Dioxins in Yugoslavia

[Emmanuel de Broux <emmanuel.debroux@ping.be>]

Trifon,

At 14:11 11/05/99 -0400, you wrote:

>Recently, few environmental scientists in my country allegates that there
>is eventuality for dioxines, formation from bombs explosion in
>Yugoslavia. According to these allegates it is strong rumored, among the
>media and public, that these very toxic compounds may have pollute the
>entire area of Balkans. One Greek scientist notify 10 to 12-fold more
>dioxines concentrations in Northern Greece border (to Macedonia and
>Yugoslavia) after the beginning of NATO operations. People's here now avoid
>to consume season fresh vegetables, like asparagus. 
>
>What do you think about that. Can Dioxine formation in the explosion areas
>of Yugoslavia tranport via air and rains in neighbor countries?

Damages to the environment because of NATO bombings is the new complaint by
Milosevic. But it's the first time I hear about dioxins.

As usual, in this sort of debate, no figures are mentioned, which make the
allegation of environmental damages pretty easy to issue.

If people in your country fear dioxins poisoning (along with furans, PCBs,
heavy metals, etc), I suggest to first determine the dioxins (and
congeners) content of cow milk and to compare the results to the figures
obtained, say, six months ago. In Belgium, high concentrations of dioxins
were found in cow milk collected close to municipal solid waste
incinerators fitted with outdated anti-pollution equipment. Another source
of dioxins used to be road trafic, but this source decreases rapidly
because leaded gasoline is being phased out.

You are right: dioxins can travel long distances, just like dust from
volcanic eruptions. Dioxins are difficult to destroy, UV being a way to
achieve that.

A typical concentration of dioxins in Belgian cow milk is 1.1 pg/g of milk
fat. According to the Dutch Health Council, one should not absorb more than
1 pg/(day.kg of body weight). This means 65 pg/day for a person weighing 65
kg.

Sources of dioxins are very difficult to determine. In other words, it is
almost impossible to claim that such and such dioxins come from such and
such sources.

Vegetables are not likely to be laced with dioxins, at least in Europe. In
Japan, dioxins have been reported in Chinese cabbages grown close to the
many waste incinerators operated in that country.

In my humble opinion, Greece is much more likely to suffer from pollution
generated inside the country. Athens is not known as a city without heavy
pollution.

Finally, ethnic cleansing in Kosovo might generate much more
"environmental" damages than the bombings.

Sincerely yours, de Broux
Mr Emmanuel de Broux, avenue du Sacre-Coeur 7, B-5590 Leignon, Belgium.
Tel + fax: international access code + 32 83 21 54 30