Worry for daughter I breast-fed

When tests were carried out on Anita Pollack, 44 industrial chemicals were found in her blood,

They include aboveaverage levels of hexachlorobenzene, and residues of organochlorine pesticides that some scientists believe could trigger breast cancer.

She fears she may have passed on some of the substances when she breast-fed her daughter Katherine, now 17.

"Heaven knows what she will suffer as a result," said Ms Pollack, 57, who was a Labour Euro MP for 10 years until she lost her London seat in 1999.

"Most of the chemicals we use in our everyday lives have never been tested. I want to strengthen the legislation to ensure proper tests are carried out. We do know that a lot of these things are carcinogenic. It is scary"

Of those in the WWF tests she had the highest level of octa-congener BDE183, a flame retardant now banned in Europe. Little is known about its long-term health effects.

During her time in Brussels she pressed for tougher anti-pollution laws and is on Labour's list of candidates for the June Euro elections.