It was in October last year that high levels of the pesticide DDT were found at the Örbäcken football area in Västervik.

The municipality then advised people not to stay on the site.

After several examinations, the municipality can now breathe a sigh of relief.

According to the risk assessment issued by Occupational and Environmental Medicine at the University Hospital in Linköping, the traces of the poison do not pose a danger to humans.

This is now confirmed by the environmental manager in Västervik municipality, Lars Kåremyr.

- It is not dangerous to be there and play football, it is the most important result we have reached.

Large safety margin

According to Lars Kåremyr, the area has been examined with a large safety margin.

- It has been calculated that those who are on these plans will be exposed to much more DDT than they actually are.

So even though you have calculated on a larger exposure than is actually the case, you can do it without any major risk, and that means that the risk is in reality much smaller.

Hope to get the place cleaned up

The risk assessment also showed that there was no spread of the pollution in the soil.

Lars Kåremyr also says that negotiations and discussions will be held with those responsible for the pollution, ie the state.

In Örbäcken, there was previously a state-owned nursery that used the insecticide DDT until the end of the 80s.

However, Lars Kåremyr believes that the state has caused more pollution than that and SGU (Swedish Geological Survey) must therefore investigate these cases.

- The state has caused several pollution in the country.

Of course, we want it to be cleaned up, it is the dream scenario, but we also understand that they must make an assessment of these objects and have a kind of order of priority, says Lars Kåremyr.

ARCHIVE: DDT also out on the football fields at Örbäcken

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The poison DDT has also been found in the football fields at Örbäcken in Västervik.

Photo: TT