Radioactivity check reduced

Press, 2 December 1987, Page 28

Radioactivity check reduced

PA Wellington New Zealand is cutting back its checks on radioactive contamination of imported food, Health Department assistance director of public health, Mr Jim Fraser said.

Mr Fraser has just returned from an international conference in Vienna on effects of the Chernobyl nuclear accident. He said checks here would continue only on imported spices, dried mushrooms, pasta, some infant milk formulas, nuts and European jams. The department had checked more than 200 shipments of food since April last year and had also received 60,000 test results from the United States, Canada, Singapore and Europe, which

checked their own exports.

Mr Fraser said the conference in Vienna was told of the remaining effects of the accident on food production in Europe and Canada and the costs associated with it.

Latest figures showed lost agricultural production and compensation have cost some West European countries at least $2400 million. More than 18 months since the Chernobyl accident, there are still no internationally agreed limits for radioactive contamination on food. The European Community agreed on emergency limits soon after the accident which were due to expire on October

31 this year. But community countries are split, with some arguing the jlevels were set too low 'and France, the. United Kingdom and Spain arguing they were set too high.

Mr Fraser said the varying maximum permissible limits set by countries made it difficult for New Zealand exporters.

Singapore had the lowest levels set at 10 bequerels per kilogram. Swedish levels were 300. Bq/kg for staple food and 1500 Bq/kg for other food. Mr Fraser said although New Zealand’s exports were well below even the Singapore limits, many certificates had to be tailored to each country’s administrative problems.