ED-Com: Japan lowers dioxin intake to 2X recommended levels

[Neil Tangri <ntangri@essential.org>]

    JAPAN:  Dioxin Intake Down, But Still Twice WHO Goal
        The Japanese population's average daily intake of dioxin
   from food decreased in 1998 but is still twice the goal set by
   the World Health Organization, according to a survey released
   this week by the Japanese Health and Welfare Ministry.
        The ministry found that the country's daily intake fell by
   20 percent to two picograms per kilogram of body weight in
   fiscal 1998, down from 2.41 picograms.  The WHO recommends
   limiting intake to one picogram per kilogram of body weight. 
   The survey found that 70.7 percent of dioxins came from seafood;
   15.4 percent from meat and eggs; and 8.6 percent from milk and
   dairy products (Tokyo Daily Yomiuri, Sept. 8).
        The two picograms level is half the current four picograms
   deemed acceptable by the government.  The study attributed 0.83
   picograms of the national average to dioxin and the remaining
   1.16 picograms to coplanar PCBs (Tokyo Japan Times, Sept. 7). --
   DIL