COMPTE-RENDU DU COLLOQUE

TAOLE 5
COMPARISON OF AFI> TOXIN AND OIOXIN'
AHatoxin R|
Acutc toxicity High High
Animai potency (kglm'dayfm^) -10.000 20.000
Human potency 3.000 Not found
Certainty of prediction for Moderately high Low
humans
Mutagenic Yes No
Linear dose-response Probably May!* Not
Regulatory recommendation
TCDD (2.3.7.8).
tctrachiorodibcnzo-
/vdioiin
FDA 20 ppb max. in
peanut butter
-
CDC
1 ppb in soil "a source of
concern"
* Modified from Crouch and Wilson (1987).
DE MINIMIS NON CURATLEX
La loi ne se préoccupe pas des détails futiles.
FIGURE 17
An all too common persuasion is that regulatory decisions in saiety ana tieaitn are
driven principally, if not exclusively, by a set of rational statutory rules dominated
by the incontrovertible evidence of scientific findings. In truth, regulatory decisions
arc more often than not the pliable outcome of thé political accommodations of
many interests.
FIGURE 18
In the first case, many in the occupational health field contend
that purely health-based standards are virtually impossible to devise.
As a Law Reform Commission noted: i4 far from being a neutral
'objective* undertaking, this process involves a number of
significant value and political judgements which are seldom
examined." 38
In the second case, it is often found that economic factors enter
into the complex web of regulatory activities under the guise of
health factors. 39 This had led to statements such as one by US
scientist Dr Peter Infante, to advise regulators: 4i If you don't want
to regulate because of cost, say so. Don't prostitute the
science." 40
FIGURE .10
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