February 15, 2007

Canada warns against keeping livestock near treated wood

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is advising livestock producers not to use chemically-treated wood structures near livestock feed or food-producing animals because they can transfer potentially harmful levels of chemicals into such animal products as meat, milk and eggs.

As part of the CFIA's residue monitoring programme, dioxin levels higher than background were detected in raw milk from two British Columbia dairy operations, the CFIA said.

The dioxin was found at levels that are not considered an immediate health risk by Health Canada.

The levels found did, however, trigger follow-up action to identify and eliminate the source of contamination, in line with Canada's approach to managing dioxin in the food supply, the CFIA said.

Dioxins are released into the environment through natural and industrial processes and are commonly found in low levels throughout the food chain around the world.

The CFIA and the Province of British Columbia are collaborating on this issue, the agency said. The CFIA is also working with other provinces and territories to ensure this advice reaches all livestock producers.

The investigation indicated that chemically-treated wood used in some silage bunkers (animal feed containers) may, in large part, be the source of the dioxin detected. Exposure to wood treated with chemicals, such as pentachlorophenol, or PCP, has been shown to result in higher than background levels of dioxins in livestock feed, which can then transfer into animal products.

Further follow-up after precautionary measures were implemented indicated lowered levels of dioxin, the CFIA said.