By Kazeem Ugbodaga The Lagos State Government has moved to curb food and water contamination in eateries, restaurants and hotels across the state, charging stakeholders to embrace the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, HACCP, certification.
HACCP is a management system that gives a systematic preventive approach to Food Safety, from biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product, through identifying where hazards may occur and design measures to reduce this risks to a safe level by putting in place stringent actions, strictly monitoring and controlling each process.
“In 2005, 1.8 million people died of gastroenteritis caused by contaminated food and water (WHO, 2007).
In spite of the technological progress in food production and control, the occurrence of these diseases has recently increased, even in developed countries.
Food hazards or contamination may also come from primary production/farm, from improper handling or storage in the food industry, or from errors during preparation at home or in other places where the food is consumed.
“For a successful HACCP programme to be properly implemented, the management must be committed to a HACCP approach.
The commitment by management will indicate an awareness of the benefits and costs of HACCP and include education and training of employees.
Benefits, in addition to enhanced assurance of food safety, are better use of resources and timely response to problems,” he said.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Modele Osunkiyesi, said the essence of the meeting was to sensitise food/water/beverage-based establishment on the importance and having an understanding of the HACCP Initiative as well as foster/promote the adoption of the HACCP system in food/water/beverage establishment, “because this is what our inspectors will look for amongst other areas.” She added that the meeting aimed to emphasise the relationship between good hygiene practices and the HACCP systems, gain management commitment to the promotion of food safety and hygiene.
“A proper understanding will prevent sanctions, reduce the form of delays in processing documents and ensure a transparent HACCP Certification by the Ministry.

By Kazeem Ugbodaga The Lagos State Government has moved to curb food and water contamination in eateries, restaurants and hotels across the state, charging stakeholders to embrace the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, HACCP, certification. HACCP is a management system that gives a systematic preventive approach to Food Safety, from biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product, through identifying where hazards may occur and design measures to reduce this risks to a safe level by putting in place stringent actions, strictly monitoring and controlling each process. Speaking at the sensitization meeting for food/water/beverage handling establishments on Thursday in Alausa, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Healthcare, Dr. Olufemi Onanuga lamented that food safety had become a major concern to the food industry given that the consumption of contaminated food and water contributed to a myriad of health problems in the World. “In 2005, 1.8 million people died of gastroenteritis caused by contaminated food and water (WHO, 2007). In spite of the technological progress in food production and control, the occurrence of these diseases has recently increased, even in developed countries. “Food and water prepared, served at the restaurants, eateries, hotels and those processed in factories may look clean and taste delicious, but may have been contaminated by biological, chemical or physical hazards during…

A public interest law firm and a group of citizens on Thursday asked Cathy Stepp, regional administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to step aside from any involvement in the federal agency’s ongoing review of Wisconsin’s water pollution program.
The deficiencies largely involve technical issues designed to assure Wisconsin is properly enforcing water regulations.
Frustrated by the pace of the state’s response, Midwest Environmental Advocates and a group of 16 citizens asked the EPA in October 2015 to conduct a formal review of the DNR’s water pollution program.
Kamp said as DNR secretary, Stepp had authority over the agency’s response to the deficiencies, and now is in a position to decide whether Wisconsin is adequately addressing those issues.
While serving as the DNR secretary, Stepp sometimes sought to downplay the significance of the deficiencies during hearings with lawmakers and meetings of the Natural Resources Board, Kamp said.
Six environmental groups, including Midwest Environmental Advocated, asked the EPA in 2014 to investigate groundwater contamination in Kewaunee County in northeastern Wisconsin, where residents have raised objections over contaminated wells that critics have tied to the agency’s regulation of large farms.
Stepp, a former builder and state senator from Racine County, left the DNR for a post in President Donald Trump’s administration in the Kansas City office of the EPA.
The groups’ petition is a check on how states manage water pollution programs.
Such actions are not uncommon, but Kamp said the petition allows groups to hold an agency’s feet to the fire.
Environmental groups have interpreted this as backsliding on enforcing environmental regulations — something Stepp rejected as secretary.

A public interest law firm and a group of citizens on Thursday asked Cathy Stepp, regional administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to step aside from any involvement in the federal agency’s ongoing review of Wisconsin’s water pollution program. Stepp, a Republican, oversaw all environmental regulations in Wisconsin, including water issues, as secretary of the Department of Natural Resources from 2011 until August of last year. She was appointed to the post by Gov. Scott Walker. The EPA has been monitoring the state’s water program for years. In July 2011, the federal agency cited 75 shortcomings, or deficiencies, and ordered the DNR to fix the problems within two years. Some matters date back to before the start of the Walker administration. The deficiencies largely involve technical issues designed to assure Wisconsin is properly enforcing water regulations. The issues range from allowable limits for pollutants and management of storm water to an examination of whether the DNR has adequate state authority to carry out its work. Frustrated by the pace of the state’s response, Midwest Environmental Advocates and a group of 16 citizens asked the EPA in October 2015 to conduct a formal review of the DNR’s water pollution program. The groups filed what is known as a petition for corrective action that could strip the DNR of its oversight of state water programs, if the EPA concluded that the state’s efforts were falling short. In October 2016, EPA personnel inspected DNR records at its headquarters in Madison as part…

Manawatū’s mayor and Horizons Regional Council are stepping up pressure on the Government to deal more effectively with fallout from the Ohakea airbase water contamination saga.
Manawatū mayor Helen Worboys has visited residents around the base because of community concerns about the quality of information being provided.
Some had talked about suffering headaches and illness, she said.
* Lawyers talk with landowners at Ohakea and Woodbourne about water contamination * Test results show Ohakea and Woodbourne drinking water contaminated from airbase toxic runoff * Chemical risk bubbles over for Ohakea’s neighbours Legal action could result from the saga, with Horizons officially investigating the incident.
The Ministry for the Environment has since done testing at Ohakea, and found 19 properties near the base had the toxic foam contaminants on the land.
Some local farmers have told Stuff they were not notified of the issue, while law firm Shine Lawyers – which is running a class action against the Australian Defence Force over similar issues – has started meeting with people potentially affected.
"In addition to water use, residents have concerns about the future of their farms, and are asking for further testing of the soil.
The act notes it is illegal to discharge a contaminant onto or into land if it may result in the contaminant entering water.
Individuals can be jailed for two years or fined up to $300,000 for breaching the section about discharging chemicals.
Parker said he had asked for more information and wanted to pass that on to farmers and affected residents as soon as possible.

Manawatū’s mayor and Horizons Regional Council are stepping up pressure on the Government to deal more effectively with fallout from the Ohakea airbase water contamination saga. Manawatū mayor Helen Worboys has visited residents around the base because of community concerns about the quality of information being provided. Some had talked about suffering headaches and illness, she said. “What I am hearing from our affected community members is that the information they are being provided with is inconsistent and unclear,” she said. READ MORE: * Lawyers talk with landowners at Ohakea and Woodbourne about water contamination * Test results show Ohakea and Woodbourne drinking water contaminated from airbase toxic runoff * Chemical risk bubbles over for Ohakea’s neighbours Legal action could result from the saga, with Horizons officially investigating the incident. The Defence Force stopped using a specific firefighting foam in 2002 after concerns were raised about two chemicals, PFOS and PFOA. They got initial results back about possible contamination of water in 2015, but did not inform the Government until August. The Ministry for the Environment has since done testing at Ohakea, and found 19 properties near the base had the toxic foam contaminants on the…

Growing community concerns about the information being provided around the extent and effects of the water contamination at Ohakea has prompted Manawatu Mayor Helen Worboys to visit residents around the base.
"What I am hearing from our affected community members is that the information they are being provided with is inconsistent and unclear," says Mayor Worboys.
"In addition to water use, residents have concerns about the future of their farms, and are asking for further testing of the soil.
Those on untested neighbouring properties are also concerned.
"I am being told about headaches and illness in people.
About poor performing animals that seem to recover when not on the affected land."
Since then we have and will continue to provide technical information on groundwater and surface water to the New Zealand Defence Force and the Ministry for the Environment," says Mr McCartney.
"However, we still don’t know the full scope of the contamination and what the long term impact may be.
"Contamination events such as this not only creates public health concerns, they can have long term social-economic impacts.
"Until the investigation is complete it would be inappropriate for Horizons to comment further on the investigation or speculate about the possible outcomes," says Mr McCartney.

Manx Utilities says it expects to fully recover all the costs from the responsible party after drinking water was contaminated in Douglas.
Supplies in Lower Douglas were affected last year when sea water got into the fresh water supply.
The board has revealed the responsible party has accepted that their working practice was the cause.
Manx Utilities warns it takes contamination of the water supply extremely seriously, and hasn’t ruled out utilising its enforcement powers under the Water Byelaws.
An initial investigation in December found the contamination had happened while the Steam Packet Company was washing down the Ben-my-Chree.
Manx Utilities has now completed a detailed investigation and installed a temporary non-return valve to prevent further contamination until a full resolution can be agreed.
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PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich– The Boulder Creek dump site in Plainfield Township is one of several sites that has residents concerned about contaminated drinking water.
While shoemaker Wolverine Worldwide has been at the center of the issue, state documents from the 1990’s show other companies are potentially responsible for dumping harmful chemicals at the same site, which likely contaminated local groundwater.
FOX 17 obtained verified records through a third party which show along with Wolverine Worldwide, Consumers Energy, Kysor Industrial, Keeler Brass Company, Plastic-Plate Inc (owned by Lacks Enterprises) dumped waste with Northeast Gravel Company at this site, making them potentially responsible parties.
Documents show Amway also has a history of dumping at the site.
According to this study, these chemicals had the potential to leach into groundwater.
According to documents, Northeast Gravel was advised several times by the state to install a cap over the waste to keep it from leaching into the water supply.
According to Dr. Mark Muyskens, a chemistry professor at Calvin College, a landfill cap is critical for keeping waste from leaching into nearby water.
“The cap is intended to keep water from getting in, so even if there was something toxic in the landfill, if the water’s not there to carry it away, it’s doing what the landfill’s intended to do, keep it in a place.” According to Muyskens, even solid waste can threaten groundwater if it is not capped.
Some members of the Plainfield Township Board say the water contamination issue is new for them.
Representatives from the township did not allow media cameras inside the cafeteria, where the discussion took place.

The warning urged residents to boil water for drinking and for food preparation until further notice.
Nousiainen resident Maritta Lehvonen said that many families including her own had been struck down by a stomach bug.
Lehvonen said that she herself fell ill Thursday night and that the illness spread to most of the rest of the four-person family afterwards.
”Last week I noticed that the tap water was grey and cloudy like an alcopop drink, I had to really run the water out,” she told Finnish news agency STT.
”In a local [Facebook] discussion group there are many families where healthy adults fell sick first.
Southwest Finland daily Turun Sanomat reported Saturday that the local health centre in Nousiainen had been visited by between three and five patients with stomach complaints daily.
Lehvonen said that health centre records do not reflect the true number of people who have been ill. ”The number of people who called the health centre to describe their symptoms doesn’t tell how many visited their occupational health services, treated themselves or sought care in the private sector,” she noted.
River water contamination?
Municipal officials issued Sunday’s warning after water samples tested on Saturday suggested a bacterial contamination.
Lehvonen called for more specific information from local authorities about whether the stomach bug outbreak was caused entirely by contaminated water or if it was also caused by a virus.