Ten of 59 people surveyed from Osaka and Saitama prefectures were found to be consuming more than the tolerable daily intake of dioxin, the amount experts believe can be ingested throughout one's lifetime without any adverse effects.
According to an Environment Agency report released Tuesday, nearly 17 percent of the people surveyed in a government study of the long-term exposure to airborne dioxin were found to have consumed more than the TDI. This is the first government study indicating that part of the population may be ingesting levels higher than the tolerable amount.
The national TDI was reduced from 10 picograms to 4 picograms per kilogram of body weight per day in a Health and Welfare Ministry and Environment Agency revision in June. A picogram is one-trillionth of a gram.