Document 2JQpewkZ27Xy3aKXBJLRzk7ER

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION Rilioui Office far lari^ ORGANISATION MONDULR DC LA SAN1 rtsiMi. rbm DCCMHKHAR OH AHITJAIIIIH WABOOXrAilCHHR 9. Sch*rftg*vj i DK-2100 COi'fNHACt-N O Denmark I TH.IG*. UNttANTt CoMhc*n I1 Ow nftrtfM* t. ~n,, i-.UKO >; If' ^fowr tvfrrtnLt Vttv *rfr.r ll tUw K<Mr(< , Pear r,r ho" den. TELEX: 1S]4 . ScheHgv*j DK-2100 COPfNHACUE a - Ohm Ttl-i <0> lOt It 23 Mey 1?3 ' ` Worklft * ir-O'ij OU I-Tmt,.-:?-a H>*n1 th . "n'i ' *'> t<*-1 iiTl,""` .' .-i m h *. in 1 tftwi.rMiTWfm. j " -'2=1.'.."_Z l iwjforonce is made to your letter of May .. *.'5. 1 j ... rlease m* i enclosed a lie*'. exjw'.n wno Lav* User* tuvil'l to the above ' mentv. joking Group, I I j 1 j , 1 | ! i. j . j. .'.i- - Lor. of Ln the group isi* . highest criorLly for preparation of eriWrh was ;uario after 4;y lc ! :.owin>r appeal:. t1: w I'i >1 y1:>; !!.oj L1:1 i t*. ; 1 hlpnonyls (PCBc) and rolaWi nubstiUia*.: and imuuri tiffs, iuttvd i,-c L.'Wfi'jvoi'illy four decade.: ago, wort.: not ^ *no rally regard-, d as hazardous ehomi "t* a.; potential environmental v.ntoniiriant.; uespiU. isolated accounts of oc/UfK-' ici: illy linked illncsn. Serious ino.L iont:; .;uch or a case of large-nealu ' oo/it.'imifiation of rooking of* in Jap*ui in 1968# ich affected adversely mom than 1000 persons, and a large-scale mentality of fisn-c.'ing birds in Great. Liritain in iy69 ]cd to rapid incvjaisc in the number of : tudles on the JWstrlbutlon and effects of P'.'bs. 1 major uses are for. upahj orr^ nln.:ticlsera, nurbonle:;:- jnrlio.atin*. 1, w^or, Iran.:former fluids, hMrai:l:r nul l::, and lubricants, and heat- j transfer fluids, A numbf r of those uses ^ont.'ri-r,e -.o the leakage of substantial j amounts of these highly per:.lucent 1 -Miilculs ;.io the environment. Uoth invert-. braWe and fish ir/ourmilato Ffn-:> to lev-.-la - 10J rimes hhrner than those in I the ambient water. There i;: further r6r'-ontru* l-..n within VLr'ubrnt* food chains, j so that levels in top prod." .```"I* (bJra., uhnvKr, - tfr.) may be 10^ - 10 tin* . higfviT* *.e in ttio amhiiu:' water. Pl..f j-of^l; ! rotir with mrrui levels of on. part I'M* HillJiou vppj; , lj* . .... nave ; , rt----- *a ]o*'ol;; 'v 1 :-800 p| bare be-ii reported in fioli from h'.-rh* / Mii.nm5r.ato :.land waters. .. ` i, j' I j v`irM.exixK'.uro of the .. 1 1*01 i'.tLio:. (w IV! . npp'rv t.o l*e Trom ln#;o:;;.i'JU oT ftni.. An I: ; al;.* c.: tiu* ordei* '--.'V u^/day Is UKrl., --or the aver adult pornnn, hut thl:: may % grcjatly ;*:.*<r 1 *n;. to l*n:.ation anil <ii- 4ar.v preleiv le-.'-ii,.: of : dHr :*.> f.t.J i.u hnvj. t are of L- -* order of 1 ' npin, ;ukI all ac j ..i 'il ;` Ioi ar\ Mr. /. V. ! 1 i n I Drp.artmoid ^ : e-i':.* u**o an-l -fi' for '!rohl,i*. l ra.:k:il.1y, !'i ' J. d.t ;/ . I i ro Jim''':,!' MGNS 094725 Mr. A. V. Holdun ZS toy 1973 EUHO 3109(2): Page 2 1 Toxluolocical studies of PCBs are complicated hy tho fact that each product ! oonslsta of many 1 .comers with potentially different toxicitics. lieslducs of ! PCBs have boon repeatedly demonstrated ]i: human and adipose tissue but work on thelj, uptake, retention, and excretion Is incomplete. Few studios on metabolism have i boen carried out and metabolites Uav-- iiot a:; yet been identified although ring- I hydroxylntod dorlv.ai.es >iuve been reported ir. one study. PCBs ore accumulated j Slowly by vertebra tea Including man. I'dlt Lev-ls in come of tho more contaminated eoo-aysti-ma exceed those required for demonstration of an adverse effect on ropro- ductlon In laboratory animals. Adverse effects on wild populations of crustaceans,i fish and birds ap)>cnr likely, but or. difficult to demonstrate In the presence of . other pollutants." | The work of the World Health Organisation In this field la naturally coordinate1, with that of other UN ojjencLes like "FAD and UNESCO and with other International ' organisations like OECD, all of which will be Invited to participate in tho working group un PCBs. In connexion with specific marinu pollutIon problems close contact Is also maintained with ICES. I hope the Information given above will be sufficient to allow you to decide and obtain approval for your participation in the meeting In Brussels. As evident from tho invitation, I do feel that your experlenco and contribution would be valuable for the work of tho group. I hope to roe you in Brussels. &icl. as mentioned (v amc Jomoltfv Rofriciml Officer for Promotion of Env ironmcmtal Health MONS 094726