Netherlands - Report alleges hazardous waste used in Dutch animal feed
Published:February 2, 2005
Source :Radio Netherlands
The Netherlands' animal feed industry is at the centre of a new scandal, with a police report alleging that hazardous waste products are being used on a large scale in the production of animal fodder.
The report speaks of a 'structural' and 'organised' practice. The 'Wakker Dier' (literally: alert animal) organisation, a charity which works to improve conditions for animals in the intensive livestock industry, recently published the report on its website. Justice Minister Piet Hein Donner had previously not wanted to go public with the information, saying it would not be in the interests of the ongoing investigation.
Potential health hazard
The report, drafted by the national police agency and the environment ministry, says the pig industry is the "largest waste processing industry in the Netherlands". It claims that illegal, dangerous and poisonous waste products - such as medicines - are being mixed with fodder on a systematic basis, posing a potential hazard to public health.
Marianne Thieme, director of Wakker Dier, explains why the chose to publish the report, which is already some 18 months old:
"This report has been kept under ministerial wraps for a year, while we believe that this should be the subject of a public debate."
The report is the result of an investigation into 'the nature, seriousness and scope' of 43 cases of environmental crime in the period 2001-2003, which focused on various offences, not only in the pig industry.
Corruption
The overall conclusion: widespread fraud is taking place, often with the complicity of public officials. The corruption itself is often made easier by the numerous and complex environmental regulations which, moreover, are not enforced properly.
Dioxin and BSE
The conclusions deal yet another blow to the intensive livestock industry, which has just experienced ten years marked by scandals involving the use of dioxin and growth hormones, and outbreaks of diseases which also pose a threat to humans, such as fowl pest and BSE or 'mad cow disease'.
All this led to a tightening of the regulations for, and checks on, animal feed. Last October, a new law came into force, giving the agriculture minister the power to intervene and have potentially hazardous products removed from the shops. Given these ministerial powers, the animal feed product board is 'extremely surprised' by the new allegations. Johan den Hartog, secretary-general of the product board, says:
"I can assure you that when it comes to guaranteeing the safety of food, we here in the Netherlands are in fact leading the way. Other countries, such as Germany, the United Kingdom and France, follow us."
Only one hard case
He also points out that the report mentions only one case by name: the MPA scandal of 2002, in which the MPA hormone - used in the contraceptive pill - was found in pig feed. At the time, the agriculture ministry had the feed withdrawn and some 50,000 pigs slaughtered. Nevertheless, this didn't prevent some of the hormone from ending up in the human food chain. Still, as Mr Den Hartog sees it, that is still only one case:
"I would like to see the report provide some hard examples of cases. It mentions only one case by name, from 2002. For the rest, it doesn't devote a single word to any other case."
Unsubstantiated
On that basis, the marketing board says there is a total lack of 'substantiation', and it's considering taking the matter to court. However, it acknowledges that, despite all the procedures and regulations, there are still 'rotten spots' in the animal feed industry which it, too, would like to 'cut out'.
Despite calls from parliament, Justice Minister Piet Hein Donner wanted to keep the report confidential, claiming it would 'harm the interests of the investigation'. However, Wakker Dier published after the report was leaked to them. The animal welfare group has called for an emergency debate in parliament. On 1 February, the lower house itself demanded the same, and the debate looked likely to be held before the week was over. Labour MP Harm Evert Waalkens backed the call and says:
"Supervision, control and enforcement - which are the responsibility of government authorities - need to be put under the microscope, because the way things are going now is absolutely unacceptable. Consumers can no longer be sure of their food."
