New limit to daily allowable dioxin + furan + PCBs intake recommended by Health Council of the Netherlands.

[Emmanuel de Broux <edebroux@tornado.be>]

Dear correspondents,

I have received the following 116-page report :

Health Council of the Netherlands: Committee on Risk Evaluation of
Substances/Dioxins. Dioxins. Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins,
dibenzofurans and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls. Rijswijk: Health
Council of the Netherlands, 1996; publication no. 1996/10E - ISBN: 90-5549-115-2

Address mentioned in report is:

Gezondheidsraad
Postbus 1236
NL-2280 CE Rijswijk
Phone + 31 70 340 75 20
Fax + 31 70 340 75 23

The cover letter signed by Professor J.J. Sixma to the Dutch Minister of
Health, Welfare and Sports says:

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In contrast with the human exposure limit, that includes all dioxin-like
substances, the ecotoxicological exposure limits are restricted to dioxin.
Only for this substance enough data are available for the translation of
safe values for organisms at the top of food chains to concentrations in
water and soil.

The Committee thinks it to be a matter of concern that the exposure limits
for humans and in some cases that for ecosystems are exceeded and urges that
concentrations in the Dutch environment be further reduced. I fully agree
with this.
-------------------------

On page 13 of the report, the Executive Summary indicates:

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This reasoning leads to a figure of 1 (one) picogramme per kg. of body
weight per day as a public health-based exposure limit for humans.
-------------------------

I think you had to learn the existence of this report - if not yet the case
- a report which I personally deem as very important.

Best regards, de Broux.





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Emmanuel de Broux, rue du Sacre-Coeur 7, B-5590 Leignon, Belgium