues we as a society must resolve before the Web will reach its full potential for improving the human condition, but I digress) and most of the articles I found with a quick Web search seem to be fairly biased. The issue is also highly politically charged, with national governments anxious to protect their citizens or their export industries, as the case may be.[6]
It's hard to come to firm conclusions on such a complex topic, but as with anything we consume, it's worth thinking about where it comes from, how it is produced, and what effects our consumption may have, not only for ourselves, but for those involved in production and for the environment.
[1] www.choice.com.au "Pesticides in tea"
[2] Z Lebensm Unters Forsch. 1986 Jun - Pesticide residues in black tea
[3] "Unsafe pesticide and lead levels: that's China to a tea", The Age, June 15 2002
[4] FSANZ "Pesticides in Tea"
[5] Occupational Environment and Skin Diseases in Pesticide Exposed Subjects in Some Tea Farms in Vietnam
[6] China Daily "Pesticide regulations impair tea industry"
Sunday, May 20, 2007
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2 comments:
inimino,
Thanks for sharing this information. During my return to regular tea drinking, I have to say that pesticides are not something I have thought about. Oddly, I have been thinking about pesticides and their harmful effects in general, but not as connected to tea. I am going to explore the links you have provided because they appear to offer a wealth of information.
I have friends who have moved to Canada from South Africa. They have told me some very frightening stories of the harms pesticides can cause on a wide variety of species.
As you observed, it is hard to find the information. Even with friends who have seen the brutal harm that pesticides can cause to animal and plant life, pesticides and their toxic revenues are just not something I think about every day.
Nevertheless, when I read your blog entry, a phrase popped into my head immediately: mindful consumption. I am not preaching any religion or spirituality here, but I would like to share a training precept from Buddhism that seems to fit well here.
Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I vow to cultivate good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking and consuming. I vow to ingest only items that preserve peace, well being, and joy in my body, in my consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family and society. I am determined not to use alcohol or any other intoxicant or to ingest foods or other items that contain toxins, such as certain TV programs, magazines, books, films and conversations. I am aware that to damage my body and my consciousness with these poisons is to betray my ancestors, my parents, my society and future generations. I will work to transform violence, fear, anger and confusion in myself and in society by practicing a diet for myself and for society. I understand that a proper diet is crucial for self transformation and the transformation of society.
Source: http://www.plumvillage.org/practice/html/5_mindfulness_trainings.htm
This causes all kinds of problems. What's considered organic in the USA isn't in the EU dues to differing standards.
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