Document RpXNgXGwD53Xk8eBqBqvnmd7v

PCB, PBB feared as causes or cancer, defective births . . fr\tn s + ni os ,* 771it it the final article In a aeries dealing with two related groups of chemicals -- known as PCB's and ' PBB't -- which have had a disas trous effect on Michigan fish papilla-. lions and farm livestock in. recent How great a menace? years, and the efforts of scientists , worldwide to determine what threats . they pose to humans. j !: By STEPHEN CAIN ' and JAMBS CNOCKAERT : ' NamluffWiton ' PCB'i tnd PB$*jfc -- nearly identical -- may be capable of cawing cancer and birth defects. -. v But the possible public health conse quences to Michigan residents who have picked up the chemicals through beef, stitsr cbsmtosl oompoundi which have contaminated Great Lakes game fish and dairy products and fish are so speculative that some experts feel exoessive fear ,. thousands of Michigan cattle, respectively might prove to be more damaging than ?. The second teat involved feeding PCB la 4 special the contaminants themselves. . More is not known today because gov* emment scientists -- alarmed about PCB in J970 -- admit they mistakenly con* eluded the problem would go away. But it got worea and was joinod by PBB. The evidence for PCB U based on two ominous but far*from*conclusive labora tory experiments. In one, high doses of PCB -- polychlori nated biphenyl -- were fed to rats for 21 months. It produced 20 liver cancers in 164 test animals while another 140 tied what were diagnosed as having precan cerous liver changes. & Concluded an Page 14A train of bacteria which has been 90 percent oocuttta In potting mutation-causing cMiritcate, most of which later teat as cancer-causing m mgher animals. The bacterial last showed PCs to be "mildly carcino genic" (cancef-causmg),TheDetroit News has learned.. Neither test is direct evidence that the same thing neceesirtly will happen in humans, who often do not developcanoer until one, two or even threedecades after expoaurs to a Chemical carcinogen. - The theoretical danger of PVB - polybrominated bi phenyl - is a scientific educated guess based on it* dose similarity to PCB. . ; :. Mlt is reasonable to assume that, if PCB is carciho* genic, there is a good chance PBB may be at well, al though this it still' speculative,'* sold Dr. Herman The Detroit News DETROIT. MICH. D. 699,652 SUN. 649,639 Creyblll, art environmental cancer expert with the National Cancer Institute in Betbeeda,Md. But even if both oompoundi are proven to be eanoor- cauatng to laboratory animals, there is some evidence to ugaeet that it might require such high doses that the real-world risk toMichigen residents isnegligible : On the other hand, the widely held "onMUt" theory of cancer oomends that a single molecule of a carcinogen can damage a gene in a single cell .and - under the right circumstances - set off a chsin of toots losdlnf tolull ' blowncancer, :' - . / ' '-it - ; The mon bite, the motbcancor; '* The Michigan Department of Public Health estimates that 10,009 to 12,000 people may have been directly ex posed to PBB from contaminated forme, mainly tat the waelerii Dart of the atata. v - ' . . l^wHnUhDepartmenthu itlll-ee0r*tatudyofPCB MAY 12 1976 , && Mood laveli among Lake Michigan area flab eaten which found comparable kveli at PCB to the PBB found la hrmlomllm.TheNawihailoanwd. 1 PBB, o mixture of eeveral diffonot brominated M- phenyli, i, manufactured to flame retardant .by the , HtchlianCbamiCilCo inSt Uiuli.MIdb. . Tbraayaari ate, approximately 700 pound, of the pat ' oonauo chamlcal wit mixed accidentally with Hvettaek , feed and toldto himdradi of farmer,: . ' ' ; An eittmated 32,000 aattla have boon condemned be- oauM tbair fat tinut camalned mare than the three- tenth* of one part per million PBB ailowM under Pood end Drug AdmlnUtrattonitanderdt. - /> ' The Michigan Department of Agriculture euiraatet that only about four tableipoon, of the chemical remain it Michigan Uvnatack horde. '*" ' However, an unknown amount of PBEoonuminatad milk wet Mid throughout much ef the etntt ta diluted farm before the abamlealwatidentified.' , The Mine eprand i* true With PCB.a mixture of chlori MONS 037072 nated blphtnytt manirfecnmd In me Ifnlted Statee by Momenta for pee in aiactricat traaefannan andsimilar as cancer source >.iiL ; (--...fewp*geM But brfoye Mamnft slapped restrictions on its dm- cal la lfTV, H had broad appticaOon ia wk "open vet*? as a piastiomr, m epoxy pant*, prating Inks, adbesivw^ fffww* oon&Qfc. Bwtwcsot . Mtati and-other products.' - * ' * ' EnwwMnmtil PreOBrtww Agencychief Rwaefl.Train . wrmatrs tfcat-JM mflhoB pomw of PCB are still tot wo ; oUe'aMte 0M -attto* pounds bote escapdd islo the i esnroamentsmee the chemical first u used m U. There was oo public health concern about PCB until -Ifed when it accidentally contaminated a wgyly cf rice ad n> Ymfco. Japan. bi!fe| foe and pomnoing 140 peo ple who expeiwooed such problems as severe nmrtihi ahacnywna. hear damage endeosw nerve damage. . Or UatodP Kell, teector of the Nsdanal ImtxOM sf- EswoonwcUl Health Science. recalled that fee gowet a- meat called together an inter fenrypanel ofexperts m : tf7ltoaawmfee PCB potential si the unitedStates. : ,?Th sennary of fern mceteig mdicaSBd a number of dear needs " he said "One was move concern wttb the .reproductive effects* Two wee more concern aboot ) vtebtr*.tMOnyiir ThaeMsabcMrander- fefesuwhik. the FDA has tfaos far resisted hegauing a mjAnofinmttihnfaifiMi Mid pggfciice IItfae body formal evataation of either its ftiivr tenths of 1 part per ac* cbanicab <hb ttmr dirtm a B> ant ho* miBiw temporary gmdehw for PBB or its mpefc elder $ kagitlMti)" ... - flw mart dm foBoaisa wp tbo 197a report baa >eaadiwatiaa.aamfatoffirtali rnnnrtr - Dr Jaaioo Mob tt the Wieman Smmal Primote Cara.-avfanadbj RaB'o iaaBhar- fed tea tewb of partsper adhoo temporary standardfor PCS- ' And while PBB is getting the fufi treatment as a sw- pacted cardnogem the institute is sot planning sunlar animal tests oo PCB evw though the preliminary evilencefer cancer is stronger. PCBlaibwaimiailanaadptailacadbiibiaWiofotill- **WeTe net pnomg PCB out fer Uhs becewe of Dr. Mrtha. . . -. - . ` Ki0bno^'swiotkinAdwtn,**Gr*fhfflsaid. ^ ' Pr. Paata Tindirntigh at the Cwhrfee Piseeee Ops- 2 The type of iwewch - which would lead to major troiAlthe work whichspotted wchahigb ieveiefcaa- "pehey changes if PCB was proven tobe cancer earning -- carafes titrate - r. ' JtsBot beingdone. - Heaiiahfla, ene possible eirlanatiwa of the cancer Evenwhereitis being done--with PBB ^hwflltake . cawed by PCB in Dr. Kirabraqfe's expanmetww ad at least two years to get the remits bock, CraybK said. - < * vanend by Dr-GaryFlaam, the CancerIastiaaB,s ThelficbnpanlrgnlafwemayiiotwaiL j assirtaadirartuerfearner caam andprevention. Pending now is a hill which lower the^BB safety \ "Siaoe we see dpificast levels of finer ^i1111^ often staatod from its prrsrnt level of three trwlhe sf 1 pert : only athigh comaatrations of PCB," Dr Flammid,~it per nrittioo to 2 parts per billion the lowest coacautia- may be nplattd mere la the physical damage done to the tnaaaentirts are able todelect . animalmenthanatimet actiononfentitiA." . CraybiB is cribcal of trying to go that low. . - If PCB and poaribty PBB do canae cancer - bat only ."If you tried to apply that severity of standard so after physical damsgr to the liver -- itis good news far^ everything wlaefa might came caocer, yon sBppfe could- nt me." k said . :, There is no firm evidence that evan die high-riposte The.scientist said even sme&i&g the fragrance f piaes beef and fish enters ia the state have taken in enough of ; ia a ferest, banhng wood log in the fbe^ace, or catmg the two chemicals to do that hind of damage, says the , charcoal broiled steaks exposes people to traces of car- Mirhigm Public HealthDepartment. - Dr Kimbrough, who tiatori PCB Socancer, carreudy it Gov. Miiliken, seekdn^ outside advice on which pay te 4 feeding PBB to rata ao factsmay develop. eaa what hf-mnu pnteoaiag . .. ' ef-. ' panel ol^bidepwdem scientists- "* Also, the National Cancor IwthwaVCiayWB said the . The panel met in secret seswonfer twodays lag amfeh imahse has amwad pnfor Mecale testmgjn lab* sndegua last Friday in Cbscago. .. annals and wfrbcfeaisagwne PBB fording expert- The gwerwr hopes so got their report ia ahmt two } MONS 0 3 7 0 7 3