To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the toxic equivalence quote is, as the maximum allowable level of dioxin contamination permitted before some form of corrective action must be taken, in the UK; what the evidential basis for this level is; and if he will make a statement. (193734)

Maximum limits for dioxins and total toxicity equivalence (dioxins plus PCBs) in fish and fatty foods are set out in Regulation (EC) 1881/2006 and any food found to contain levels above these limits must be withdrawn from sale. Recommendation 2006/88/EC defines separate action levels for dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in the same food categories. When a sample is found to exceed these levels, prompt action is taken to reduce the levels.

Legislation and abatement technologies have led to a significant reduction in environmental releases and human exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs. There is no single threshold set for dioxin emissions into the environment. Directive 2000/76/EC on waste incineration set an emission limit for dioxins of 0.1 nanogram I- Toxicity Equivalence (TEQ) per cubic metre of gaseous releases to air, and emission limit values for discharges to water are set at 0.3 nanogram per litre. The Persistent Organic Pollutants regulation (EC-850/2004) brought in additional controls on the disposal of waste containing dioxins above a trigger level of 15ug/kg TEQ.