The Silvermines area of Tipperary is a “safe place in which to grow up, live, work and produce food” according to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.
The FSAI on Thursday published a report by an inter-agency group. The group was established in 2017 after the detection of elevated lead levels in milk in three dairy herds from the Silvermines area of Tipperary, an historic mining area with a natural abundance of heavy metals in the environment.
The group comprised representatives from DAFM, the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, the Health Services Executive, Teagasc and Tipperary County Council.
According to the FSAI, the IAG concluded that the Silvermines area is a safe place in which to grow up, live, work and produce food. However it is important that farmers, the local community and relevant agencies continue to implement active management measures on an on-going basis.
The FSAI went on to note: “The IAG has made 18 recommendations relating to the assessment, management and communication of risk – broadly recommending the same active management measures as were recommended by a previous IAG in 2000, reflecting the fact that the risk has not substantially changed but the recommended measures have been updated and enhanced to reflect the latest regulatory standards and scientific risk assessment information.”
The report can be read in full here.
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