Swiss Chemical Firm Accused of Polluting Drinking Water
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Government
Swiss chemical company Lonza has been accused of violating the federal water protection act and of negligence for its role in contaminating drinking water.
Representative image, Labeled for Reuse, Source: Hurlburt Field
According to the public prosecutor’s office of canton Valais, Lonzaexternal link allowed a carcinogenic solvent to pollute the water of Visp for years but failed to do anything about it.
In an indictment filed with the district court in Visp, the prosecution says Lonza repeatedly let dangerous substances flow into and near the water. It states that Lonza’s chemical factory in Visp contaminated drinking water with dioxane between 2011 and 2012 and again between 2014 and 2017.
The 1.4-dioxane solvent is used to make products like paint, varnish, detergent, cosmetics, insecticides and herbicides. High levels – and possibly low ones, too – cause cancer in humans and pets.
Read full article: Swiss Info
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Taxonomy
- Wastewater Disposal
- Drinking Water Security
- Water Pollution
- Wastewater Treatment
- Pollution
- Chemical Analysis
- Water Pollution Control
- Drinking Water
- Hydrochemistry
- Pollution