[ad_1]
Australian households were officially asked to operate their faucets for at least 30 seconds in the morning, fearing lead poisoning from plumbing products.
This alert was launched in July by enHealth – a standing committee representing the federal, state, and territorial health departments, the National Council for Medical Research and Health and the New Brunswick Department of Health. Zealand – but has not been widely disseminated.
Although lead is rarely used in water pipes in Australia, it is still widely used in a "range of plumbing products" such as brbad fittings. It can dissolve in drinking water "especially when water has been in prolonged contact with these brbad plumbing products".
Lead exposure can cause a wide range of symptoms, ranging from muscle aches and fatigue to abdominal pain, headaches, nausea and vomiting, convulsions and coma. Infants and children are particularly vulnerable because lead can interfere with brain development.
"Infants who drink preparations prepared with lead-contaminated water may be at higher risk because of the large volume of water that they consume relative to the size of their body." body, "indicates the alert.
Although World Health Organization guidelines state that no level of lead exposure is safe, Australian standards allow for a maximum lead content of 4.5% in brbad fittings, compared to 0.25% in the United States and Canada.
according to The daily telegraph, this figure should be brought in line with international standards in a review of plumbing connections currently underway by state and territory regulatory authorities through the Australian Building Codes Board.
The Health Alert indicates that homeowners can "proactively reduce their potential exposure to lead in drinking water" by using a number of measures.
They include "use cold taps only for drinking and cooking", "run cold water taps used for drinking and cooking for about 30 seconds in the early morning to suck fresh water at the tap "and" for about two to three minutes after long periods of non-use, for example when returning from vacation ".
"Households do not need to have their water tested for lead," he adds. "The recommendation is to follow the measures of good practice above. By following these steps, you can also reduce your potential exposure to other metals in the plumbing, such as copper and nickel. "
These ALDI faucets could be an affordable solution for your kitchen, but are they safe? The QBCC, the construction watchdog in Queensland, found that large amounts of lead in the water ran through these faucets.
Is this ALDI faucet safe for your family?
Originally published under the title Health warning for tap water
Source link
