Dodgy copper piping in water supply turns Swedes' hair GREEN

Visitors to a small town in Sweden could be forgiven for thinking its residents are in the midst of a punk rock revival.

For many of the 1,700 normally-blond inhabitants of Anderslov have been making a rather outlandish fashion statement - sporting bright green hair.

The bizarre look was not a deliberate attempt to create a cutting-edge new trend however.

Going green: Residents of the quiet town of Anderslov were left scratching their heads after their hair mysteriously changed colour

According to Swedish newspaper Skanskan, authorities were called in after a number of concerned residents complained that there hair had mysteriously changed colour overnight.



Environmental experts tested the water supply in several homes to see if there was a high level of copper - known to turn hair green - but recorded only normal levels of the metal.

But when hot water was left in water systems overnight, copper levels were seen to increase by up to ten times.

Investigators concluded that the water's heat was causing copper particles to peel from pipes and water heaters and contaminate the water.

And when unsuspecting residents took their regular morning shower - levels of copper were high enough to turn their hair green.

The problem was found to be worst in new homes, where pipes lacked coatings.

'The samples we took from older houses have lower copper levels,' environmental engineer Johan Pettersson told Skanskan.