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A Toxics-Free Future

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Russia Eggs Report

Contamination of chicken eggs from the Dzerzhinsk region of Russia by dioxins, PCBs and HCB.

In cooperation with Eco-Accord, Eco-SPES performed a study of unintentionally produced POPs in chicken eggs. Free-range chicken eggs collected in Igumnovo and Gorbatovka, near the chlorine chemicals-producing plants and hazardous waste incinerators in Dzerzhinsk, Russia showed contaminant levels exceeding the EU limit for dioxins as well as the newly proposed limit for PCBs. Eggs from Igumnovo had almost a 14-fold higher level of dioxins than the EU limit and 9 times the level of PCBs specified by the newly proposed EU limit for these substances. Eggs from Gorbatovka were less contaminated by these substances, but still had dioxin levels 4 times higher than EU limit and PCB levels 4.5 times higher than newly proposed limit for these chemicals in WHO-TEQ. To our knowledge, this study represents the second study of U-POPs in chicken eggs from Russia. Taking into account all circumstances and the congener pattern of dioxins in the eggs, the most obvious source of U-POPs in eggs sampled from Igumnovo and Gorbatovka are local chlor-alkali and other chlorinated chemicals production industries and their waste dumpsites within the region. The research data suggest the need to initiate monitoring of POPs levels in food and implement long-term actions for elimination of organochlorine substances-sources of releases of PCBs, dioxins and furans to all environmental media.

Outputs:
Hotspot and egg sampling report: Contamination of chicken eggs from the Dzerzhinsk region of Russia by dioxins, PCBs and HCB

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Eco-SPES