EPA: Dioxins in environment below EU limits

THE Environmental Protection Agency yesterday claimed dioxins in the environment are below EU limits and are getting lower.

The agency carried out a detailed survey of cows’ milk — one of the best indicators of dioxin levels.

The principal mechanism for entry of dioxins into the environment is through deposits onto grass of emissions from multiple combustion sources.

Any dioxins on grass ingested by cows are concentrated in the milk fat and so testing the milk gives a good indicator of levels.

The agency carried out the tests between May and July 2006 as follow-up surveys to the 1995, 2000 and 2004 dioxin in cows’ milk studies.

The tests provided dioxin readings ranging from 0.118pg to 1.31pg WHO-TEQ/g. That higher reading was recorded in the greater Dublin area — the authors said this was probably due to the increased population and the resultant higher levels of road traffic and increased fuel burning generally.

“It is also possible that illegal burning of waste may play a role,” said the agency.

However, even it was less than half the EU limit of 3.0pg WHO-TEQ/g.

The survey was repeated throughout 2007 and initial results for greater Dublin where it was highest in 2006 showed what the agency described as “substantially lower” levels than the previous year.

Agency programme manager Dr Ciarán O’Donnell, said: “While some dioxin compounds were found in all samples, as expected, the concentrations were low by international standards. The survey confirms the continuing low levels of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in the Irish environment.”