Significance of Abuse Chemical Contamination of Returnable Dairy Containers: Hazard Assessment

Abstract

Certain pesticide residues reabsorbed into milk (or water) contents when stored in LEXAN® resin and polyethylene plastic returnable milk containers that had been exposed to diluted pesticide products, washed, and subsequently filled. The significance of these laboratory test results is comprehensively discussed by attempting to characterize the nature of exposure to pesticide residues from a washed returnable dairy container, as opposed to exposure to milk containing pesticide residues of non-container origin. Laboratory findings are compared to actual public use experience with returnable plastic dairy containers. A hazard assessment is presented, which includes a comparison of quantities of pesticide residues found extracting with existing Federal milk tolerance standards, food tolerance standards, unavoidable contaminant food additive regulations, World Health Organization and Safe Drinking Water Committee acceptable daily intake values. The probability of purchase of milk that is contaminated with pesticide residues, where the washed returnable dairy container is the source, is presented.