How exposed are we to pesticides in everyday life? A recent analysis by West Swiss Radio and Television (RTS) provides alarming answers. Of 54 hair samples examined from Western Swiss cantons and Bern, 52 showed residues of up to eight different pesticide substances, averaging two per person.
Hair is particularly well-suited as an indicator because it can store pesticides over longer periods. The approximately six-centimeter long strands allowed for tracking exposure over the past six months. Toxicologist Aurélie Berthet from the University of Lausanne explains: Some substances enter the hair via the blood, while others directly from inhaled ambient air.
The most frequently detected substance was permethrin, an active ingredient widely used in insect sprays, found in 84% of participants. Notably, permethrin is not approved for use in Swiss agriculture. Most of the detected substances therefore do not originate from the agricultural sector but from household products, ranging from insect sprays to wood preservatives and even tiger mosquito repellents.
In individual cases, the origin of the substances could even be specifically traced. One participant showed residues of a wood preservative she had used five years prior. Ecotoxicologist Nathalie Chèvre from the University of Lausanne warns: Such coatings release active ingredients into the air as long as they are active, which can sometimes be up to ten years.
Health conclusions cannot yet be drawn from the results, as there are no reference values for pesticide concentrations in hair. However, the study clearly shows that we live in an environment characterized by chemical substances. These are substances that can be toxic to both humans and the soil ecosystem.
Image: created with the help of AI
Text source: Alexandre Willemin / RTS, SRF