Re: more dioxin in europe-EU applies emergency rules to dioxin in clays

[Alan Watson <alanwatson@gn.apc.org>]

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EU applies emergency rules to dioxin in clays
ENDS Daily - 19/11/99
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EU member states will have to test all china clays used as
additives in animal feed for the presence of dioxins, the
European Commission announced today.  The move follows the
discovery earlier this year of high levels of dioxins in
livestock which were traced back to the natural occurrence
of the carcinogen in an individual kaolin mine in Germany.
The use of any batch of kaolin in animal feeds will be
outlawed if it is found to contain more than 0.5 nanograms
of dioxin per kilogram - the lowest concentration that can
be detected by current analytical methods.  The same
measures will be extended to all other clays used in feeds
from March next year unless research in member states shows
the move would be inappropriate.  The elevated levels of
dioxin were first detected in pork and poultry in Austria
this summer after high-profile dioxin scares in Belgium and
Germany led to more intensive monitoring.  The contamination
was caused by "extremely high" levels of dioxin in clays
from the German mine which were subsequently used as
binders, anti-caking agents or coagulants in animal feed.
The dioxins were "most likely of geological origin," the
Commission said in a statement today.  Livestock from five
EU countries were affected by the contamination, but a
Commission spokesman said the exposure levels were so low
that human health was never at risk.

Contacts:  European Commission (http://europa.eu.int/comm),
tel: +32 2 299 1111.


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