I'm (unusually for me) going to have some time for hiking over the next wee while, so I went out to stock up. I wanted to get some Iodine drops for purifying water from Grampian mountains streams on my hikes. I couldn't find it anywhere.
It turns out there is a reason - it's been banned as a water purifying agent by directive from the EU! Nearly 3 years ago apparently, and I didn't notice. I couldn't believe it. Iodine has been used by generations of hikers, is naturally occurring in the body and does not produce nearly so unpleasant a taste as chlorine.
I had to settle for chlorine tablets which I do not like nearly as much. It tastes horrible, and the flavour neutralising agents can't touch it. What's more, you're basically drinking bleach.
I know chlorine is safe in the small quantities involved, but I have to say I'm rather annoyed.
Who are the EU to tell me I can't use Iodine if I want?
Swimming pool flavoured water is of course still preferable to contracting sheep intestinal parasites from untreated water, but I'd have preferred Iodine....
It turns out there is a reason - it's been banned as a water purifying agent by directive from the EU! Nearly 3 years ago apparently, and I didn't notice. I couldn't believe it. Iodine has been used by generations of hikers, is naturally occurring in the body and does not produce nearly so unpleasant a taste as chlorine.
I had to settle for chlorine tablets which I do not like nearly as much. It tastes horrible, and the flavour neutralising agents can't touch it. What's more, you're basically drinking bleach.
I know chlorine is safe in the small quantities involved, but I have to say I'm rather annoyed.
Who are the EU to tell me I can't use Iodine if I want?
Swimming pool flavoured water is of course still preferable to contracting sheep intestinal parasites from untreated water, but I'd have preferred Iodine....