L 32/44 Official Journal of the European Union 4.2.2006 COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 2006/13/EC of 3 February 2006 amending Annexes I and II to Directive 2002/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on undesirable substances in animal feed as regards dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs (Text with EEA relevance) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Directive 2002/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 May 2002 on undesirable substances in animal feed (!), and in particular Article 8(1) thereof, Whereas: Directive 2002/32/EC provides that the putting into circulation and the use of products intended for animal feed that contain levels of undesirable substances exceeding the maximum levels laid down in Annex I thereto is prohibited. The term ‘dioxins’ as referred to in this Directive covers a group of 75 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin congeners (PCDD) and 135 polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF) congeners, of which 17 are of toxicological concern. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of 209 different congeners which can be divided into two groups according to their toxicological properties: 12 congeners exhibit similar toxicological properties to dioxins and are therefore often termed ‘dioxin-like PCBs. The other PCBs do not exhibit dioxin-like toxicity but they have a different toxicological profile. Each congener of dioxins or dioxin-like PCBs exhibits a different level of toxicity. In order to be able to sum up the toxicity of these different congeners, the concept of toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) has been introduced to facilitate risk assessment and regulatory control. This means that the analytical results relating to all 17 indi- vidual dioxin congeners and to the 12 dioxin-like PCB (") OJ L 140, 30.5.2002, p. 10. Directive as last amended by Directive 2005/87/EC (O] L 318, 6.12.2005, p. 19). congeners are expressed in terms of a quantifiable unit, namely the ‘TCDD toxic equivalent concentration’ (TEQ). On 30 May 2001 the Scientific Committee for Food (SCF) adopted an opinion on the Risk Assessment of Dioxins and Dioxin-like PCBs in Food, updating its opinion of 22 November 2000 on this subject on the basis of new scientific information that had become available since the latter’s adoption (3). The SCF fixed a tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 14 pg WHO-TEQ/kg body weight for dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs. Exposure estimates indicate that a considerable proportion of the Community population have a dietary intake in excess of the TWIL Certain population groups in some countries could be at higher risk owing to particular dietary habits. More than 90 % of human dioxin and dioxin-like PCB exposure derives from foodstuffs. Foodstuffs of animal origin normally contribute approximately 80 % of overall exposure. The dioxin and dioxin-like PCB burden in animals stems mainly from feedingstuffs. Therefore feedingstuffs, and in some cases soil, are of concern as potential sources of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs. The Scientific Committee for Animal Nutrition (SCAN) has been asked to advise on the sources of contami- nation of feedingstuffs with dioxins and PCBs, including dioxin-like PCBs, the exposure of food- producing animals to dioxins and PCBs, the carry-over of these compounds to food products of animal origin, and any impact on animal health of dioxins and PCBs present in feedingstuffs. The SCAN adopted an opinion on 6 November 2000. It identified fish meal and fish oil as the most heavily contaminated feed materials. Animal fat was identified as the next most seriously contaminated material. All other feed materials of animal and plant origin had relatively low levels of dioxin contamination. Roughages presented a wide range of dioxin contamination depending on location, degree of contamination with soil and exposure to sources of aerial pollution. The SCAN recommended, inter alia, that emphasis should be placed on reducing the impact of the most contaminated feed materials on overall diet contamination. () Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food on the Risk Assessment of Dioxins and Dioxin-like PCBs in Food adopted on 30 May 2001 — Update based on new scientific information available since the adoption of the SCF opinion of 22 November 2000 (http:/[europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sc/scffout90_en.pdf).