FOOD IMPORTS FROM EASTERN EUROPE AND THE SOVIET UNION (Radioactive contamination)

Dr Ho Tat Kin asked the Minister for the Environment what measures are being taken to ensure that all food imports from Europe are free from radioactive contaminants.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment (Mr Eugene Yap Giau Cheng) (for the Minister for the Environment): Mr Speaker, Sir, I am answering on behalf of my Minister.

Since the Chernobyl nuclear incident on 25th April 1986, the Ministry of the Environment has checked all food consignments from Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union for radioactive contaminants. Checks are also being made on all consignments of fresh vegetables, fruits, milk and dairy products from Western European countries. Similar checks are being made by the Primary Production Department of the Ministry of National Development on all meat and fish imported from European countries.

In 1985, Singapore imported 870,000 tonnes of fresh vegetables, fruits, milk, dairy products, meat and fish from all over the world. Of these, 7.8% came from Western European countries and 1.1% from Eastern European countries. From the occurrence of the incident, up till today, 2,051 food consignments have been checked. Of these, 74 consignments or 3.6% were found to contain radioactive contaminants. They were mainly cheese, milk and milk powder and yoghurt.

Initially, the main radioactive contaminant was iodine 131 which has a half-life of eight days. It has now largely disappeared and the main contaminants now found are Caesium 134 and Caesium 137 which have longer half-life of two years and 30 years respectively.

Consignments found to contain radioactive contaminants are returned to their country of origin. No contaminated foods are allowed for sale in Singapore. My Ministry will continue to monitor food imports from the European countries and Soviet Union until we are satisfied that the problem no longer exists.