Document 5kokzx2VgJy9w9emDyZyzm6re

The Ann Arbor News ANN ARBOR, MICH. D. 38,498 SUN. 37.239 JUN 13 1975 __ State May Seek Ban On Lake Contaminant LANSING (AP) -- The Kate Depart* ment of Natural Reaourcea may seek a legislative turn on a chemical contami* nant officiate aay te turning up at "alarming level*" in Lake Michigan fish. The chemical te polychlorinated blpfce- nyl <PCB). used la household products from handsoap te paper. "If the Environmental Protection Agency te not in a position to act nation* ally, wo may have to go to Uw tegtelaturo ' and affact a han on PCBa In any pro* duct," said William TUmey, chief of the bureau of water management at the DNR. Turney eald the EPA may nut be able te act because of statutory limitation* on Rs authority. Turney dM oot rule out the possibility product* containing PCB could bo allow* ad white meeting federal regulation*. PCBa appeared at ouch high levels in Lake Michigan fish earlier tble year the U.S. food and Drug Administration oateed some shipments of chubs. The ' agoncy said PCB levels were "danger* oualy high." 1 FDA limits are flvo parts per million, but some of the chube had as much as N parts par mllHon. Potentially harmful te humans are lav* ate of NO parte per mUlisa. a Turney told the Natural Reaourcea n Commission In a report Thursday the gt situation te "alarming" because PCB 0 levels have remained the earns or in* li creased since 1870, rather than decreas ing as predicted. The level of moot other contaminant* has decreased, Turney said. f "In 1170, we felt we had things under * control," he said. "We buttoned up all the major discharges of PCBs." At that time, PCB was used mainly by ' industry. The tola U.S. manufacturer of the product. Montanto Chemical Co. of St. Louli, agreed'16 MP ptfffltfffig flu chemical for certain Industrial uses which led to contamination. | "There were 38 Industries reporting use of PCBa (in Michigan) teat year," | laid Turney, "a whole let more than ! previously. When we followed tt up we found PCBs bowing up In all kinds of thtegi." PCBs are chemically associated with DDT. When PCB was first unmasked as a contaminant In 1881 it was found In concentrations of up to 300 parts par mil* Don In catfish In Uw Saginaw Bay ana. In the past few years DDT and mer cury in Michigan flab have declined, making the PCB problem more signifi cant, said Turney. Recent date shows PCB te "vary toxic." ho noted. Testa on Rhesus monkeys at the University of Wisconsin sbowod the ani mals were "sensitive" to PCBs at levels belew the FDA limits. But Turney emphasised, "That data te not validated and it doesn't mean teat humans are sensitive at that level or anything teat." The Ukt Michigan Toxic Material Committee found herring gulls which ate flab from Lake Michigan with high PCB level* died in "significant numbers be cause of PCBs. Wa fool there te a definite correlate)*." A year ago, the DNR's planting of young pike in various streams resulted in "almost 180 per cent mortality," said Turney, who linked tee problem te PCB. Ho said certain selection sites, most in Western Michigan, were abandoned. la 1970, some mink ranchers fed their animate salmon contaminated with PCB and bad trouble keeping young animals alive, sold Turney. . MONS 031274