Highly toxic pesticides found in Lipton tea bags

(Ecns.cn)--Tea bags produced by Lipton, the world's best-selling brand, were found to contain highly toxic pesticides that are banned for use on tea plants by the Chinese government, according to reports citing an original report released on Monday by the International environmental organization Greenpeace.

Greenpeace appeals to Lipton to repair its product supply chain, establish a complete products tracing system, and stop using the illegal pesticides on its plants.

In March 2012, Greenpeace randomly purchased several Lipton tea bags produced and sold in China. The samples, which included green tea, oolong tea, jasmine tea and black tea, were then sent to an independent third-party lab for pesticide residue testing.

The test result was shocking, and all four kinds of Lipton samples contained pesticides that exceeded the EU's maximum levels of residue, while three samples contained pesticides unapproved by the EU, such as Bifenthrin, which scientists say could negatively affect male hormone production.

Some of the detected pesticides are also banned for use in tea production by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture, including the highly toxic Methomyl, as well as Dicofol and Endosulfan – substances that may affect fertility.

"Lipton in general is committed to minimizing toxic agrochemicals in its products, but it is doing the exact opposite in China," said Wang Jing, Greenpeace Food and Agriculture Campaigner, "Lipton is taking advantage of China's weak pesticide control enforcement at the expense of its Chinese customers."

Lipton now joins the shameful ranks of nine top Chinese tea companies whom Greenpeace also found to be selling pesticide-laced tea. A previous Greenpeace report released on April 11 showed that all 18 tea samples produced by the nine tea brands, when tested, contained at least three kinds of pesticides. 

Lipton's owner, Unilever, said Tuesday on its Weibo that Lipton products fit the standards imposed by the Chinese government and that the company always behaves responsibly to its customers.