Health concerns over Aldi tap
A cheap Aldi tap from China has been found to contaminate water with up to 15 times the allowable lead limit.
The estimated 12,000 households that have purchased an Easy Home spiral spring mixer are being warned against using the water for drinking or cooking.
“There is a cause for concern,” said Brett Bassett, head of Queensland Building and Construction Commission, which commissioned the testing.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission also advised customers against using the $79.99 taps and said it had begun an investigation.
“If there is a risk that consumer goods may cause injury the ACCC expects suppliers and manufacturers to put voluntary recalls in place to protect consumers,” a spokesman said.
It is estimated that 3000 of the Aldi taps were sold in Queensland and another 9000 in the rest of Australia.
“That’s 12,000 homes that have been installed. How many people live in those homes? How many people could be at risk of lead contamination? This is huge,” said Master Plumbers Australia national secretary Penny Cornah.
The results of the Queensland Building and Construction Commission are even more shocking as when the tap was certified against the Australian standard, it came in well below permitted levels.
Melbourne’s IAPMO R&T Oceana cleared the tap as they found the water levels to be 9.5 times under the lead limit.
“Everything we have on file indicates the product fully complies. It looks 100 per cent kosher,” IAPMO technical adviser Glenn Tate said.
The tests for QBCC were carried out by Queensland Health’s Forensic and Scientific Services using a single tap.
Further testing will be done, including breaking a tap to find out how much lead is in the brass parts.
Last year, New Scientist magazine reported brass fittings in Australian household taps usually contain 2 to 4 per cent lead compared to a 0.25 per cent limit in the United States.
The Aldi taps were made by Chinese company Zhejiang Keen Faucet Co, based around 300km south of Shanghai.
Lead impacts the production of the protein in blood that transports oxygen. Very high levels of lead can be fatal.