Document 4De4Z1BBLLDBdQv0xQ9jQmwV

Rinas POST-DISPATCH We.l. May 23, 1979 Toxic DisBosal lJL-- -------------------------- By BILL LAMBRECHT UUnats Corretpendent I the Pom-Dispatch .1 D. FROM PAGE ONE I wrong," Earthline attorney Stuart K.. . J 'Dobbeaald. ... V | A permit dated Dec. 24,1970, allowed^ disposal of SO tt-galloa drums of solid ' sodium cyanide. It cautioned that the 1 material was to be placed in a specialty ; SPRINGFIELD, IIL -- Slate penults ' "Earthline's reason for existing la to ; prepared cell in a secure trench area,} iuuag two yean ago allowed the ' spills like Love Canal won't happen,". surrounded by a foot of lime and Earthiine Corp. to bury large quantities , Dobbs said, referring to a toxic spill -covered immediately. 1 of cyanide, arsenic compounds, mercury j near Niagara Falls, N.Y. ... . . .. . ` . Seven drums of sodium cyanide were J CDmpcui.di, pesticides and other highly - Dobbs said he felt Russell '`should not among more than 600 drums of wastes ' toalc chemicals st Its disposal site in J have second-guessed the EPA." State from a pesticide manufacturing WUsonville, 111. - ' j Environmental Protection Agency ' company that were approved for [ in the state Appellate _` officials have testified that the - disposal In November 1978. i Const disclose the identity and amounts J Wiisonville site is safe. In addition, a .. The wastes also include 19.drums if same of the hazardous wastes : federal EPA report of June 1977 said the .' containing arsenic compounds and two approved for burial at WUsonville. Many ' site is "well-designed and secure." -`I drums of mercury compounds. Burial of" are considered far more toxic than - Dobbs said the case is crucial to the 232 drums of solid mercurous sulfide PCBs, the tox, ic chemical that start.ed a. hazardous waste Industry, because a. ' was permitted is a later permit. _ ^ J yroveny leading to a court-ctdered ,,tgltiv would set a precedent in. 1 *** __ in August .-- . gjviog local courts control over sites, -f m * AMMughEArthllM sought to keep the 4 Ipfcnutloa secret, a three-judge > Mpeftate panel last week granted a < revest by the Post-Dispatch to examine j Richard W. Cosby, first assistant attorney general, said, "Basically, the' (act that the site is not fit to contain the . materials is what we will be trying (to . the retards. :M get across.** i `vp.4 . The Appellate Court will hear 1 The suit `against Earthiine was *fan arguments .Tuesday oo Earthline's outgrowth of widespread concern among appeal to reopen the disposal site, 40 Wiisonville-area residents that the toxic. satin northeast of St. Louis. materials in the landfill might seep into . . Tbs court also will decide whether groundwater and eventually , EarthUne. which recently merged with j contaminate wells. . -. 1 'M SCA Industries of Boston, will be | The identity and amount of materials ' required to remove wastes buried at WHisnVfllt from December 1976 until ( foe Maroupia County Circuit Court i buried at Wiisonville have been a closely j guarded company secret. Thef state EPA, which issues dumping permits, ! avdmd the facility closed. has refused to make public information jAfong with the closing order, Circuit j Judge IJoothan W. Russell ruled thiuait the .J materials must way. But the be dug up Appellate aCnodurht ausaleijddj on the permits, citing a "ttad^secrets"' . provision; ' ` ' But photocopies of permits containing , alt information except the origin of the Earthiine did not have to remove the hazardous materials were included by materials doring appeals, if the . Earthiine in materials submitted to the esmpeny posted a $2 million bond. . . - appellate court. The permits were Earthiine attorneys will contend that, the Circuit Court had no jurisdiction. i' issued from November 1976 until April 1977, when a suit to close the site began. 1 They soy the case should have been donned by the stale Pollution Control . They do not include permits during the court dispute. issued * ... . j "The cyanides and the arsenic and Board, which sets environmental ! The permits are among 21 volumes of mercury compounds are among the regulations and adjudicates documents and 32 volumes of abstracts ' most extremely toxic existing, and, enfsreement proceedings. -' \I in the Wiisonville case; the papers fit) a small room in the basement of the state t given time, will migrate from virtually any disposal site -- then there is nothing ' The company also is contesting Russell's ruling that the site is a - y Supreme Court building. I , we can do about them",said Robert W. . One permit issued in December 1976 , Allen, assistant professor of chemistry "nuisance" to the community. approved disposal of 2^00 55-galloo I at Sangamon State University, in -We would hopo the court will ; drums of solid cyanide waste. . *i Springfield. ' . emptrtely reverse judge- Russell's \ The cyanide permit contains the j Allen said one-tenth of a gram of dedston, or if it is determined he hnd the warning, 'This material la extremely I Jurisdiction, will say he was dead j hazardous to the health of persons in cyanide is fatal to humans. He noted that lime or other insulating materials .* JeTOXIC,r;e ' , j contact with it. It is combustible and* vrty toxic in contact with acids.".; are needed to prevent escape of hydrogen cyanide gas, similar to that Workers handling the drums were _ used in gas chambers. advised to wear rubber suits mufj The November 1976 permit also breathing apparatus. *1 ' enabled disposal of hundreds of drums of * DDT snd other pesticides, including dieldrin, aldrin, endrin, lupiachlor and , Undone. The federal government has f said that aldrin, dieldrin and endrin are carcinogens and has barred their use on crops. ..... HONS 0 U 0 6 S "'A tep.ratt permit luued Id November allowed the dumping oi 400 drums ol packaged laboratory chemicals, nidi aa rulestea and other hazardous chemicals known (or their ^ ability to persist lor a long time In nature, ' V PCBa (polychlorinated biphenyls), * which Allen called "a suspect ; \carcinogen," are (m o( the chemicals : her which diriposal permits were j obtained most often. . "I Ihclodfsl .,Vss s revised permit - , anablhii dlspossl o(4,500 drums ol soil i (rom Xlittmer, Mo., which were - contaminated with PCBs and phenol. 1 . Eetthline waa hired by the federal EPA ; , to rttbove the materials, which had been 1 ' dunipod Illegally near a creek near the tyfe-atmc River. " / Alter the publicity surrounding the ; 'PCBs, s suit was tiled by the village ol ; t VUsanville, Macoupin County and the J . Macoupin Counly Farm Bureau. Their aim was to close the disposel site. 1 . Following are- the substances I _ Involved In other separate, permits j ~ tosuedtoEanWine: ......... '1 . 5.000 gallons at herbicides with 1 pesticide floor washings. The permit ; contains a warning: "This material, ; ' even diluted with water, may have some ` jeyere healthhazards.^________ ... _..~i ~~ --'1.4 million pounds ol herbicides. --TOO cubic yards ol 2,4-D herbicide, , spilled In a manu/acturcr's warehouse, j : -- HO cubic yards ol mercury. ' contaminated steel equipment, , . Including pumps and piping,___________ j ; IT'40,000 pounds ol wastewater J treatment sludge contaminastieud wituhi $; PCBa. ' , ......... . qui-d PCBs' 1' - --10 Si-gallon drums ol liquid PCBs. -- 10 55-gtllon drums o.l...."..h...i.g. h-.i viscosity" liquid PCBs. ' M 45-jallon drums ol Sv3-'- , coolsminsied hydraulic oii. '. -- 4,000 PCBeonlaminated drums.TM ' Other permits were granted lor wastes Including sludge, ails, grease,, paints and Ink. , .: " *>. I .wtsBW*A; !. tv:, j, .1 THE WALL STREET JOl/RNAL. Uninday, May 2-1, 1979 od -4 FDA Chief Opposes' ! Extending Moratorium On Banning Saccharin ' WL2.STRrn JocmtAl. 3b// Xe?9rt*r WASHINGTON- Saccharin poses spe cial health risk to children, and their eon* sumption of the artificial sweetener Is ris ing, the bead of the Pood and Drug Adminis tration said. . For this reason. FDA Commissioner Don ald Kennedy told a House subcommittee. Congress should refuse to pass legislation that would extend a moratorium oo banning saccharin for three more years. ; The agency moved to outlaw the artificial sweetener In foods and beverages in March 1977, citing an apparent Unk between sac charin and bladder tumors in laboratory rats. But outcries from the public and the food Industry prompted Congress to legislate a moratorium on the proposed FDA ban. Tbe moratorium expired yesterday; several pending Mils would extend it for three more years. . . V' .. ;j "Chronic consumption, begun early in life, may significantly increase one's risk of developing cancer as an adult." Mr. Ken nedy said in testimony before the Commerce Committee s Subcommittee on Health and the Environment. The number of young chil dren who consume saccharin is rising, he said, and so ''the adverse health coose- queras'* of its use mightn't "surface for an other decade." . , ' In a speech earlier yesterday before tbe Washington Picss Clubi the FDA commis sioner estimated that 90% of the saccharin consumed In tha U.& is contained la diet soft drinks. He said he hoped that Congress "would consider the kids," who drink a lot of diet soda. But he acknowledged that Con gress Is "Inclined to adopt the security of 1 some form of legislation'' postponing a sac charin ban. , , . In an interview after his congressional testimony. Mr. Kennedy Indicated he would support legislation outlawing saccharin In diet soda, but allowing its continued use In gum, salad dressings and other foods. "That would be enormously preferable, to a straight moratorium." he said. , . FDA officials have previously said Mr. Kennedy doesn't Intend to revive the pro posed ban on using the artificial sweetener in food and beverages before He quits his post June 30. And if his successor does re vive It. a fin.il s.-u'ch.irin ban woulrtn t likely take effect for li> to is months or more. rr rr.--- -t-t-t-:-------------------- HONS 011069