Herbal medicines sold in Britain have been found to contain ‘unsafe’ levels of pesticides.
An investigation into traditional Chinese remedies readily available in the UK found many contain a potentially toxic cocktail of chemical residues.
Although small doses of a pesticide are considered relatively harmless, long-term exposure has been linked with hormone disruption, male reproductive problems and damage to the development of unborn babies.
At least three million Britons are thought to consult a herbal specialist every year.
In a six month period between November 2012 and April 2013, Greenpeace investigators bought seven kinds of herbal products imported from China for testing - chrysanthemum, wolfberry, honeysuckle, dried lily bulb, san qi root, Chinese date and rosebud – from retailers in seven countries, including the UK.
All the products are among the most commonly dispensed by herbalists for medicinal use, and considered popular amongst health-conscious consumers and Asian communities.
Of the 29 samples from British and European herbal stores, independent analysis showed that 26 contained pesticide residue exceeding the maximum safe limits.
One honeysuckle sample alone – bought from a UK retailer – contained traces of 17 pesticides, of which eight exceeded European safety levels.
The annual international export value of the industry is £4 billion a year.
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