Rotten eggs: Toxic link in medical waste

The NGO coordinated the study in India as part of a worldwide campaign by the International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN). Eggs from a total of 20 countries accross five continents were also examined. In comparison to other countries, the Indian samples (of six eggs) were found to have almost five and a half times more dioxins in the samples collected from Belarus, Czech Republic, two times higher than those observed in samples from Slovakia. The egg samples from the other countries were from near municipal waste incinerators and chemical plants.

The aim of the study was to see if free-range chicken eggs might contain persistent organic pollutants (POPs), said the NGO. ‘‘We have never looked at dioxins as they are an unintended byproduct. And also dioxin monitoring is very expensive. The results of the study are a wake up call to please do something about this and acknowledge that there is a problem’’ said Ravi Aggarwal of Toxics links.

In India the eggs were collected from the neighbourhood of Lucknow’s Queen Mary’s Hospital where there is a medical waste incinerator. Incinerators are known to produce dioxins and eggs were chosen because they are a common food item and POPs are stored in the fatty areas, the NGO said.

The egg samples were tested in a Czech laboratory, Axys Varilab, which is counted among the three laboratories worldwide that have met with the World Health Organisation criteria for testing of dioxins.

The Stockholm Convention came into force last May and it looks at reducing and eliminating POPs. India is a signatory but hasn’t ratified it. The NGO said that there is a need for India to ratify it now.

The NGO also criticised the mushrooming medical incinerators, which are among the highest sources of dioxins worldwide.