Farming News - Views needed on lifting of post-Chernobyl farm restrictions
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Views needed on lifting of post-Chernobyl farm restrictions
The Food Standards Agency is launching a consultation to seek views about whether to remove all post-Chernobyl controls and associated regulation on sheep farms in the UK.
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Restrictions were originally placed on farms to prevent sheep with unacceptable levels of radioactivity, predominantly radiocaesium, from entering the food chain. Food safety concerns are now very low and, as a result, restrictions have been removed from the majority of the 9,800 UK holdings originally affected. Only 334 farms in North Wales and eight farms in Cumbria remain under some form of restriction. All controls were lifted in Northern Ireland in 2000 and in Scotland in 2010.
The assessment of radiation levels
The Agency has recently carried out an extensive survey of radiocaesium levels in sheep on the restricted farms and used this to assess the potential exposure of consumers to radiation. The survey showed that the levels of radiocaesium rarely exceed the permitted limit, and even for more highly exposed consumers the risk is now very low.
The assessment, which has been independently peer reviewed, demonstrates that if the current control measures in England and Wales are removed, the risk to consumers would remain very low. The control measures are now no longer considered proportionate to the very low food safety risk and are no longer required to comply with European Food Safety Law.
The Agency's primary concern is ensuring food safety, and is responsible for preventing products with unacceptable levels of radioactivity from entering the food chain. Current restrictions and controls on the movement of sheep in the restricted areas of England and Wales remain in place during the consultation.
The Agency is launching the consultation, as it is keen to get the views of a range of stakeholders following the updated risk assessment about whether to remove these control measures.
Proposals:
Two options are presented in the attached impact assessment:
- Option 1 – Do nothing (maintain the current policy) – Movement restrictions continue under existing FEPA orders with Mark and Release monitoring controls; previously issued Consents would remain
- Option 2 – Remove all post-Chernobyl controls and associated regulation on sheep farming in the UK – FEPA orders are revoked; Mark and Release controls cease and existing Consents are removed.
Option 1 is presented as the status quo and is used as the baseline for comparison. However, the risk assessment demonstrates that these controls are no longer proportionate to the very low risk, they are ineffective in further minimising the already low doses and, thus, removing controls will not compromise consumer safety. Furthermore, the very low risk shows that intervention is no longer required to comply with Council Directive 96/29/Euratom requirements for cases of lasting exposure. Therefore, it is not considered viable to continue this option, as discussed in the impact assessment.
A range of alternative options to the current Mark and Release controls have previously been considered as part of a review in 1999 and at a workshop meeting held in August 2010 (Annexe D). These options were considered as part of this review but were subsequently not taken forward due to the very low risk demonstrated by the risk assessment, which means they cannot be clearly shown to further reduce the already low doses. Further details are provided in the impact assessment at Annexe B.
Due to the very low risks demonstrated by the risk assessment, Option 2, removing all post-Chernobyl controls and associated regulation on sheep farming in the UK, is the Agency’s preferred course of action.
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