– From Boliden’s side, we want this research project to create a stronger basis that can make the recommendations and dialogue with the public clearer and more useful. To get there, we need better knowledge about what people actually eat, where the foods come from and how metal levels vary between different locations,” says Erik Spinnel, Environmental Manager at Boliden Rönnskär.
Since the late 1970s, Boliden has regularly examined metal levels in local vegetables and berries around Rönnskär. Samples from, among other things, currants and lettuce have been analysed as part of monitoring programmes, with a particular focus on lead and cadmium. In recent years, targeted studies of wild berries and mushrooms have also been carried out.
The results show that metal levels in local crops can be higher than in foods from ordinary shops or from areas without heavy industry. Today, the recommendation is to completely avoid eating mushrooms that have grown near the smelter, and to limit the consumption of berries and other plant-based foods from the nearby area.
The new initiative, led by Associate Professor Anna Augustsson at Linnaeus University, will provide more detailed answers to questions that have so far been difficult to answer: which foods are most problematic, which are safer, which geographical areas should be avoided and how far from the smelter one needs to go, for example, to pick mushrooms. Anna has also previously collaborated with Boliden Rönnskär on these issues in dialogue with the public.
Research with local roots
The research project will be carried out during 2027 and 2028 and will examine which local foods residents in the area eat, in what quantities and where the foods come from. The project will also analyse metal levels in several different types of food, with a geographical spread that makes it possible to distinguish between risks in different areas.
– An important part of the project is to connect the research to people’s everyday lives. By combining sampling with knowledge about how berries, mushrooms and cultivated crops are actually used, we can make more relevant health risk assessments,” says Anna Augustsson, Associate Professor at Linnaeus University.
Residents in the relevant areas around Rönnskär will be given the opportunity to take part and contribute. This may involve showing where they usually pick berries and mushrooms, or submitting samples from their own gardens for free analysis. There will also be an opportunity to provide feedback on the approach and to see how the results are used in the risk assessments.
Timeline
- Autumn 2026: An initial public dialogue meeting is planned, together with a digital survey about experiences of living in the area.
- Summer 2027: Practical sample collection begins. At this stage, residents in the relevant areas can, as mentioned, participate and contribute to the collection.
- 2027–2028: The research project is carried out under the leadership of Linnaeus University.
Until the research project has been completed and new supporting data is available, the previous advice and recommendations communicated by Boliden remain in place, both directly to residents and via Boliden’s website.
For more information, please contact:
Per Sundberg
Head of Communications, Boliden Rönnskär
073 020 36 12
per.sundberg@boliden.com