Wyss then adressed a current example: slightly elevated levels of 1,2,4-triazole were recently measured in Lake Geneva. But how dangerous is this really? He cited a joint statement by the cantonal authorities of Vaud, Geneva and Valais, noting that a person would need to drink up to 900 litres of water per day to reach a harmful dose. This clearly illustrates how large safety margins actually are. For Michael Beer, concerns are still legitimate: 'Society has to decide how much it wants to protect its drinking water, which risks it is prepared to accept – and which not.'
To make exactly these decisions, the public depends on transparent communication, says Sara Stalder, Managing Director of the Consumer Protection Foundation. However, she puts the entire debate into perspective. Among the public, she does not perceive any panic about residue levels. 'Many people don’t even know what residue levels mean,' she explains. Much more problematic, she says, is the uncertainty triggered by current headlines: 'Consumers never know what to believe. One study claims a certain value is very harmful to health – and then counter-studies show the opposite.' Above all, it is important not to mislead consumers. 'In Switzerland, many assume that what they eat and drink is of good quality.' And the fact that agriculture is immediately blamed for any exceedance of limits is due - she says - to the simple visibility of crop protection application – unlike, for example, residues from cosmetics.
Bans can create new problems
Dominique Werner from scienceindustries warned against rash reactions and political quick fixes: 'Bans rarely solve problems – they often create new ones, because alternatives are not necessarily better or more sustainable. Innovation does not arise from bans, but from the research industry’s inherent drive for continuous improvement.'
The industry, Werner continued, has a strong interest in reducing emissions and finding solutions. 'Hazardous chemicals are only used when truly necessary. We also want clean water and safe products.'
He reminded the audience that industry is also part of society: 'We are all consumers. And we, too, don’t want to leave problems to our children.'
Between science and perception
All three panelists agreed: modern analytics can detect even the tiniest traces of chemical residues today. But the smaller the values, the more difficult the communication becomes. 'We need to clearly name uncertainties,' said Beer. 'That builds trust.'
After the engaging discussion, a Q&A session followed. The evening concluded with an apéro riche, where further conversations about residue values, responsibility and trust continued.
