# pollution and eating sea veggies

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pollution-and-eating-sea-veggies/70032>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 25, 2001, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pollution-and-eating-sea-veggies/70032 "2001-06-25T02:45:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![curiousgeorgeordeadcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@curiousgeorgeordeadcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curiousgeorgeordeadcat)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pollution-and-eating-sea-veggies/70032/1 "2001-06-25T02:45:03Z")

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I saw some seaweed and other sea veggies on sale at the  
supermarket, and I was tempted to try some, but I had second  
thoughts due to ocean pollution. But I realize I have no  
evidence ocean pollution is any more a problem in eating  
sea veggies than other forms of pollution are in eating  
non-sea veggies. Is there any evidence, or am I just being  
silly?

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**Author:** ![mmmiiikkkeee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@mmmiiikkkeee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmmiiikkkeee)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pollution-and-eating-sea-veggies/70032/2 "2001-06-25T07:32:29Z")

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Seaweeds, especially packaged from a store, will be safe in all likelihood. Some parts of the ocean are polluted, some aren’t. The places where kelp or other plants are harvested from or cultured tend to have reasonable tidal currents flowing around them which would keep any pollution relativly dilute. The growers or harvesters aren’t likely to do their thing in polluted waters, and usually look for the best areas with clean, nutrient-rich water. There are also health regulations that have to be met for food products, another safety feature. Ocean plants aren’t treated with any fertilizers or pesticides, so they only come into contact with what is in their environment. Land plants are a different story… even with a much higher chance of contamination, you seldom get sick from residues on land plants; due to the washing and/or processing regulations. There might be a report or two floating around somewhere in the world, but by and large you’re quite safe eating sea plants.

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**Author:** ![Spritle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Spritle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spritle)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pollution-and-eating-sea-veggies/70032/3 "2001-06-25T17:18:02Z")

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Whatever you do, do **NOT** put sea cucumbers on your salad!! :D:D

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**Author:** ![curiousgeorgeordeadcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@curiousgeorgeordeadcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curiousgeorgeordeadcat)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pollution-and-eating-sea-veggies/70032/4 "2001-06-28T03:21:39Z")

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This thread is in danger of dying before I get the  
information I want, so I did a search on the internet  
myself.  
At [http://www.celtic-seasalt.com/maincoasseav1.html](http://www.celtic-seasalt.com/maincoasseav1.html)  
I learned there that there is an  
“Organic Crop Improvement Association” (OCIA)  
I quote the same website as follows about sea harvesting:  
“The OCIA standards also allow a harvester to work three  
miles from an industrial discharge area, two miles from a  
city or town sewage discharge, three miles from a major  
harbor, and twenty miles from a nuclear facility! Have  
you ever checked out Portland or Boston Harbor? Not much can  
grow there, and you wouldn’t eat it if it did! These  
distances from sources of pollution are not enough.”  
I don’t know anything about dilution of pollution and  
ocean currents, but this sounds pretty scary to me.  
Anyone know some solid facts on this issue?