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L. fodau ft ft- frw** Sti'-v^ie.A J* J. t?i"i :s f<4 %i ,,t '* Othtf f%* Ol tw *4rV-, \.*Vj * b!w'< fcs'ii&ft. Ids*y-r :*r 'rwv* lly-rr.i;::3t ci ;*i; in ler.et have ta < s*-e, s' r-4 "jrae-i i"`3 uy -< -'..r, V, Norman f. Bjrta.j. 1*4 >:'**. to develop hijh.yrt'S 71 * PiS /Km h-- Nobti Peace Prit* in 1972. C,' t*it~.it, on interview entitled 7># Me* Atf r* Mittclt. U'utM hi lO'-Ltt* etf Ci. NEIL KLUEPFEL diw ' JAMES A. HAYELAND fdltw FRADLEY M.GARNER Stole |4Mer r.RICHARD BAUER An Mrtrttf JAMES McBRIDE UVM PAUL BURNETT Adyanklne ALAN KLUCPFEL |4H*4t A#vl*ary Satrd ' Wiluam A. Nicmno. Ph.D. Kay YiCKBnft Shannon Victor Cohn ' SAHUii. MlNKO David Poindexter MAY 1071 2 12 14 10 22 , THE MAN AND THE MIRACLE on InwrWyw yrftfc ftebtf tut* hin orfnAar Dr, Nut*** Portwp THE MASS TRANSIT MESS irafei, e, plnnt Own*d trt and*r ndcm *toc*n>... 6M0KEY - A B6ARFAC6D LIE? pnptpptpttit Ptpfppiu Milt ui py* fertiti 4 nt*4tin HOW TO SWALLOW A CHRISTMAS TREE t*4 tup ppyt iptitp f hvmvi: I ntw $wt4!th rptytt r/ttm THE FIFTH OPTION th* motion pi ffulh tpmn to ptpftriutppwttprpPuttiptt 24 THE PERFECT COMPACT p phptp ittlvft P* ttrippinp *f ftcyc/hp tvtomePUm 31 PCS: MYSTERY POLLUTANT UNMASKED PulfPtnp up ptpunP u*-pa4 within in 37 PROSPECTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION wtopprPHutfpnmMtPPmt ih/puph l$/t ft4tfpHp$:tt*tim 38 THE POLITICS OF ECOLOGY prrPlapMp pp pcplppitti tPtiKbutnm In every hive INTERNATIONAL WAVE-LENGTH ptptppietf 4t*plppmpnti tP/Ptd 0/ 5* d fry fry Pcmt* i \S9 fry frpf+i < Gr-* fry Sjrrs frjrt* fry >fr Uv fry A" jr. t. *nr 0/ s. r - fry J. :<* r arc Arw - *mhw fry FraC*v < Gdrv 27 ECO-DYNAMICS Aiutngu*: A 20 t**f ttfutt't tpptimtunpyiput4pi9fpkm iptitm/ Mpf p AlavArato/fttottoeia thp OtMtutipp 41 MEET YOUR NATIONAL ORGANIZATION 42 800K REVIEWS 47 LETTERS PHOTO CREDITS: Covar, Rickard P. Saver; P*q*i 2, ?, Rocfc<tilr PdOat'd. S, 4. S. tO, tt. 24.2ft. 2S. 32.2. 40. Ritnard f. *k >t. OK'* K lCthlWii; mm 12, 12, At Staritacfcketmi LoVitrfik; >#jm 14. 14. u t. Prm tarvtea; Pane 2t. 2f. RWwd W. Unlitid; *t% 20, Oa.d Ka^^wn.______________ fry Jr" fcrr<n f rVva re lar Jav v. Tt.:f CovMWlatrv ' SCOLOOY TODAY It published monthly by Eeotoctal Dimant.`of. li>kL. P-0. Son 180, Weft Myitle, CT C6388. Application to malt at aaco^ c an > poctepe rate* pondIns at Fort Wayne, Indiana end additional maiiirp offca. Subaeripi^r) rate*;, ona year. $0.00 tUntted Intae iM PaaanJoni). ' Special ratal,to bulk tubtarlbarn flva to nlna ona-yaar *yaai?i*na, $6.60 aach; tan or moio ona-yur aubtotiptlona, $6.00 aaatv. Canada and ' Porelsm' $1.00 ava per year. ' iim .ECOLOOY TODAY It prlntad on recycled paper. HONS 033650 I < by V/illiam F. Rycn. M.C. X^or tome years, researchers use for everything from vinyl concerned about the dangers of foam and floor tile to bonding DDT have been reporting a for aluminum foil, cellophane mysterious ingredient, sometimes and even swimming pool paint. mistakenly identified as DDT The versatile PCBs are also residue, but more often sus used for waxes in dental castings, peeled to be a new compound costume jewelry, heat-resistant even more difficult to analyze aluminum paint for jet engine than DDT. components and exhaust mani Finally, in 196G, Swedish folds, in pigments for decorating Scientist Soren Jensen reported glass and ceramics, for long-life that the mystery compound was insecticides, and as flame-proof olychlorinated biphenyl (PCB). rMs discover)-, however, was met with skepticism by chemical manufacturers who hndv always and water-repellent coatings for tents, tnrpaulins, canvas and cot ton. We read the Monsanto bulletin claimed that PCD was not used in with increasing alarm because it ways that allowed it to escape was evident that such uses cer Into the environment. tainly resulted in wide dispersal The following year, PCD* were of PCBs into the environment. detected in North America. Since For three months, we studied the then, scientists around the world problem, looking for reports on have come to the inescapable amounts already present in the conclusion that tins dangerous environment, for experiments on chemical is being unintentionally PCB toxicity, and to find out and accidentally released into the what tolerance level had been environment in unknown ways. set. Amazingly, only industrial In December 1969, a con* exposure levels had been deter ccrncd member of the chemical mined. There was no protection Industry sent my environmental for the general public or the assistant a copy of Bulletin .environment! O/PL40G from Monsanto Chem The Committee for Environ ical Company, a 50-page descrip mental Information of St. Louis', tion of AROCLOk plasticizers- where PCBs arc manufactured by inert, chemically resistant, fire- Monsanto, published a report in retarding PCB compounds. The January 1970 by Dr. Robert bulletin promoted "scores of Risebrough, a marine scientist at new uses, ranging from protcc* Berkeley. He reported that PCBs tivc coatings, scaling compounds, had maced become widely dis adhesives, inks, varnishes, waxes persed and that effects were be to fabric eoatings and paint pig ginning to show up in wildlife. ment dispersions. The plasticizers were advertised as compatible William F. Ryan is the Demo with 27 compounds, including cratic Representative of the 20ih asphalt, resins, paraffins, even District, New York, United rubber, and recommended their States House of Representatives, PCBs have been found ir. peregrine falcons in California, western Cull eggs from San Fran cisco Bay and in mussels. p!a:;e, cod and dogfish from remote parts of the V.cs: Coast. The rimary effect of PCBs seems to c interference with repruduetKe cycles. Dr. Risebrough found there were indications of effects in humans. PCBs r.a\c been de tected in human fat and mother's milk. While painting at home, he tested paint bought in a Berkeley hardware store and found i: con tained PCBs. ' Dr. Risebrough had attempted to gain the cooperation of Monsanto but founc the chemi cal producer reluctant to admit even that the compounds had been correctly identified as PCBs. Monsanto clung to the idea that 'The common uses of commercial PCB would not nor mally lead to its release into the natural environment." Our Washington staff con sulted private and governmental laboratories, industrial toxi cologists and academic re searchers. A comprehensive in formational kit was prepared that would give interested parties an introduction to PCBs and the hazard they represented. In suf ficient amounts, PC3s may affect human beings by direct action on the skin or action within the body after bciitj* inhaled. The effect on the skm is ehloraor.e, with early symptoms of pimple* and dark pigmentation leading to more serious skin eruptions. Per sons continuously exposed to PCBs may suffer nausea, loss o: weight, edema and abdominal MAY-1971 HONS 033651 SI deny that PCBs were being used in the ways their own bulletin suggested and in the ways tests had disclosed. In Saint Louis, however, only a few miles from the Monsanto PCBs plant, the Ghbe^licniocrs: reported our findings, inter viewed Dr. Riscbrough and re searched the controversy inde pendently. Monsanto told the Glob^Democrct that it has seen*, "more than one million dollars on scientific studies, monitoring the use of the chemical ?CB ar.c seeking substitutes for it/4 Con sidering that Monsanto has been manufacturing PCBs for more than thirty years, this would seem to be a belated gesture. Monsanto further stated that "we do not know of ar.v current use of PCB in insecticides. Ever, so we arc asking the L`.$. Depart ment of Agriculture to reject arty insecticide which has PCB as an inert carrier.4* In direct opposition to this statement, Ned D. Bavley, Director of Science and Educa tion, Department of Agriculture, affirmed: "There arc only five registered pesticide products con taining polychlorinated biphen yls," It is difficult to believe that Monsanto did not know of these pesticides. Furthermore, while maintaining that PCB it not "highly toxic"-contrary to scientific findings-Monsanto curiously announced that they were working on alternate pain. More severe effects are jaundice and atrophy of the liver. How might people come in control had been exercised be cause the department had con sidered PCBs to be "inert in products to be introduced late in 1970. contact with PCBs? One way, we found, was eating fresh fruit. PCBs have been detected in citrus peels and fruits. A source for contamination might be PCB-Imprcgnated plastic wrap pings. Humans might ingest PCBs In such contaminated foods or they might absorb them through the shin from the handling of wrappings. On April 10,1970 we publicly called for a mobilization of governmental and private efforts to fully detail the extent of the threat of PCBs and the steps that co^!d be taken to eliminate gredients," We asked the Food and Drug Administration to set food tolerance levels, to consider whether many of the suggested uses should be banned, and to require that all products contain ing PCBs be labeled. We asked the Department of the Interior to provide fish and wildlife rotection from the hazards of CBs. Finally, wc called upon Monsanto to cooperate with governmental agencies to deter mine the extent of the danger. The media reacted uhracautiously. In spite of our re searched presentation, newspa finally, on June 30. 1970, we received a letter from Monsanto's Organic Chemical Division. John Mason, assistant general manager, wrote that ef fective August 30, 1970 Mon santo would "no longer sell the chlorinated biphenyls to custom ers for use in general plasticizer applications where disposal of the end product cannot be con trolled. This includes all the ap plications referred to in our bulletin O/PL-30G." Monsanto still refused, how ever, wen to consider releasing information concerning produc oi m*s them. We asked the Department pers and TV used the "Ryan tion and distribution. Informa of Agriculture to ban tnc use of said-Monsatno said" approach, tion needed by scientists if they I PCBs In pesticides. Previously, no allowing Monsanto blandly to arc to determine what quantities S3 Y TO PAY of ran nrc escaping mu, u.u environment. Mutumto would release such data "only to re sponsible g>)vcriimcn(al agencies" and only upon receiving assur ance the figures would remain confidential. Such restrictions, however, would prevent research by independent scientists already at work on the problem! In a later press release, Mon santo resumed its former de fensive position, complaining about "political charges" and how "sensational headlines" pre sented a false picture, nor did critics develop what the conse quences of the non-use of PCBs might be, Monsanto proceeded to credit 1'CISs with protecting the public from dangers of fire and explosion. Then, at the end of the release, Monsanto said they were discontinuing certain sales of PCUs, re-formulating PCBs for other uses and in gen eral tightening up production techniques. An important step was taken in the Fall of 1970 when the Fcslicidcs Regulation Division of the Department of Agriculture, since transferred to the Environ mental Protection Agency, ad vised our office; "It is our cur rent policy to refuse registration for products containing poly chlorinated biphenyls or polychorinated tcrphcnyls." In an article June 20, 1970, New Yorker magazine report ed! ``The acute effects on human beings of high doses of PCBs arc evident from a scries of outbreaks of poisoning, traced to cooking oil extracted from rice hulls, that occurred two years sgo in western Japan, in which at least ten thousand people were affected," The article described an abnormal number of miscar riages and stillbirths in affected women, with abnormally dark ened skin pigmentation in in fants. Victims of FCDs also showed symptoms of jaundice and other liver damage. It is known that PCBs are used in Japan as herbicides in the rice paddies. been found in the milk produced by their cows. The animals had been fed silage stored in silos lined with an epoxy-type pro duct containing PCBs. Chicken farmers noticed their birds dying in Missouri after chickens were placed in feeding houses which had been freshly painted with an epoxy paintinvestigation revealed that the toxic factor was a PCI! binder in the paint. PCBs are _p ... ___ _ everyday it-ms dorr.-:'!-: markets. They are used as utils:: for fluorescent fixtures. ir. r ness forms, ever. in dot trans parent receipts uted Lo credit charge dips. Event.ally all of these things wind up at the city dump or incinerator for human but the PCBs do no: hum. They vaporize into the atmosphere. Another environmental source is runoff from industrial wastes ar.d B-...a h a--a- si Of1*!'t Some people say its has rat's, v.'e isy. ' ~.t mm has learned byklsmista'-.esl.-. IJV.u Ihe peel, end he can c it again. " < ti *'jS-VSJj Learning Corporation has fss-r fihr.ithat ! .7jj A j(A* I J are available right (tew that give us aii a "Is. | I V it/i rx chance to eee our mistakes to vva A- *111 'A' I vSKVhA ctnco,,ta*** cy;'}sz) X f y'T \A^i THE Ef3 OF ONE if, fc, Vy .VdSC;, / color 7 min Purchase StC3 Rental $15 Winner. Chicago Film f/ ' Festival, 1570 | ' -A*/ f . ECOMSVILLE ; 1 Color 11 min PurchastStcO h -..in': t M?/ *0*310 RIVER: 7\-7i ; WHERE DO YOU COME FROM? () ' I'hMj A Color 10 min Purchase 5:25 h ......... Rental 510 f li pf V, i *'. ' This planet it r.o: in the best c! hei'ih. yi "S- . Bui it's sill! noi leo late to save it f|t^'-li_L.r'hV'*-.'t For rental or preview inforrrsar'er: at::* :? looser to home, in March 1971, dairymen in Ohio and Kentucky have lost their licenses MAY 1*71 ................. - h ' HONS 033653 LETTERS .% . Sirs: *\st line to congratulate you on Velyn* 1, Number 1, of ECOLOGY ^ TODAY. It it a fine machine, comlrig* to grl?s with cur major national present of today. .'oetph . Cynis Ccmmiuioner. Parks & Recreation Easton. Massachusetts S:r: Congratulations on your first issue. It is a most attractive machine. Why. If you ire joins to remind houtewive* hi* soap contains no phosphates, not . ir;!ud# at zero content Duz soap pcivder? I have never used anything :, it's a heavy-duty soap powder (remember the "Out does everything" itogin?). Prances E. Calhoun Woodbury, Connecticut Editor's Note: Our apologies to phosphate free Out scop powder. H e tried. In Off phosphate chert, to tt:k with offenders, and didn't In clude many oA tlte fine biodegredebto detergents now on the market. S-s: I j.r. read through the first issue of ECOLOGY TODAY. It looks like a journal worthy of Its title. However, one thing that struck me was an in* consistency between a "fact" stated on pigt 20 and another "fact" stated en p*; 23. Poindexter sayt on page 20 that every American produces ten pounds of solid wastes per day, while Mines says on page 23 that each American produces six pounds of solid waste per day. It seems that peek's who toss ecological statistics osfjr4 should do so only after a bit of virifisativo hat taken piece, or at ! least should credit the sources of their ; Information. There Is a great deal of * dilfrer.ee between ten and six pounds of solid waste per person per day. People who ere not ecologically mind* ed can spot these discrepancies and use them es examples to showthat ar.-.ironrr.efttsiictt don't always know whet they are talking about when they tost cut statistics. Robert E. Holtz Assistant Professor of Biology CcncordTa College Saint Paul, Minnesota Editor's Note: Unfortunately, ft v/asn't specified that David Poindexter was ind.dirf per capita industrial waste in his figure of ten pounds each day. Samvel Mints' figure ofsix pounds reten only to household solid wastes, ftf apologist for this oversight on our pen cn EiJViriOi;;.mL LEGISLATION programs, research funds, and administration of the Federal program will be extended for several years, at levels much higher than past authorizations. The Congress will give close at* tention to proposals to alter the sewage treatment works program substantially. Such proposals in* elude Increasing the Federal share of costs to a flat 75 percent or creating an F.nvironmcntal Financing Authority to buy local bonds, both designed to alleviate the pressure on hard-pressed communities for local matching funds. Another proposal involves the complete takeover of sewage treatment plant construction by the Federal Government, perhaps on a regional basis with tne Corps of Engineers as the con* struction agency. The .costs of construction and operation, in this and other proposals, would be recovered by user charges on all those contributing effluent for treatment. 2 would like to comment on another aspect of the Nation's environmental programs. Lcgis* lation and enforcement are not the only answers. We need to educate our citizens that their own practices of consumption arc at the root of the problem. And we must have a recognition that the cost of pollution control must be borne by all of us, not just by industry. The focus of public attention has been on the effect of present law on the private, profit making sector. But in the final analysis, Kcopte will pay the cost. A callhfu! environment which protects all of us will require a tremendous commitment in pub* lie and private funds. Product prices, costs of services, and taxes will reflect that investment. What I am saying is, I think, quite simple. There will be no easy course in the future. Envi* ronment is not a passing issue. Costs of cleanup cannot be avoided. Any savings will come about through efficiency and ingenuity, not avoidance and delay. O MYSTERY n'f ytf )) dumps. And a third source is the point of manufacture, rCBs escaping into the atmosphere through plant ventilation tr.i ex haust systems, and through in dustrial sewer systems. Enough PCBs have sneaked into our environment to show uo in rainwater in England, seals off the coast of Scotland, eagles in Sweden, pelican eggs in Panama, Arctic terns, shrimp in Florida, river water in Japan, the Great Lakes and finally human hair and fatty tissue. What wc have to find out now is the chronic effect of PCBs. ,\t PCBs accumulate in human organs, which they are doing now, what will the toxic effects be? What compounds are respon sible for the toxicity? Can ?C3$ mixtures be modified to elimi nate their toxic components? And it's about time we found out the annual production of PCBs, regardless of what Mor.* santo thinks. These arc some of the ques tions that must be answered if we are to prevent further envi. ronmental contamination by PCBs. We must continue to press for action from appropriate governmental agencies. In October 1970 I urged the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, to be held in Sweden in 1972, to study the PCB danger to animal and human life throughout the world. I also requested the Con ference to ban PCBs in any use that would allow these com pounds to escape into the atmos phere. The PCB story--and it hasn't ended yct-is but another ex ample of the carelessness which Industry has shown in the use of man-made chemicals. We must find better repdatory proce dures. Industry must assume greater responsibility for deter mining that no hazard exists be fore selling new compounds. It's tragic today that government and the concerned public arc forced to prove the presence of a grave threat before industry finally acts. rrr\ teotoev tom? u - > ECOLOGY T0r*AY MONS 033654 s*t ir *1 i H i