Environment Ministry thwarts attempt to release arsenic contaminated canned fish stock

Colombo, Oct 13 (Daily Mirror) - The Environment Ministry has thwarted an attempt to release a stock of canned fish contaminated with arsenic, a harmful heavy metal, above the permissible level to the market for composting or animal feed manufacturing, an official said. 

The stock valued USD 215,000 had been imported in 2021 but had not been released to the market after it was found to be contaminated with arsenic.

Ministry Secretary Prabhath Chandrakeerthi told the Daily Mirror that he had instructed for the repatriation of the stock without it being released to the local market for any purpose.

He said the arsenic content in the stock was found to be 1.3 milligram per kilo whereas the permissible limit is one milligram per kilo.

“We cannot allow such contaminated canned fish even to be used for animal feed or manure,” he said. 

According to an official of the Food Control and Administration Unit of Health, the permissible level of arsenic varies according to the types of food items. 

The official who wished to remain anonymous as he is not authorised to speak to the media, said the total arsenic level - organic and inorganic - had been declared as one milligram per kilo for canned fish in Sri Lanka.   

“The permissible level varies from country to country. In some countries it is five milligrams per kilo while it is two milligrams in others. We have declared it as one milligram because ours is a country plagued with a rare kidney disease caused by heavy metal contamination,” he said.