Document 2BN9krM1JoLRJV0qozdrLx65

4 ST.LOUIS POST-DISPATCH w, j,,,. 27.1976 Ul Monsanto Plans To Halt PCB Output By MARGARET W. FREtVOGEL . Of the Post-Dispatch Staff Monsanto Co. says it hopes to phase out production of PCBs, the industrial chemical that has become a wide spread pollutant, within three years. Monsanto's Sauget, 111., plant near St. Louis is the only domestic producer of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). The substance is a chemically stable fluid used as an insulator in certain electrical equipment. /---v The company cut off sales of the chemical in i97ly '^ele,C`r1Cal ""T found in disturbingly large try But PCBs still are found mies in fish ,nd ocean- polluting every major United ^eedi bjrds Because it States watershed that has break/down very slowly, the been tested, including the Yu- has lbe Iton River. . environment despite the fact ^-Some fish from Lake Michi- i( has ^ ^ed only ^ gan and the Hudson River are c|osed electr(cai systems so contaminated that they are ' unfit to eat. ' PCBs hdve caused skin dis At a conference on PCBs ease and liver problems in last November, assistant sec 0 human beings./In laboratory retary of the Interior Nathan ^xperimentsr monkeys fed iel P. Reed called for eventu PCBs had a high rate of ally phasing out all use of miscarriages and sickly in PCBs because the chemical fants and rats developed liver -was putting lakes and fjmrpr u r streams "in mortal danger." William B. Papageorge, Reed said federal and local Monsanto's manager of prod governments had spent 17 uct acceptability, said the years and $18,000,000 replen- company had wanted to phase jsiJJIIg UiCdl LdAU ici. out PCBs since 1970 because But PCB contamination of the chemical's persistence threatens to undermine the in the environment. entire effort by making the A final, although indefinite, fish unfit to eat, he said. phase-out was announced yes In addition to causing ai terday because substitutes will be developed soon for use in electrical capacitors and transformers where PCBs are environmental controversy, PCBs became the focus of a policy disagreement between the Federal Government and used, Papageorge said. industry over how to control Monsanto is testing a sub harmful chemicals. s9UtitIuUtICe iinll cvaapuaackiitiovrias,, wwhmicvhii The Environmental Protec- ., . .... are installed in motors and ,10n ASen,cy has calle<J fr applicances to store small passage of a toxic substances amounts of electricity for use "ntrol *<=*10 *Lal w,th PTM>>- in starting. They are com- "eras such as PCB5------ --^ monly found in television sets, Papageorge frccus&u the refrigerators, air conditioners federal agency 0! publicizing and fluorescent lights, among "'a pCB problem to win ap- other things. Proval f the act. He said adequate laws on the subject But work is not so far along were on the books. The act on a PCB substitute for trans- still is being considered by formers, which are connected congressional committees, to power lines to reduce high transmission voltage to the level used by the customer. The possibility of fire is greater in a transformer than in a capacitor, so a substitute for the PCB insulator fluid is harder to find, Papageorge said. He said the company hoped to develop one within When asked for comment on the Monsanto decision to phase out production, a feder al agency spokesman said, "We love it." Papageorge said Monsan to's voluntary move was unre lated to the controversy over the toxic substances act. three years. Monsanto employs 50 to 75, Before 1971, PCBs were used in a variety of products -- paints, sealants, adhesives and in the encapsulated fluid that contained the ink on the back of carbonless duplicat ing paper. The substance, which Is chemically related to DDT, * accumulates In the fat of those who eat It and has been people in connection with PCB production, Papageorge said, but they will be shifted to other jobs rather than be laid off. Although Monsanto is the only 'J.S. producer of PCBs, the chemical is a minor prod uct in comparison with the company's over-all sales, he said. DSW 306015 3 i STLCOPCB4069578