Document DvwD0JZka5Zbq30e2krRy4y54

k.. Starvation. is j-.n i //'. Other arts; tf :n= bleV< h.s.riasr.. Tc/siy- ily--millions cf peep e Ur.S; have er.p.". r, "gr.itr. rt-/tN:sn" a Norms:-. E. EoKa.j. .-.is dcr.'siop -- i^^ -- y3 " //_ Nett' Ftsse rr;ra in i 1 *. C -S an inta-rvle-// c-.i.i'es: >* Va tAinda. salutes bis seine \ Publisher NEIL KLUEPFEL Cditor ` JAMES A. HAYELAND lntrrut<on*l Editor ' FRADLEY H. GARNER ' Photo Editor : RICHARD F. BAUER An Director JAMES MCBRIDE Layout PAUL BURNETT A4vriisino ALAN KLUEPFEL Editorial Advisory Board William A. Niering, Ph.D Kay Vickers Shannon Victor Cohn Samuel Mines Davio Poindexter MAY 1971 in this issuo 2 THE MAN AND THE MIRACLE an inior.icw with tlouat Pejc. PfU. winn.r Or. Norm.r. Esrt*sj 12 THE MASS TRANSIT MESS trains, boms, planes, bw.es and cars and arc and cars end ati. 14 SMOKEV - A BEARFACED LIE? a noted forest ecologist tells us our forests do need fire 19 HOW TO SWALLOW A CHRISTMAS TREE ' end keep your sense of humus: 4 new Swedish refuse cyttem 22 THE FIFTH OPTION tint moment of truth comes in electrical power production 24 THE PERFECT COMPACT o photo foatuto on scrapping and recycling automobiles 31 PCB: MYSTERY POLLUTANT UNMASKED building up around vs--and within us 37 PROSPECTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION will our environment come through 1973 Federal legislation tree and clear? .38 THE POLITICS OF ECOLOGY developing an ecological consciousness In overy issuo 5 INTERNATIONAL WAVE-LENGTH ecological developments abroad 8 WAVE-LENGTH last-minute environmental news briefs 27 . 34 ECO-DYNAMICS ' Assateague: A 29-year struggle continues/Soalevard of Sroken ScztitsS tAova a Mountain/Eliminate the Destination TUNE IN/TURN ON audio-visual reviews 41 MEET YOUR NATIONAL ORGANI2ATI0.N1 . 42 BOOK REVIEWS 47 LETTERS PHOTO CREDITS: Cover, Richard f. Bauer; Pa;es 2. 7, Rockefe-cr Fo--rcj:*o~: Po3os'4. 5, 6. S. 10. 11, 24. 25. 26. 32. 39. 46. R.c-aM F. Ea-er; rage 11. Cec"^e P. Kosfcoliok; Paces 12. 13. AS Storstockholrr.s Lokytrjfik; 14. 16. U.S. Fcrrtt Service; Pii.jes 2S. 29, Richard '.V. Linfie.'d; Page 33. David Ncwirscn. *' ECOLOGY TODAY is published monthly by Hoc! pioo! Dim.er.iicra. Inc, P.O. Dox ISO, West Mystic. CT CS3S3. Applicc'.ic ;o m.j:: ot scccrvd e'es; postage rotes ponding o; For; V.'oyno. Indiono end o iticnol m.jilinj cff.oi. ' Subscription totes: ono yeer, Su.CO (Ur.;ted Stotes and Possessions). Special .rotes to built subscribers: live to nin.s ons-ycor s-bscr:pt*o.nj. $5.SO coch; ton or mora ono-yoor subscriptions, Sc.CO each. Ccnocii css * Foroicn;' S1.00 oxtro per yoor. r. , .ECOLOGY TODAY is printed on recycled pc pur. / - r. r ,-gr -{ ~zr. - ci Co-.i---.itc-- . :i_--; .* f _______ ' 0 Q STLCOPCB4080744 by V/iliicm F. F.ycn. M.C j^or some years, researchers concerned about the dangers of DDT have been reporting a mysterious ingredient, sometimes mistakenly identified as DDT residue, but more often sus pected to be a new compound even more difficult to analyze than DDT. Finally, in 19G6, Swedish Scientist Soren Jensen reported that the mystery compound was polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB). His discovery, however, was met with skepticism by chemical manufacturers who had^ always claimed that PCB was not used in ways that allowed it to escape into the environment. The following year, PCBs were detected in North America. Since then, scientists around the world have come to the inescapable conclusion that this dangerous chemical is being unintentionally and accidentally released into the environment in unknown -ways. In December 1969, a con cerned member of the chemical industry sent my environmental assistant a copy of Bulletin O/PL-305 from Monsanto Chem ical Company, a 50-pagc descrip tion of AROCLOR plasticizers-- inert, chemically resistant, fireretarding PCB compounds. The bulletin promoted "scores of new uses," ranging from protec tive coatings, sealing compounds, adhesives, inks, varnishes, waxes to iabric coatings and paint pig ment dispersions. The plasticizers were advertised as compatible with 27 compounds, including asphalt, resins, paraffins, even rubber, and recommended their use for everything from vinyl foam and floor tile to bonding for aluminum foil, cellophane and even swimming pool paint. The versatile PCBs arc also used for waxes in dental castings, costume jewelry, heat-resistant aluminum paint for jet engine components and exhaust mani folds, in pigments for decorating glass and ceramics, for long-life insecticides, and as flame-proof and water-repellent- coatings for tents, tarpaulins, canvas and cot ton. We read the Monsanto bulletin with increasing alarm because it was evident that such uses cer tainly resulted in wide dispersal of PCBs into the environment. For three months, we studied the problem, looking for reports on amounts already present in live environment, for experiments on PCB toxicity, and to find out what tolerance level had been set. Amazingly, only industrial exposure levels had been deter mined. There was no protection for the general public or the environment! The Committee for Environ mental Information of St. Loins, where PCBs are manufactured by Monsanto, published a report in January 1970 by Dr. Robert Riscbrough, a marine scientist a: Berkeley. He reported that PCBs had indeed become widely dis persed and that effects-were be ginning to show up in wildlife. William F. Ryan is the Demo cratic Representative of the 20 :h District, New York, United States House of ReAoresentatives. MAY-1971 PCBs have been fc peregrine falcons Lo Ca Western Guli eggs from S: cisco Bay and in mussels cog line cc~::sn ircrr^ parrs or the Wes; Ca a primary effect of PCBs s be interference with rear: cycles. Dr. Riscbrough there were indications o: in hu: vs. PC *-/ 3 . . .1 * U tcctcd milk. Wi tested o hardware store and four, :: cor.- tained PCBs. Dr. Riscbrough had a:: to gain tnc cooperation c: Monsanto but found the chemi cal producer reluctant to admit even titat the compounds had b een correctly identified Hi PCBs. Monsanto citing to ; r.e idea t 1***1 l.'VC Uk'3 : comm ercia! PCB would no: r.. *r- mally lead to its rc.e.vsc into i ::c r.atura 1 environment." Our Washington staff con sulted private and governmental laboratories, industrial toxi cologists and academia re searchers. A comprehensive in formational kit was prepared that would give interested parties an introduction to PCBs and the hazard they represented. In sutficient amounts. PCBs may affect human beings by direct action or. the skin or action within the body niter being inhaled. The effect on live skin is citioraene. with early symptoms of pimples and dark pigmentation leading to more serious skin eruption.'. Per sons continuously expo.-eu to PCBs may suffer nausea, less of weight, edema and abdominal DSW 334167 $1 STLCOPCB4080745 ; y. deny that PCBs were being in the ways their own bid suggested and in the .ways pair;. More severe effects are jaundice and atrophy of the liver. How might people come in contact with PCBs? One way, we found, was eating fresh fruit. PCBs have been detected Jn citrus peels and fruits. A source for contamination might be ?CB-impregr.atcd plastic wrap pings. Humans might ingest PCBs in such contaminated foods or they might absorb them through the shin from the handling of wrappings. . Or. 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 could be tah.cn to eliminate them. V.'c ashed the Department of Agriculture to ban the use of PCBs in pesticides. Previously, r.o control had been exercised be cause the department had con sidered PCBs to be "inert in 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 ashed the Department of the Interior to provide fish and wildlife protection from the hazards of PCBs. Finally, wc called upon Monsanto to cooperate with governmental agencies to deter mine the extent of the danger. The media reacted ultracayliouslv. In spite of our re searched presentation, newspa pers and TV used the "Ryan said--Monsanto said" approach, allowing Monsanto blandly to In Saint Louis, however, cr.iy a few miles from, the- Monsanto PCBs plant, the Giobc-Lc^.c z-z: reported our findings, inter viewed Dr. Riscbrough and re searched the controversy, inde pendently. Monsanto told the Globe-Democrct that i: has spent "more than one million dollars on scientific studies, monitoring the use of the chemical PCB and seeking substitutes for it." 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 any current use of PCB in insecticides. Ever, so we are ashing the U.S. Depart ment of Agriculture to reject any insecticide which has PCB as an inert carrier." . In direct opposition to this statement, Ned D. Bayley, Director of Science and Educa tion, Department of Agriculture, affirmed: "Titere arc only tree registered pesticide products con taining oolvchiorir.ated birmcnyis." it is difficult to believe that Monsanto did no: knew o: these pesticides. Furthermore, while maintaining that PCB is not "highly toxic"-- contrary to scicnti fic findings--Monsanto curiously announced that they were working on alternate Droaucts to be introduced late in 1970. jjinally, on June 30, IP73, 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 plastic:;er applications where disposal e: the end product cannot be con trolled. Tilts includes* all the apnlications referred to in our bulletin O/PL-303." Monsanto still reft:sed. how ever, even to consider releasing niiormation concerning pro auc tion and distribution, informa tion needed by scientists i: they arc to determine what cmmtiiies DSW 334168 -^#-44 1 STLCOPCB4080746 of PCiis arc -escaping into the environment. Monsanto would release such data "only to re sponsible governmental 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- settled a false picture, nor did critics develop what the conse quences of the non-use of PCBs might be. Monsanto proceeded to credit PCBs 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 PCBs, 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 Pesticides 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 ariicle June 20, 1970, New Yorker magazine report ed: "The acute effects on human beingos of higoh doses of PCBs arc evident from a series of outbreaks of poisoning, traced to cooking oil extracted from rice hulls, that occurred two years ago 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 PCBs also showed symptoms of jaundice and other liver damage. It is known that PCBs are used in Japan as herbicides in the rice paddies. i_ 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 I'CBs. ' Chicken farmers noticed their birds dying in Missouri after chickens were placed in feeding houses which had been freshly painted with an epoxy paint. Investigation revealed that the toxic factor was a PCB binder inthe paint. are snov.-.r.^ everyday item; in < rr*il'/'.cii, ;.cv ire -j tor :'uorciccr.: Hx;. ness forms, ever. i pare::t receipts- a:: charge silos. Ever.: these ifi in ^ s v/ind dump or :r.c:r but th e PCBs do r. vapor; ze into thi A no tn cr cr.vir onm runoff' from iniwt* Y * c&'h/iK c* r&v* *1 03 333[, SUMS \r i eV ; i \\7.-'S&niftj M} \b^'Vtt H h^' ferHi C^T'\ Q' C / (' Mb) jA '"V-b l% ~ Seme peo, p.le say''t::`'s ir.e-..-.itis. We ssv, i) 1 /*A%V.'I Learning Corporation r.as rear birrs mat A ... yV.by- */ _J are available right r.c-.v that give us ail a I |r j -vw--chance to see cur r.:tt-rs s eb \ can correct them. & ' <-/ \' i w; va-S ; A'Y'A 7*7^* TT>, ^ ^.n._ W VA. . J Color 7 min Pero^ase SlCu i*. - /' SO/N^>Re-a! $15 Winner. Chicago Aim f? MnMO/'v i-yw tv .-j* . Y i f / Festival. 1970 L, v./ -7 c./ v-- '7 Color 11 min Purchase St=u : "\y5y//7.`M S.vi Rental $15 Winner. American Film A. *<-' Festival. 1=7: V i O1 /rp'jj 1'i~. i ..v ^ \ y /J i 3&W v, 1 LJ Rental SiO -rC?-nV,r_'_?_'_ _ - '?"* t'} \r VT *-* rr*. r*\ v* -"v*' r /"t ^ r** r* K' | w e A 1 <V; -7/. b\ ,.l ' . m- vs. `<CV* <F' Color 10 min P^rc: Rental StO isa ThiBsupt!i2t'nsesttill rn-oe:t ltro; o:hl5at`eetos:sca;ve .t 1j For rental c: preview informat or. rte to \ {re > %r* V- ;w *t. *1 j1 tv' / J V: \ }. \ i'jyj , 7vV t'J I Pi 5 >, . - -! ' V^Joscr to home, in March 1971, dairymen in Ohio and Kentucky have lost their licenses j-/T\ n) j \ S V isVT'-* ( rJ i \ ... -V-.- . MAY 1971 DSW 334169 STLCOPCB4080747 MITERS . Sirs: . Jest a line to cenmarubte you on Volume L .Member 1, of ECOLOGY TODAY. J: iso fine magazine, coming to crips with cur major national problems of today. Joseph E. Cyrtis Commissioner, Parks & Recreation Boston, Massachusetts Sirs: Congratulations on your first issue. It is a most attractive magazine. Why, if you are going to remind housewives aha; soap contains no phosphates, not include at zero content Duz soap pc.veer? I have never used anything eis-e. it's a heavy-duty soap powder (remember the "Duz does everything" sicca.-.?). Frances E. Calhoun Woodbury, Connecticut Editor's Xote: Our apologies to phosphate free Duz scop powder. Y,e tried, in the phosphate chart, to stiak ..fob offenders, and didn't in duce many cf the fine biodegradable detergents now or. the market Si-s: I :_rt read th roach the first issue of ECOLOGY TODAY. It looks like a journal worthy cf its title. However, or/= thing that struck me was an in consistency between e "fact" stated on p^ce 23 and another "fact" stated cr. page 23. Poindexter says on page 23 the: every American produces ten pounds of solid wastes per day, while Mines seys on page 23 that each American produces six pounds of solid waste per day. It seems that p/acple who toss ecological statistics around shceic do so only after a bit of ve'ification ha: taken place, or at least should credit the sources of their L-d or motion. There is a great deal of ' difference between ten and six pounds cf solid waste pet person per day. People who are no: ecologically mind ed c-o.o spot these discrepancies and use tr.ern as examples to show that err.i.'cnmen:a!ists don't always know what they are talking about when they tom out statistics. Robert E. Holtz . Assistant Professor of Biology Concordia CollegeSaint Paul. .Minnesota Editor's Xotc-t Unfortunately, it -wasn't specified soar David Poindexter was ind.d-.rgper capita industrial waste in his figure of ten pounds each day. Dirr. ji! !/.:nes' figure of six pounds re . c't or.'/ to household solid wastes apo/pg/zs- for diis oversight on our Bxr.am LEGiSL/jliD.u continued 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 clude increasing, the Federal share of costs to a flat 75 percent or creating an Environmental 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 the 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. I would like to comment on another aspect of the Nation's environmental programs. Legis lation and enforcement are not the only answers. Wc need to educate our citizens that their own practices of consumption arc at the root of the problem. And wc 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, people will pay the cost. A healthful environment which protects all of us will require a tremendous commitment in pub lic 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 dehy. -Q MYSTERY esn'} fro-i dumps. And a third source is the point of manufacture, PCBs escaping into the atmosphere through plant ventilation and ex haust systems, and through in dustrial sewer systems. . Enough PCBs have sr.eaked into our environment to show up in rainwater in England, seals cf: thc coast of Scotland, eagles La Sweden, pelican egg; Ln Panama, Arctic terns, shrimp ir. Florida, river water in Japan, the Great Lakes and finally human hair and fatty tissue. What we have to find out r.ow is the chronic effect of FCBs. As PCBs accumulate in human organs, which they are doing now, what will the toxic effects be? What compounds are resptm- sible for the toxicity? Can PCBs mixtures be modified to climb nate their toxic components? And it's about time we found out the annual production of PCBs, regardless of what Mon santo thinks. These are some of the ques tions that must be answered it we are to prevent further er.vi- ronmcntal contamination by PCBs. We must continue to press for action from appropriate governmental agencies. In October 1970 I urged the United Nations Conference or. 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 Cor.- fcrcnce to ban PCBs in any use that would allow these com pounds to escape into the atmos phere. The PCB story--and i: has::*: ended yet--is but another ex ample of the carelessness whtch. industry has shown in the use ct man-made chemicals. We must find better regulatory 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 fmadv acts. TM DSW 334170 . v- : . c- ' '' ' . ' ____ o' . ICC'JXtT TODAY h eo F.CMLCT.Y TODAY STLCOPCB4080748