Posted By Descarte Maybe they should go in to the market of alternative / biofuels? In the tests, a batch of the Co-op's low-calorie bitter lemon drink with a best before date of June 2006, had the highest benzene level of 28 ppb In the UK, drinking water should have a benzene level of no more than one part per billion, WHO limits are 10ppb Full story here and other products here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4864226.stm The other drinks with above WHO levels were: Popstar's still sugar-free lemon and lime drink - best before 22 April - 17 ppb Hyberry's no-added sugar blackcurrant squash - best before September - 12 ppb Morrisons' no-added sugar pineapple and grapefruit crush - best before July - 11 ppb Guess this is similar to the food dye scare that happened last year

Posted By Ron Impey I'll drink to that! The following site is worth registering on for e-mail product recall notifications. http://www.ukrecallnotice.co.uk/

Posted By Robert K Lewis Stephen Where are you getting your figures from? I've tested the engineers callibrating the forecourt pumps for weights and measures purposes. They handle significant amounts in open air and come nowhere near these. If they had there would have been significabnt concerns and cessations of work. Remember also that many of these drinks are designed for children who tend not, I would guess, to fill fuel tanks. Do we really want the additional risk even at a very low level. I remember my days as a benzene worker with the regular blood tests simply because it was a recognised initiator of Lukaemeia and other cancers. The point is that it does not need to be there at all. Bob

Posted By Stephen D. Clarke I thought from previous reading years ago that petroleum can legally contain up to 5% benzene that is 50,000ppm, it is a volatile solvent, if it's present in the liquid spirit one would expect it to evaporate readily. In the US I think benzene is removed to bring the max level down to 1% but this is costly. The HSE document below appears to back up my thoughts re. that benzene is in petrol at % levels. http://www.hse.gov.uk/LAU/lacs/57-4.htm A New Scientist report in 2004 linked childhood leukaemia with proximity to service stations. http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6301

Posted By Smurfer Considering the WEL for benzene is 1ppm, I would be VERY surprised if I was breathing in 50,000ppm at a filling station (especially as I use diesel...)!!!! Me thinks the accuracy of your data is somewhat awry.

Posted By Robert K Lewis Benzene is not banned and is widely used for back extraction and other industrial refining processes. Like all organic solvents it has its problems and low permitted exposures. All petrol contains around 2-5% of benzene. The exposure of even 4000ppm for a maximum 30 seconds once or twice per week is still not high. These figures were not taken in the breathing zone but 300mm from the filler cap. Bob

Posted By Robert K Lewis Stephen If you look at the schedule 2 entry for benzene it states: Column 1 Benzene and any substance containing benzene in a concentration equal to or greater than 0.1 per cent by mass, other than - (a) motor fuels covered by Council Directive 85/210/EEC (OJ No. L96, 3.4.85, p. 25); (b) waste covered by Council Directives 75/442/EEC (OJ No. L194, 25.7.75, p. 39), as amended by Council Directive 91/156/EEC (OJ No. L78, 26.3.91, p. 32), and 91/689/EEC (OJ No. L377, 31.12.91, p. 20). Column 2 Use for all purposes except - (a) use in industrial processes; and (b) for the purposes of research and development or for the purpose of analysis This only amounts to a ban for domestic use and in general commercial premises. The significant use of benzene is not prohibited in industrial manufacture, laboratories and similar facilities. The use of the word ban has emotive content and makes it appear that there is a total embargo on the use of the material. It is one of the words that we need to consider carefully before we use it. That said I think it is totally right to say that there should be a BAN on the mixing of two substances in a soft drink creating a possibility of causing an unnecessary exposure to benzene, it is still a carcinogenic material and its use and exposure are rightly controlled. Bob

Posted By Robert K Lewis Gary The imbibers of the benzene are not at work so I fail to see how COSHH applies. This is a food and consumer protection issue. Yes the press have created a storm over it but the issue remains that the creation of benzene in-situ can be avoided but the industry has continued as it has previously done and mixed the two substances. No sodium benzoate = no benzene problem. Bob

Posted By Jonathan Breeze Sorry Paul, run that one by me again? It is the consumers fault because they demanded that the suppliers put ingredients in their drinks that react together to form benzene. Nice - I'd have liked to see the minutes of that focus group! Do you have a source for that claim?

Posted By Jonathan Breeze Is he still the industry representative I wonder?