Document DGJmX6maevnOQwpG1O7QMQqno

The Evansville Press EVANSVILLE, IND. D, 45.Q8S JUU 20 1975 Chemical peril found in Lake Michigan trouf IjmlH P'eti InMrnationM port. authored by water quality LANSING - The Michigan expert John L. Hesse, said. Department of Natural Re* sources says "alarming" lev-' The U.S. Pood and Drug Ad els of the industrial chemical ministration has begun seising PCB have been detected in thipments of Lake Michigan Lake Michigan trout. Other fish on grounds that PCB con flab and birds have either died centrations exceed the agen or suffered re-productive fail cy's guideline of 5 parts per ure. . million. The federal agency A staff report, presented to also has seized Michigan fish the Natural Resources Com because of high concentrations mission yesterday, said efforts of an insecticide called dieidto rid the environment of poly* rtn. chlorinated biphenyl bed been largely ineffective because the PCB is a group ofcompounds levels of the chemical have ac used in many industrial pro tually increased in some fish. cesses as a Hydraulic fluid, DNR director Howard heat transfer fluid, insulation Tanner said PCB damage to in electrical transformers and fish had reached such serious other forms. The sole U.S. pro proportions that his* agency ducer is Monsanto Chemical would begin pushing fora total Co. --------------------------- ban on the uae ofthe chemical. The Lake Michigan toxic aibitancea committee, with representatives from Michi gan. Indiana. Illinois and Wis consin, already has asked the U S. Environmental Protec tion Agency to push for a na tionwide ban on the useof PCB. "A serious situation exists with respect to populations of fish-eating birds in the Great Lakes area," the DNR report noted. "Severe reproductive failure has been identified in herring gull colonies around Lake Ontario." The DNR report also said the chemical has been detected in mwfall in Wisconsin and that proper disposal techniques are not being used. Although levels of DDT and mercury in Greek Lakes fish are rapidly declining, the ONR report said PCB hag been found in increasing concentra tions in lake trout in recent years. . "The concentrations in lake trout are alarming because of what now appears to be an in crease in concentrations over the three-year period." the re MQNS 031239