Document 0qp17b2X2Od3Y8kejgdZ9LE2M

SOMERSET, p.l 5. fiOW) Yor Money'* Worth By Sylvia Porter A toxic SUBSTANCES 'their birthrate was onwfourth its use must be severely CONTROL B LAW AT UST that needed to replace them restricted in the meantime. The Roman Empire-declined selves. PCBs are used in Insulators and finally fell, according to What about us? Could the and fire retardants In elec authoritative speculation, not decline and fall of our trical transformers, ere because of the barbarian hor civilisation be brought about released into and carried by des. overextended colonisation by our unquestioning ac air and water, art long-Uved or moral decadence, but ceptance of the marvels of and toxic. Even low exposure mainly as s result of lead modern chemistry? can cause metabolfc distur poisoning. Each day's news seems to bances, embryo abnarmahtiei, Eating and drinking from bring another account of the and miecarrriagaa. PCBa have vessel* containing lead and health effects of some contaminated our waterways dabbing themselves with lead chemical contaminant-. throughout the U.S.. par laden cosmetics, the upper- Kopono, arsenic, PCBs. vinyl ticularly in the Great Lakes class Romans unwittingly chloride, asbestos, mercury area and the Northseat. The poisoned themselves, sapping lead, etc., etc. latest bad news is that the their vitality and the vitality of While new chemical com Susquehanna River, kxwart tot the society they headed. (The pounds developed and released the eastern U.3., flowing poor people used cheep ear into our environment in recent through New York, Pen thenware utensils sad did not years have benefited us nsylvania, and Maryland on fool with cosmetics.) greatly, only a small propor the way to the Chesapeake A study of ancient tombstone tion of these substances were Bay. may be contaminated. inscriptions Indicates a Ufa ex adequately tested for poten Congress singled oat the pectancy of 23 to 23 years tially harmful effects. The PCB haiard and give it special among upper-class Romans. primary testing has been on triortty- and industry ap us--the American public. Long parently egress. Mgngjg aftar a chemical substance has Chemical already has an been marketed and widely nounced It will cease produc dispersed into the en- tion of PCBs at the end of Oc vtrenment, we have discovered tober 1977 and end all sales that it can cause cancer, attack. when inventories arc depleted the liver, lungs, kindneys, cen In its final form,thrlaw hae tral nervous aytem, result In wide-ranging suport - and new infant mortality or genetic the Manufacturing Chemists Assn, and some other elements But on Sept 2b--sfter aimoat of the chemical industry in six years of battling and only dicate they can accept he final days before it ad verison. journed--Congress finally But e law at its beginning to reached agreement on the just a piece of paper. Its provisions at the Toxic Su^ ultimate success or failure stances Control Act--a rests on how It la carried out - measure that will give us a and right now, that mean chance to control the use of un EPA's administrator. RusmU tested chemicals. President Train. Ford has just signed the bids. Train says he is appointing Under the legislation: and advisory committee to in (l) Manufacturers and clude representatives of in processors must test dustry. health experts, en chemicals, both those in use vironmentalist*, other public and thorn coming onto the Interest groups - and that he market will consult closely with this (21 Manufacturers must give group in developing policy, will 9Q days notice to the En insist on an effective ad vironmental Protection Agen ministration with a minimum cy before they begin com of red tape. mercial production Agency But he has less than suf before they begin commercial ficient funds and manpower to production of new substances, handle this large, complex job. or the procestong of existing Essential will be tha substances for certain uses. cooperation of the chemical Thie notification provision Is manufacturers in complying the "heart*' of the act, says with the testing, notification Sen. Warren Magnuaon (D.- and reporting ewtotoM of the Wash.) It "will no longer allow law. Will they help insure their the public or the environment products ace sate for us and to be used as a testing ground future generations? Or will for (he safety of these produc they throw up roadblocks in the ts." Interest of short-termorofite? (3) production of PCS must Copyright 1971 be ended within two yoart and Field Enterprises. Inc MOHS 050911