Health Risks

A chara, - From your Dail Report of December 10th I note the statement that the risk of contracting CJD from on-the-bone beef…

A chara, - From your Dail Report of December 10th I note the statement that the risk of contracting CJD from on-the-bone beef is one in 600 million. The Radiological Protection Institute has calculated that, for 1993, a typical Irish seafood consumer had 20 times that risk of developing a fatal cancer due to ingestion of radioactive contaminants from Sellafield (RPII-96/5).There is a marked contrast in official reactions to these risk estimates. Has any Health Minister asked the EU to ban the introduction of these cancer-inducing substances into Irish fish lest he be forced to recommend their removal from the shops? Unfortunately, it seems that action/inaction in these matters owes more to the politics of food and energy than to concern for human health. - Is mise,Darina Muckian,St Mary's Road,Dundalk,Co Louth.