Document 4vn4Y0vn98KrMnry7zn5DqB21

! Csp<to\ cTHAj&Uj i l 36.72 SUPERMARKET NEWS WK1Y. 51.500 OCT 4 1971 Rejects on PCB ByJOANKIMMEU WASHINGTON (FNS) - Food & Dmg Commissioner Charles Edwards Jast week rejected an outright bun on the industrial !! chemical PCB He said "positive slops," not "scare headlines," arc the way to deal with its potential danger to public health. ; i `Tuhllc confusion has created public alarm i! and a feeling of still another crisis in the food jl supply," he told a news conference. "I know the confusion is unnecessary and I believe the alarm is greater than tiic facts will justify." i Hep, William F, Ryan <D., N.Y.), who in I i troduced the bill to ban distribution of PCB in I interstate commerce, promptly replied: "1 agree (hat scare headlines are not the answer I: i -- what is needed is preventive action and full disclosure of any food contamination" by the K1>A. l Ryan referred to an FDA finding last June l that PCB in recydcd-cnrriboard food con tainers had been migrating in unacceptably i high levels to some foods. FDA alerted the Grocery Manufacturers of America ami the American Paper In.slitule to (tils problem Sept. 14, but did not make the facts public until last Monday. ..... ...S.ee..F.D.A.,.P.age 14 A-y `T FDA Head, Bars PCB Ban, Asks 'Positive Steps' Continued from, Pege 1 Said Ryan: "FDA seems more concerned about the linage of American Industry than tire level of public knowledge of Iho whotesomcncw of its food." Ilot.ot) on lix' Juno finding, one of the 'positive step*" FDA is UUnr to o high priority survey of IS food cnUf.ni Ira packaged in recycled cardboard containing PCil. Food imvk.ipng to o major use of recycled paper, whirl! the Uuvcrnmrnt hot encouraged to reduce waste. FDA arlniowkdRni last week that the PCB diaravery could spnth u conflict between environmental and public health pi'il*. like the recent policy reversal over phosphate detergent*. The InwI-oJdiUvc order for pulp from reclaimed liber Colilhlt* thnsalvageof uatsJ paper and paperboard which are or contains any poisonous or deleterious substance lor fond packaging material. Depending on the extent of food contamination in Its survey launched $rpt. , PDA may restrict the use of n>cvcird pspor containing PCM for food packaging or set PCll gtiitMines for pnperboard and food products. In Ihe area of "positive steps" so far, FDA said Monpmty Phemk-at Co.. ihe nation's only producer ofTCH, has promised lo stop selling il In food and feed processing plants. In addition, Natlonn! Cash Register discontinued its use In "carbonic**" carbon pnpor, the primary PCB source in recycled paper, last june. However, FDA rovealod a further cnmplicaton: "Wo know that these chemicals have Important flameresistant prop, riles and, properly used, directly assist Government And industry In protecting the consumer against fire," declared Edwards. In testing made public Iasi week, FDA said It hod found low-)vei PCB residues in 4*0 of Id,000 raw agricultural commodities samples over the last 22 months. Most of tlieso were fish. A further market-basket survey turned up FCB levels ranging froma trace to 0,3* part per million in a of 720 samples. Seventeen were meal, fish and poultry. Tho agency has set "action level*" for PCB at S PPM in Osh antfpouKry, 0,5 PPM for cggii end 0.2 PPM for milk. In the Junesurvey, FDA found 0.4 PPM of PCB in cereal products. When the individual components of the survey were tested, FDA traced the residues to shredded wheat biscuits (up to 24 PPM) and subsequently lo shredded wheat packaging. It was la< rr learned that the packaging firm used about 86 per cent recycled paper to manufacture paperboard containers. Tito Arm's paperboard showed PCH levels ranging from 1.7 to 421 PPM. Analysis of it packaged-food samples using me firm paperboard uncovered PCH Id nine sample*. Corn me. spaghetti dinner, grits, mixed hnhy ccral. noodle dinm and pancake mix contained 8.1 to .1 PPM. "We arc not aware of any foods eomamwaicd i KiKniticatnlevciscma regular and t unsiiU nt Imsm. If ah. a food were identified, a much lower action level would 1 taken to prevent unwarranted long trim cxpos.mx ' said Dr. Albert Koibye. Jr., deputy director, IDA Imre: of foods. . Food categories being chocked include crackers, hri-: crumbs ami related products; macaroni and nea.s products; pretzels, chips and specialty Item*: read> i ect breakfast eoreai*: prepared mixes including ml>i pancakes and biscuili; dried milk, ami drkd in. products. Also: Dried desserts and pudding mixes. imh.-!u unfavored gelatin; Infant cm cals; cookies. rcfri,;<>r.<>> uibakcd specialties; rice, oatmeal and farina, chou.l,. and cocoa products; grated cheese and cheese product dried fruits ond frozen fruit juices. Dr. Edwards concluded: "We still havi as m.n questions at answers. We know that PCB is s potent iut v not an immedlaichvalth hazard Hut we dn not kniw lu< bng-term exposure to PCB might alfcct human lie;.it and wo cannot explain Its Inconsistent presence in t! environment." HONS 031707