Document 8VxVy2g3QERZDG9EG7Yej0VDB

1 I / EPA may sue Army for Ks refusal to dean up DDT residues The Environments! Protection Agency has warned the U.S. Army that refusal to clean up DOT residues near the site of the former Redstone Arsenal pesticide plant la Huntsville, Ala., and refusal to study the residues' health effects on area resi dents could lead to a civil suit. The Army has refused to submit plans to EPA for the cleanup and a long-term study of Triana, Ala., residents because it contends the DDT leakage is the fault of Ottn Corp., which operated the plant under lease (CW. M. 14. p 17) But Paul I. Traina, director of EPA's Enforcement Division in the Atlanta regional office. mamUiai the DDT plant was "on Army fbcHity- they are responsible.** Traina adds that If the Army "want* to get to OUn, we have no objection." Traina told the Army that it* refusal to bey the EPA administrative order `'leaves EPA no choice.** He said he is considering referring the matter to the Justice Dept, for a possible civil suit - "the only enforce ment action left to us,** Army officials said they expected a court action and that they are prepared to present a defense. One source said the Army has repeatedly offered to sit down with all parties involved to determine how host to wive the DDT problem, but that "they IfcPA) don't want to talk with us." While the question of liability remains undecided, EPA'* immediate concern is the possible adverse health effects of the residues on Triana residents who have boon eating DDT-laden fish from highly contaminated local streams. EPA's Traina has asked the federal Center for Disease Control, which has already conducted superficial tests of residents at the mayor's acquest, to determine whether in-depth todies are warranted. Pennsylvania checks out dumping sites Pennsylvania officials are pressing in vestigations and seeking funds for cleanup of two cbcmieal-wuie dumpeiles in the state--one near Chester, the other ia Phil adelphia, Rohm and Haas is assisting the Envi ronmental Protection Agency in identify ing 3,000 drums at the site near Chester, end Representative Robert W. Edgar (D.. Pa.) plans to ask for S) million in federal funds for the cleanup. RAH says some of the drums bear its labels and originally contained methacrylic acid. The company says those drums were used to ship the product to customers and that the custom EPA sharply criticizes Dow dioxin findings ers or their agents then disposed of the Dow Chemical's claim that environmen containers. It points out that a check at the tal contamination by toxic dioxins occurs site shows none of the original seals were as a result of natural combustion and not on the drums, indicating the original contents had been used. because of industrial pollution was sharply disputed last week in a preliminary Envi The methacrylic acid drums originated ronmental Protection Agency study at RdLH't Bristol, Pa., plant and the Last fall, Dow scientists reported that company is searching its records in response to an EPA request for a customer TCDD (tetrachlorodibenro-paru-dioxin) in the area around its Midland, Mich , list. . pesticides plant and in tish caught down In Philadelphia, city Water Dept, and stream in the Tittabawassce Kivcr did not law enforcement officials are trying to determine the sources of 1,700 drums of come from its chemical processes. Instead, the company said, the likely source of waste chemicals illegally buried in a 60acre dump owned by the city. dioxins in local fish were the large combustion sources al the plant, adding City Water Commissioner Carmen F. that chlorinated dioxins are produced Guarino says construction work begun at from other combustion sources such as the Southwest Water Pollution Control refuse incineration, cars, fireplaces and Plant near the international airport turned cigarettes (OP. Nor. 22.1979. p. J6). up the drums. The wastes apparently came But EPA, which recently analyzed from chemical manufacturing plants of Dow's data, came up with different various types. Preliminary identification of materials by an EPA laboratory include conclusions. "No information, other than purely circumstantial evidence, has been toluene, benzene, ethyl and propyl acetate, submitted by Dow to support the premise isopropyl alcohol, ethanol and N,N-di that polychlorinated dibenzo-p-tfioain* methyl formamide. (PCDDs) and especially TCDIX are typi Borings given to consultant Roy F. cal by-products of combustion," the tiPA Weston (West Chester, Pa.) indicate that report says. The agency found that "Mid the site seems to have a 40-ft.-deep layer land. Mich., and especially the area of clay underlying the site, so there may be around the [Dow] plant, exhibits the no immediate threat. greatest evidence for gross PCDD contam ination among the various locations sam pled." with levels 2-4 orders of magnitude PCB, DDT levels drop \ greater than those reported elsewhere. In Great Lakes fish \ The agency also criticized Dow's anal yses of fish taken from the rivers near its plant. EPA found that fish taken upstream While Michigan officials have found i had no indication of DCDD contamination dramatic drops in the levels of DDT and while rainbow trout held in cages PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) in fish downstream showed detectable amounts of from the Great Lakes, there will be no * TCDD. immediate change in the stale's health ( In addition, EPA disputes other Dow warnings against consumption of certain ; support for its combustion theory. The fish species from state waters. That's the company bad said iu manufacturing upshot of last week's meeting of the slate plants do not emit high enough airborne Dept, of Natural Resources (DNR), I dioxin levels to account for nearby soil Public Health Dept, and Agriculture j contamination and that its dust ami soil Dept. ! analyses indicated that the compounds The state is reluctant to ease the II were produced by incinerator and fossil- consumption warnings until more fish fuel combustion. Government scientists have been tested. I countered, however, that Dow presented According to John Hesse, chief of j no scientific documentation "other than DNR's office of toxic materials. PCB and 1 weakly circumstantial evidence." DDT levels were "down so far that we EPA is circulating its findings to other could hardly believe our eyes.'* In 39 fish ! federal agencies and asking them to help samples, all but one had PCBs below the determine the sources and extent of dioxm federal S part-pcr-mtllion level. Mercury contamination for possible regulatory con and dicldrin levels remained steady. trol. Dow. which had not yet seen 1-PA`s Stiffer laws, new water-treatment pro Study at CIV presetime, noted. "W< itund cesses, and bans on some compounds firm" on the contention that combustion presumably contributed to the improved at the Midlund plant, not chcmic;il levels. P processes, is (he likely dioxin source. U HONS 011306 February Ft. ier/C*wm*l Week