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Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food

Answer

Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many BSE-infected carcases are awaiting destruction; what studies have taken place to assess the risk represented by incineration and airborne prions; and if he will make a statement. [150429] Ms Quin: I have been asked to reply. The carcases of BSE suspect cattle are sent directly for incineration. A formal risk assessment to gauge the risk from disposing of BSE-infected cattle in animal carcase incinerators was carried out for the Environment Agency by DNV consulting in 1997 as part of a general consideration of risks from BSE via environmental pathways. The risk calculation showed that the likelihood of the most exposed individual ingesting, in one year, sufficient material to cause infection as a result of burning cattle in specially designated incinerators is less than one in 1 billion. As in other cases, the real risk to the general public will be well below the level assigned to the most exposed person. The broad conclusion that the Agency has drawn from its assessments is that, for all of the disposal options considered, the risk of human infection by the BSE agent is extremely small. In all cases, the results show that in one year the most exposed individual would be unlikely to consume, from environmental sources, more than a minute fraction--significantly less than 1 millionth part--of the dose of BSE infectivity needed to cause infection in humans. More information is available on the Environment Agency's website.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

367 c510W; 150429

Session

2000-01

Subjects

Health hazards Disease control Research Waste disposal BSE

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk