WRITTEN QUESTION E-1351/00 by Helmuth Markov (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Report on radioactive pollution of mineral water by radium 226.
Date: 2000-05-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European social policy, Germany, carcinogenic substance, drinking water, food processing, labelling, mineral water, radioactive materials

6.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 72 E/47

(2001/C 72 E/051)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1341/00

by Rosa MiguØlez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Closed areas for bottom trawling in the Cantabrian Sea

(4 May 2000)

Fishermen(cid:146)s associations in Cantabria are concerned at the lack of information on closed areas for bottom
trawling. They take the view that closed areas need to be introduced immediately since, according to
scientific reports drawn up by the Spanish Institute for Oceanography, failure to adopt measures to protect
areas with a high concentration of juveniles could lead to the collapse of the hake stock. The Spanish
Secretariat-General for Sea Fishing requested the mandatory Commission report in December 1999.

What is the Commission(cid:146)s standpoint on the review of specific closed areas for bottom trawling in the
north-east Cantabrian?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(8 June 2000)

The Commission is fully aware of the problem raised by the Honourable Member.

The Commission(cid:146)s scientific, technical and economic committee has reviewed and endorsed the scientific
position, and the Spanish authorities have contacted the Commission on this issue.

The Commission is currently in the process of preparing a proposal for an amendment to Council
Regulation (EC) No 850/98 of 30 March 1998 for the conservation of fishery resources through technical
measures for the protection of juveniles of marine organisms (1) within which the topic raised by the
Honourable Member will be included.
It is hoped that the Commission(cid:146)s proposal will be available
before August of this year.

(1) OJ L 125, 27.4.1998.

(2001/C 72 E/052)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1351/00

by Helmuth Markov (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(4 May 2000)

Subject: Report on radioactive pollution of mineral water by radium 226

According to various reports in the media, there is at present considerable uncertainty amongst the public
in Germany concerning high doses of radiation, which are allegedly a health risk, in mineral and table
water sold under various brand names because of a high natural occurrence of the isotope radium 226.

Is the Commission aware of, or has it carried out, any scientific studies to determine and endeavour
1.
to assess the concentration of radioactive substances in food, and in particular to reveal a connection
between radiation and an increased risk of cancer?

2.
Is the Commission aware that, in contrast to other EU Member States, Germany has no directives or
limit values for the concentration of radium 226 in mineral and table water? If so, does the Commission
think there is a need to take action in this respect at European level?

3.
Is the Commission aware that there are technical means of reducing the content of natural radium
226 in water (filters), but that these may not be used in Germany because of the (cid:145)Mineral and table water
regulation(cid:146)? Does the Commission see the need to work towards European rules for the technical processes
involved in extracting and producing mineral water?

4. Would the Commission consider extending the food labelling requirement to include radioactive
isotopes?

C 72 E/48

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.3.2001

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(22 June 2000)

1. Member States have a regular programme for checking levels of radioactivity in the environment, in
application of a requirement laid down in Article 35 of the Euratom Treaty. Under Article 36 of the
Euratom Treaty the monitoring results are transmitted to the Commission. This includes information on
radioactivity in milk, other foodstuffs, surface water and drinking water.

In addition Member States carry out checks on levels of radioactivity in foodstuffs imported from third
countries affected by the Chernobyl accident (in application of Council Regulation EEC/737/90 of 22 March
1990 (1), recently extended to March 2010) (2).

The Commission(cid:146)s Joint research centre (JRC) Environment Institute, Ispra, has been organising since 1991
annual international intercomparison exercises with the Member States(cid:146) laboratories providing data under
Article 36 of the Euratom Treaty. Amongst others, the exercises covered spring water, mineral water, milk
and mixed diet.

The Commission has no information on an observed correlation between levels of radioactivity in
foodstuffs and the incidence of cancer.

The current drinking water directive, Council Directive 80/778/EEC of 15 July 1980 relating to the
2.
quality of water intended for human consumption (3) which covers bottled water that is not natural
mineral water (e.g. table water) does not include any specific provision on radioactivity. The new drinking
water directive, Council Directive 98/83/EC of 3 November 1998 on the quality of water intended for
human consumption (4), which should be implemented by 25 December 2003, does include provisions on
radioactivity. These provisions remain to be completed (Annexes II and III of the Directive) as foreseen at
the adoption of the Directive on 3 November 1998. It is worth noting that this Directive does not apply to
mineral waters.

The Commission is aware that the level of radium 226 in tap water and bottled water is affected by
3.
the water treatment method, e.g. the removal of iron and manganese will also cause partial transfer of
radium to sludges.

Specific treatment in view of removing natural radionuclides from water was the subject of research
funded by the Commission under the IVth Framework Programme.

It is worth noting that such techniques are rarely applied to mineral waters for which it is considered
important to preserve the mineral content of the water.

4.

The labelling of mineral waters normally includes natural radioactive elements (uranium, radium).

(1) OJ L 82, 29.3.1990.
(2) OJ L 75, 24.3.2000.
(3) OJ L 229, 30.8.1980.
(4) OJ L 330, 5.12.1998.

(2001/C 72 E/053)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1352/00

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 May 2000)

Subject: Spanish olive oil and the EU

The current stagnation of Spanish olive oil exports means that the industry(cid:146)s producers have been holding
a whole series of meetings to assess the situation and find new ways of boosting foreign sales of olive oil
from the world(cid:146)s largest producer.