Old mats used as bedding caused milk contamination scare

Old matting material used as bedding in cow cubicles has been identified as the source of polybrominated diphenylether in a raw milk sample from a farm in Co Cork.

The instance of elevated levels of PBDEs was outlined in the Environmental Protection Agency 2010 and 2012 reports on dioxin levels in the Irish environment.

However, the level found was not high by European comparison, and did not constitute a risk for public health, said Agriculture Minister Michael Creed, answering a question on the matter in the Dáil last week, from Green Party TD Eamon Ryan.