Document R2aeDYOpyQqEgpRQwGmeogdnV

Vi GARY i'OST-TRIDIJSE GARY, IND. D. 75,an sum. 77.320 JAN 9 1976 Legislator would ban PCB By ERNIE BERNANDEZ P-T LedlantpelU Barest INDIANAPOUS - A rela tively unknown chemical compound la exiatence for 41 years ti threatening the miluon-dellar fishing indus try in the Great Lakes, and o Indiana legislator is trying to minimise the dam age. "We might be too late already/' said B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, au thor of a new bill. House Bill (HB) lttS, to prohibit manu facture, aale and use of Po lychlorinated Biphenyl Terphenyl, better known by iU Initials, PCB, Bauer, chairman of the Public Health and Environ ment Committee of the Indi ana House, has called e pub lic hearing on his bill. It will be in the Statehouse at 7:39 a m. (Northwest Indiana time) next Thureday. Meanwhile, the sponsor, a teacher la South Bend, said be Is rounding up experts who can testify about the dangers of PCB. "Not enough is known about it. or how much dam age it has caused," said Bauer. "For years. 111 ef fects of PCB were blamed on DDT." - Generally, DDT has been banned. It la a powerful insecticide that was used in agriculture until the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) prohibited its uae. Bauer said PCB might be deadlier than DDT. He noted Chicago area publications warning that Lake Michigan fish not be eaten because of excessive amounts of PCB found In them. A month ego, EPA admin istrator Russell Train con ducted a bearing in Chicago and alerted the nation about recent discoveries showing PCB as extremely danger ous. Bsuer said the Great Lakes end the Bloomington, Ini., area were Identified by EPA as potential danger spots for PCB contamina tion. PCB -- a syrupy clear liquid resembling mineral oil -- is known to be fire resistant, inert and resistant to chemical decomposition. It has been used mainly In the production of electric transformers end capadtators. It also la used in mak ing paint, printing ink, seal ant, some adhesives and heating and cooling fluids. Bauer said !l baa been estimated that 700 million pounds of PCB has been produced in tbe last 41 years, and that production today is at the rate of 40 million pounds per year. Since the materia) doesn't decompose, U could accu mulate and cause untold ca tastrophe, said Bauer, who noted be hopes experts who will testify Thursday can talk of seme remedies. As far ea Bauer has re searched, Indiana is the first state to start legislative action toward banning PCB. The EPA also has issued directives about the materi al. HB 19S9 would prohibit PCB or any materials con taining It. but the ben isn't total and immediate. Bauer proposed that no more than 256,000 ppm be allowed on July l, 1977, The amount wUI be limited to 1,000 ppm on July I, 1971, and to 100 ppm on Jan. t, 1070. HONS 032985