Document 4vbQEXoe8e55B1d2b8pYXVwq1

h* Charlotte Carver Friday Aug. 11,1978 PCB Dumping On N.C. Roads Angers Officials OMvr Staff And Wirt RtMrti RALEIGH -- Whoever dumped ft cancer-causing chemical along at least 70 -- and perhaps 200 -- miles of North Carolina highways probably has broken seven state laws. N.C. Attorney General Rufus Edmisten said Thursday he'd like to throw the book at the culprit. "What I'd like to do is catch these people and throw the book at them," Edmisten said, "because we're talking about something that is wanton and willful and it incenses me." Gov. Jim Hunt posted a S2.500 reward Thursday for information leading to arrest and conviction of those responsible for spilling poly' chlorinated biphenyl -- PCB -- along 70 miles of highways in Ala* mance, Chatham, Franklin, Har* nett, Hoke, Johnston, Moore and Warren counties. State investiga tors are testing about 130 addition* al miles of highways which also may be contaminated -- in Wake, Nash, Chatham, Warren, Wilson, Edgecombe and Lee counties. State officials have speculated someone may have dumped the chemicals to avoid complying with a federal law which went into ef* feet Aug. 1. The law strictly con trols disposal of PCBs. used in manufacture end repair of eiectri* cal transformer! at a number of North Carolina plants. The chemi cal causes cancer in laboratory ani mals. Dr. Martin Hines, director of the Epidemiology Branch of the De partment of Human Resources, Mid tests are being made to deter mine whether PCBs have gotten into wells or been consumed by cattle. He said officials doubt PCBs would seep or be washed into water supplies because they are not water soluble. State officials have been flooded with cells from residents in the af fected areas. Edmisten said four State Bureau of Investigation agenta arc assign ed to the case and an investigator for his office's Environmental Pro tection Division Is coordinating ac tivities of several state agencies In volved In the case. Don Flowers, Alamance County manager, said Thursday he is angry,too. "PCB is toxic -- very," he said. "It not only offends me, it (the de liberate dumping) offends the citi zens of this county as well." HONS 000816