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<BR>Dioxins, furans and Dioxin PCB <BR>Assessment of French population exposure<BR><BR><BR><BR>In view of the change to the acceptable daily dose (ADD) in 2002 which took account of Dioxin PCBs (PCB-DL) and the efforts made to reduce sources of dioxin emissions, the Agency reassessed the exposure of the French population to dioxins which it had already studied in 2000, incorporating the PCB-DL.<BR><BR>Its study in 2005 was based on almost 800 data sets on dioxin and PCB-DL contamination recorded between 2002 and 2004. Fish was the most highly contaminated with a contamination level of 2.7 to 2.9 pg TEQ/g. Depending on the foodstuff, PCB-DL made up between 55 and 85% of total contamination.<BR><BR>Mean adult exposure is less than the ADD set by the WHO. It is estimated to be 1.8 pg TEQWHO/kg b.w./d (toxin equivalent per kilo body weight per day) and 2.8 pg TEQWHO/kg b.w./d in children. When calculated as whole life exposure, these levels are less than the ADD of 2.33 pg TEQWHO/kg b.w./d which has been set. 28% of the population however has a whole life exposure above the ADD. The ADD for dioxins alone however is not exceeded either by children or adults. Exposure to dioxins alone contributes only 1/3 of total exposure. Exposure of the mainland French population to dioxin is estimated to have fallen by almost 60% compared to 2000. Although the levels of exposure which exceed the ADD in a fraction of the mainland population do not constitute a public health concern, they do however demonstrate the need to continue to reduce the exposure of populations, paying more specific attention to the sources of contamination by PCB.<BR><BR>Exposure to dioxins around incinerators<BR><BR>In 2002, at the request of the French Ministry of Health, Afssa and the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance (InVS) began national discussions on the health effects of emissions from municipal solid waste incinerators. The mission of one of the working groups, run jointly by the Agency and the InVS, was to study the feasibility of a dioxin exposure study through assays in biological liquids. This study aimed to shed light on dioxin exposure for populations around incinerators and to identify the determinants of human impregnation.<BR><BR>>Report "Incinérateurs et santé : recommandations concernant les études épidémiologiques visant à améliorer la connaissance sur les impacts sanitaires des incinérateurs" ("Incinerators and health: recommendations on epidemiological studies aiming to improve knowledge on the health impacts of incinerators" - PDF - only in French - on the InVS's website)<BR><BR><BR>>Octobre 2008 : Étude d’imprégnation par les dioxines des populations résidant à proximité d’usines d’incinération d’ordures ménagères<BR>Opinions and/or reports related to this topic (mainly in french) :<BR>Find out more...<BR><BR>Human food<BR>Home,Anses,News,Press room,Agenda,Our topics,Food,Animal health and nutrition,Environmental health,Occupational health,Plants,Opinions and publications,Last opinions and reports,Food opinions and reports,Animal health and nutrition opinions and reports,Environmental and occupational health opinions and reports,Plants opinions,Opinions and reports in English,Bulletins and periodicals,Other publications,Subscribe to Anses newsletter,Research and reference,Research program,Laboratories and reference activities, + ,Job opportunities,Public procurement contracts,Our websites,Partners,Extranet / ExpertNet,Kid's area,Legal notice,Contact, ,<A HREF='PN44I0.htm'>View Anses</A>
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Dioxins, furans and Dioxin PCB Assessment of French population exposure
In view of the change to the acceptable daily dose (ADD) in 2002 which took account of Dioxin PCBs (PCB-DL) and the efforts made to reduce sources of dioxin emissions, the Agency reassessed the exposure of the French population to dioxins which it had already studied in 2000, incorporating the PCB-DL.
Its study in 2005 was based on almost 800 data sets on dioxin and PCB-DL contamination recorded between 2002 and 2004. Fish was the most highly contaminated with a contamination level of 2.7 to 2.9 pg TEQ/g. Depending on the foodstuff, PCB-DL made up between 55 and 85% of total contamination.
Mean adult exposure is less than the ADD set by the WHO. It is estimated to be 1.8 pg TEQWHO/kg b.w./d (toxin equivalent per kilo body weight per day) and 2.8 pg TEQWHO/kg b.w./d in children. When calculated as whole life exposure, these levels are less than the ADD of 2.33 pg TEQWHO/kg b.w./d which has been set. 28% of the population however has a whole life exposure above the ADD. The ADD for dioxins alone however is not exceeded either by children or adults. Exposure to dioxins alone contributes only 1/3 of total exposure. Exposure of the mainland French population to dioxin is estimated to have fallen by almost 60% compared to 2000. Although the levels of exposure which exceed the ADD in a fraction of the mainland population do not constitute a public health concern, they do however demonstrate the need to continue to reduce the exposure of populations, paying more specific attention to the sources of contamination by PCB.
Exposure to dioxins around incinerators In 2002, at the request of the French Ministry of Health, Afssa and the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance (InVS) began national discussions on the health effects of emissions from municipal solid waste incinerators. The mission of one of the working groups, run jointly by the Agency and the InVS, was to study the feasibility of a dioxin exposure study through assays in biological liquids. This study aimed to shed light on dioxin exposure for populations around incinerators and to identify the determinants of human impregnation.
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