Transcript Dioxins at EU level

Joint Research Centre (JRC)
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The Dioxin/POPs lab of the European Commission -
Experiences at the interface between science and policy
Dioxin Workshop, Leon Mexico, 15.April 2008
Gunther Umlauf
Rural, Water and Ecosystem Resources Unit RWER
Institute of Environment and Sustainability IES
Joint Research Centre JRC
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Joint Research Centre (JRC)
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Overview
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What is the JRC – our structure 2 slides
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Dioxin exposure and sources in the EU 2 slides
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What is the Commission/JRC doing about Dioxins/POPs?
1 slide overview, showing the link of the Labs with policy making
- List of important Dioxin-related EU-Legislation handouts
- List of Implementation of Dioxin related international conventions handouts
- List of Dioxin related Strategies crosscutting different kinds of policies handouts
- List of Dioxin/POPs related studies handouts
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The Dioxin POPs lab at the JRC 2 slides
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3 Selected examples of the Dioxin/POPs lab supporting the EC on the
issue of Dioxin and POPs 7 slides + handouts with some more examples
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Joint Research Centre (JRC)
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What is the JRC?
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A Directorate-General of the European Commission:
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Providing customer-driven and technical support for the conception,
development, implementation and monitoring of EU policies
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Functioning as a reference centre of science and technology
for the European Union
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Serving the common interest of the Member States,
while being independent of special interests,
whether private or national
www.jrc.ec.europa.eu
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Our Structure: 7 Institutes in 5 Member States
IRMM - Geel, Belgium
Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements
ITU - Karlsruhe, Germany
Institute for Transuranium Elements
IE - Petten, The Netherlands
Institute for Energy
IPSC - Ispra, Italy
Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen
IES - Ispra, Italy
Institute for Environment and Sustainability
IHCP - Ispra, Italy
Institute for Health and Consumer Protection
IPTS - Seville, Spain
Institute for Prospective Technological Studies
~ 2800 staff
~ 300 M€/y budget
(+ 40 M€/y competitive income)
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How high is human exposure to dioxins
in the EU?
According to the study on the Compilation of EU Dioxin exposure
and health data (1999), the daily intake of dioxins and dioxin-like
compounds is still above the levels recommended by the World
Health Organisation (WHO) for some parts of the population.
Dioxin levels have been decreasing in the recent years in all
countries for which data for the last 10 to 15 years are available. On
average, exposure fell by 10% per year between the mid-eighties
and the mid-nineties.
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Dioxin sources in the EU*
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Residential combustion (~ 30%)
Open burning of waste (backyard burning) (~15%)
Wood preservation (~15%)
Iron and steel industry (~ 8%)
Power production, non-ferrous metals, chemical
industry (~ 5% each)
* EU -Dioxin Inventory stage I (1995) and stage II (2002)
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What is the Commission* doing about
Dioxins/POPs?
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/dioxin/index.htm
• Dioxin related EU-Legislation
• Implementation of Dioxin related international
conventions
• Dioxin related Strategies crosscutting different kinds of
policies
• Dioxin/POPs related studies
• Dioxin/POPs related research
• Support to emergencies in Member States
• S&T support and capacity building in new Member
States or candidate countries (Turkey)
• Standardization at EU level (Methods e.g. EN1948,
preparation of standard reference materials)
* The JRC Dioxin/POPs lab is involved at all levels
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only handout
Waste Management
• Waste Directive 75/442/EEC
• Hazardous Waste Directive 91/689/EEC
• Council Decision 2000/532/EC defining what is
hazardous
• Waste Oil Directive 75/439/EEC (PCBs)
• Council Regulation on shipment of waste 93/259/EC
• End-of-life Vehicles Directive 2000/53/EC
• Directive on the Reuse, Recycling and Recovery of
Electric Waste 2002/96/EC
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only handout
Chemicals – classification, production, and
use
• Dangerous Substance Regulation 67/548/EEC basic regulation for
all chemicals including all intentionally produced POPs.
• Directive 79/117/EEC on pesticide use regulating specifically POPs
pesticides
• Council Directive 85/467/EC on restriction on the marketing of
dangerous substances
• PCB/PCT Directive 96/59/EC on the management of PCB
containing equipement
• Directives 199/45/EC on classification packaging and labeling of
hazardous preparations
• ROHS Directive (202/95/EC on the restriction of certain hazardous
substances in electric equipement (PBBs, PBDEs)
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only handout
Atmospheric Pollution - Emissions
• IPPC Directive 96/61/EC laying down permit conditions and
monitoring obligations for PCDD/F emissions to air for major
activities exceeding a certain threshold capacity.
• Directives 89/369/EC and 89/429 EEC for existing waste
incineration plants.
• Directive 94/67/EC for the incineration of hazardous waste.
• Waste incineration Directive 2000/76/EC setting up permit
conditions and limit values for air emissions and waste water
discharge.
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Water Protection
• Water Directive 76/464/EC related to organohalogen compound
releases to groundwater and limit values for the discharge of
biocides
• Directives 88/347/EC relates to limit values for the discharge of
POPs to wastewater.
• Directive 98/83/EC setting limit values for POPs pesticides in
drinking water
• Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC contains limit values on
HCHs and Lindane. Limit values of a number of other POPs like
organochlor pesticides, PBDEs as environmental quality standards
in surface waters are currently under discussion.
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only handout
Food and feed Safety
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Directives 1986/363/EC, 2001/201/EC, 2001/2375/EC, 2002/69/EC, and
2003/806/EC set limit values for POPs and PCDD/Fs in food and feedstuff.
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Directive 2002/69/EC defines the method for sampling and performance
criteria for methods and analysis for PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs
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Commission Regulation 2006/199/EC sets limit values for PCDD/Fs and
dioxin like PCBs (both in Who TEQ) for Meat and meat products, fish and
fishery products, milk and milk products, eggs and oils an fats.
The limit values are based on the tolerable weekly intake of 14 pg WHO
TEQ/kg body weight for the sum of PCDD/Fs and dioxin like PCBs.
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Analytical Methods according to Commission regulation EC No 1883/2006
include GC/MS and cell based such as CALUX and kit based bioassays for
the screening/monitoring of the presence of PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs.
Positive samples have to be re-analysed by a confirmative method using
GC-High Resolution MS
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POPs Regulations
• Council Regulation (EC) No 850/2004, Council
Regulation (EC) No 1195/2006 and Council regulation
(EC) No 172/2007 on Persistent Organic Pollutants lay
down stringent rules on the management of waste
containing or consisting of POPs.
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Implementation of Dioxin related
international conventions
• Reduction of emissions of dioxins and other unintentional POPs in
the framework of the implementation of the Stockholm Convention
• Regulation (EC) No 850/2004 on persistent organic pollutants
entered into force on 20 May 2004. The Regulation implements the
provisions of the Stockholm Convention. Dioxins, furans and PCBs
are listed as unintentionally released POPs for which the releases
should be continuously and cost-effectively reduced as soon as
possible.
Each Party to the Stockholm Convention - individual states as well
the European Community as a regional economic integration
organization - has to establish an Implementation Plan to show the
concrete action that will be taken against the POPs listed in the
Convention. The European Community Implementation Plan, which
complements the national plans of the EU Member States, was
adopted in March
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only handout
Dioxin related Strategies crosscutting
different kinds of policies
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To secure better protection of human health and of the environment from the effects
of dioxins and PCBs, on 24th October 2001 the Commission adopted a
« Communication on a Community Strategy for Dioxins, Furans and Polychlorinated
Biphenyls » COM(2001)593. The Communication outlines the problem of dioxins and
PCBs, the progress in addressing the problem, the remaining gaps, the basis for
Community action and it develops a strategy to reduce the presence of these
compounds in the environment, in feed and food.
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The Commission adopted in 2003 an EU Strategy on Environment and Health , with
the aim to reduce diseases caused by environmental factors in Europe. The strategy
refers to particulate matter in the air, noise and ground-level ozone and persistent
Environmental pollutants, including Pesticides, endocrine disruptors, dioxins and
PCBs.
This was followed up by the European Environment and Health Action Plan 20042010 which proposes an Integrated Information System on Environment and Health
as well as an coordinated approach to Human Biomonitoring between Member States
to render the assessment of the environmental impact on human health more
efficient.
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Dioxin/POPs related studies
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Evaluation of the occurrence of dioxins and POPs in wastes and their potential to
enter the food chain (pdf ~640K) – investigation of the extent the which the use of
contaminated wastes in the production of animal feedstuffs may threaten public
health via the food chain, continued by Dioxins and other POPs in by-products,
recyclates and wastes and their potential to enter the food chain - Stage II. A general
conclusion of the study is that an annual input of up to 10 g WHO-TEQ to European
feedingstuffs due to the recovery of wastes, by-products and recyclates might exist.
This underlines the need for further actions in the field of the recovery of wastes, byproducts and recyclates to reach the general objective of lowering daily intake of
POPs for humans.
Preparatory Actions in the Field of Dioxins and PCBs - a systematic overview on
contamination levels of dioxins and PCBs for important environmental compartments,
feedingstuffs and food. Furthermore the study gives an overview on sources,
pathways, fate, occurrence levels and human exposure with respect to dioxins, PCBs
and relevant brominated substances and discusses causal relations and
consequences in the light of the existing knowledge.
Study to facilitate the implementation of certain waste related provisions of the
Regulation on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) - definition of concentration limits
for 14 POPs substances and substance classes, including dioxins, above which the
POPs content in waste shall be subject to destruction or irreversible transformation
so called “low POP content limits” (LPCL)
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Dioxin/POPs related studies
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Study on the Compilation of EU Dioxin exposure and health data (1999),
collecting data from all kind of environmental matrices and human
exposure.
Dioxin measurement in the European metals industry – investigation of
ways of improving the monitoring of emissions from the metals industry,
published in October 2005. The results will be used as a background for the
upcoming review of the IPPC directive.
The European Dioxin Inventory - starting in 1995, Stage one of the project
ended in November 1997 with the release of a report that
– describes the information on dioxin emissions which is available from 17
European Countries;
– provides an evaluation of these data;
– estimates the annual emissions of these countries on a comparable
basis.
Stage two of the inventory comprises a written study, Releases of Dioxins
and Furans to land and water in Europe, as well as emission measurement
programmes at relevant plants in various countries. The final report on
stage two of the project is called the European Dioxin Emission Inventory
Stage II.
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Dioxin/POPs related studies related to new MS
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An inventory of releases to air, water and land has also been made for the
new EU Member States, entitled “The enlarged EU".
Following the high priority given by the Council the European Commission
launched two projects on the issue in the Candidate Countries.
The project "Dioxin Emissions in Candidate Countries" lays the foundation
for a consistent and harmonised dioxin emission estimate for air, land and
water releases in the new EU Member States. The study shows that on a
global and per capita basis the amount of dioxins emitted to air in the new
Member States is at the same level as in the old Member States. As for the
releases to land, the estimated total releases are considerably smaller in the
new Member States.
The Study "Dioxins and PCBs: Environmental Levels and Human Exposure
in Candidate Countries") gives an overview and analysis of available data
on environmental levels of dioxins and PCBs as well as related human
exposure in Candidate Countries. The final report provides a
comprehensive picture of the situation in the new Member States by giving
an overview of the levels of dioxins and PCBs in air, water, sediment, soil,
vegetation, wildlife, food and feed and human tissue. It further gives
information on the extent of monitoring and research in these countries,
their legislation, administrative structures, capacities, priorities, planning etc.
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The Dioxin/POPs labs at the JRC
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2 HRGC/HRMS (Autospec Ultima, and Thermo DFS) plus several low res.
instruments
Automated clean-up system Power prep P6
Sampling in ambient air, deposition, in stack, large vol. and deep water
samples, soil, sediments, biota…
Routine: One extract  19 PAHs, 29 Cl-pesticides,
7 marker-PCBs, 18 PBDEs, 17 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs & homologue classes, 12
dioxin-like PCBs
Quantification based on C13 labeled surrogates
Each batch of samples is accompanied by the analysis of a standard
reference material
Funding: institutional + 20 % third party
Running costs (consumables, service contracts, replacement of
instruments, campaigns) approx xxx Euro + xxx Euro deduction of
instruments p.a.
3 technical staff in the labs + staff for campaigns, Post Docs etc.
Approx. 400 samples per year, depending on the matrix!
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POPs by MS and Isotope Dilution
Soxhlet
10%
Silicaneutral
PAHs
ASE
Extract
90%
Silica (H SO )AluminiaCarbon
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4
GC-MS
GC-HRMS
Thermo-DSQ
Autospec Ultima
Thermo-DFS
OCP
PCDD/Fs PCBs PBDEs
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……selected
examples of the Dioxin/POPs lab
supporting the EC on the issue of Dioxin and POPs
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Example 1: Emergency – The
Belgian chicken problem in 1999
only handout
Catherine Pirard & Edwin De Pauw
Environment International
Volume 32, Issue 4, May 2006
• In 1999, about 50 kg PCBs and 1 g dioxins were introduced into the
animal food chain through approximately 1,500 tons of animal feed
containing 60 tons of contaminated fat from a Belgian fat-melting
company
• The source of the contamination was transformer oil with high levels
of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins that was used to
manufacture animal feed.
• In May Belgian authorities ordered the withdrawal from sale of
Belgian poultry and eggs; other European countries and Russia
followed suit.
• In June , the European Community ordered the destruction of all
food items containing >2% egg product and food containing chicken
produced from January 15 to June 1 from infected farms.
• In this context the JRC labs analysed in August ad hoc 300
suspected samples from Russia.
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Example 2: Support to Member States in disaster
management – The Elbe flood 2002
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In 2002 huge areas of Czech
republic and Germany were
flooded
Several dikes broke and large
areas containing contaminated
sites and chemical industry were
affected.
Particular concern was
attributed to chlorine-chemistry
sites in Czech Republic and the
area around Bitterfeld in
Germany with high historic
PCDD/F contamination.
Image from NASA
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Example 2ff:
• The JRC was asked by the German authorities to clarify the level
of PCDD/F contamination of the flooded areas in order to launch
appropriate recommendations regarding the land use.
• Particular concern was attributed to flooded chlorine-chemistry
sites in Czech republic and the area around Bitterfeld in Germany
with high historic PCDD/F contamination.
• The JRC executed a campaign aiming at
1) evaluating the levels of PCDD/Fs in the flooded soils
2) check whether the contamination was due to the flooding
3) identify type and location of the sources
JRC Results revealed that
 all levels behind broken dikes were within the German limits
 no cross border contamination from Czech republic occurred
 high levels on the flood plains came from historic contamination
along a tributary and were not caused by the 2002 flooding
PCDD/F patterns in soils and sediments identified historic
metallurgic processes as a source of PCDD/Fs
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Example 2ff:
behind the dikes
Riverside the dikes
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only handout
Example 4: Research supporting legislation – The revision of the
sewage sludge Directive
Background:
• The Sewage Sludge Directive 86/278/EEC seeks to encourage the
use of sewage sludge in agriculture and to regulate its use in a way
as to prevent harmful effects on soil, vegetation, animals and man.
• The Directive specifies rules for the sampling and analysis of
pollutants in sludges.
• DG Environment posed the question to the JRC whether or not
PCDD/Fs should be included in the list of monitored substances
(The opinion of the Member states was controversy)
JRC Action:
• Analyses of a 40-years time series of sewage sludge amended soils
compared to soils without SSL treatment
• our results revealed that although the PCDD/F levels were elevated
in the SSL treated soils, concentrations are well below risk levels
and are stable or even decreasing since the mid 70ties
 as a consequence PCDD/Fs were not included in the list of
compounds to be monitored
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Mineral Fertilizer
Manure
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0
30
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PCBs
depth [cm]
depth [cm]
Example 4 ff:
PCDD/Fs
60
90
PCBs
PCDD/Fs
60
90
6
4
2
0
2
4
6
4
2
0
2
4
WHO-TEQ [pg/g]
WHO-TEQ [pg/g]
Sewage Sludge
Compost
0
0
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PCBs
depth [cm]
depth [cm]
30
PCDD/Fs
60
PCBs
PCDD/Fs
60
90
10
5
0
WHO-TEQ [pg/g]
5
10
90
10
5
0
5
10
WHO-TEQ [pg/g]
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Example 4 ff:
PCDD/Fs in top soils amended with mineral fertiliser and SSL
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PCDD/Fs in WHO-TEQ (pg/g)
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1955
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
MINERAL FERTILIZER
1985
1990
SEWAGE SLUDGE
1995
2000
2005
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Example 4 ff:
Coplanar PCBs in top soils amended with mineral fertiliser and SSL
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coplanar-PCBs in WHO-TEQ (pg/g)
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
1955
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
MINERAL FERTILIZER
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
SEWAGE SLUDGE
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Example 5: Development of EU wide monitoring concepts for
assessing the status of environmental pollution and for the
implementation monitoring of Dioxin/POPs related legislation
• EU-wide surface water monitoring: 100 rivers throughout EU
analysed for emerging POPs. Executed in the context of the Water
Framework Directive and the related Chemical Monitoring
obligations of the Member States
• EU wide lipid monitoring : 200 Butter samples under analysis.
Assessment of atmospheric deposition of POPs into the foodchain.
Calibration with ambient air data from EMEOP and UNEP POPs
monitoring stations.
• EU-wide Sewage Sludge monitoring in preparation. screening for
POPs and emerging POPs in the context of soils protection and the
revision of the SSL Directive
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Example 6: Executing targeted campaigns in new Member states with
no appropriate S&T infrastructure available. Poland 2002 and 2005
Objective
• Identification of PCDD/F emission sources via fingerprints in ambient air of
• .well defined sites.
• Verification of emission factors for domestic heating to improve the EUPCDD/F emission inventory
Action:
2 summer/winter campaigns on ambient air comparing rural, industrial and
city center areas
Results
 High PCDD/Fs emissions in wintertime are due to residential heating with coal.
 Nearby metallurgic industry affects Krakow air only during summertime and to a
low extent.
 EU Emission inventory was adapted with the PCDD/F emission factors obtained by
inverse modelling of the emissions based on our ambient air data.
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Example 6ff:
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Example 7: supporting the European Commission on
issues of Enlargement – Dioxins in the new MS
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. was concern at the EC level about the PCDD/F and POPs levels in the 10 new Member
states that entered the EU in 2004
Apart from measurement campaigns and knowledge transfer to local partners in the MS, the
JRC proposed and coordinated together with DG Environment two literature studies
collecting the available information, which demonstrated that the exposure and
environmental level of Dioxins and PCBs were at the lower range of the old MS
The project "Dioxin Emissions in Candidate Countries" lays the foundation for a harmonised dioxin emission
estimate for air, land and water releases in the new EU Member States. The study shows that on a global
and per capita basis the amount of dioxins emitted to air in the new Member States is at the same level as
in the old Member States. As for the releases to land, the estimated total releases are considerably smaller
in the new Member States.
 The second project "Dioxins and PCBs: Environmental Levels and Human Exposure in Candidate
Countries" provided a comprehensive picture of the situation in the new Member States by giving an
overview of the levels of dioxins and PCBs in air, water, sediment, soil, vegetation, wildlife, food and feed
and human tissue.
It further gives information on the extent of monitoring and research in these countries, their legislation,
administrative structures, capacities, priorities, planning etc. In the last chapter the results of the study are
summed up in conclusions and recommendations.
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Example 7ff:
European comparison of PCDD/F and PCB levels in Human milk (2001/2002)
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PCDDs/PCDFs
PCBs
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10
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WHO-TEQ pg/g fat [median]y
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Van Leuwen, R. Malish 2002 "WHO exposure study on the levels of PCBs, PCDDs and PCDFs in Human Milk" 3rd round
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Thank you for your kind
attention
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