Document Y9e1npeo8NJdvX1oQ0E1x6KVN

JMNfcOK IMMMMEMW .WM KP9B 1971 ' 1" "" "" .... . \ Editorials 4 ______ J KCBIURp m. HEMID 0. KtM SEP 2 91971 Editorials Our Opiniong I Favor FDA overhaul ftoiMMV mmilfM fcyfting of wrd laminated food packaging In Oregon. IkH, metal and paper hai been Mtowod H a near-perfect aniwcr to MM of tho nation'* pollution But mm evidence ne* com* tJlgM dial leadcan tocontaminated t aackatflnB made from recycled armard. ft aeami nothin! to Oengrceg la aware of the new challenge* fartne the FDA in the notion'srecent wave of consumerism. There It some doubt the FDA ss currently organised is adequate for the Job. I Oregon Sen. Mark Hatfield has N Introduced a bill that would give the ' Katto lure, official* My the FDA 'a power to approve new drugs to ? cardboard muat contain a a new Independent board appointed ) Industrial compound for <any by the ftvstdrfrt. Washington's Sen. ! DentomtnaUon to occur. Mom rWarren 0. Magnuson has teamed wmowronil Oorp, IhB only m.krr with Sen, Frank E. Maas of Utah to immmimm*. *u*m***if Inlraducaa bHI alaorellevtnf the FDA ' M might |tf Into cardboard. of some responsibilities. . WM meyalo learn potidi H m (mMlar V maareh tar thofond d Dm* AdmWrtrallM, i/DAi. imary gaaammaid watchdog tn STSIbiImT tb date UK FRA haa an Hltha la Brady Uk powlbto d eartlmad vaa at recycled MNb. . aboui the soasIMe Their Mil would limit Uio FDA to only food end drug matters. Other FDA activities would go to a Conaumer Product Safety Commission. President Nixon would Ilka to see a major overhaul of the FDA Into a super-agency far consumer protec- aaManlaatcd predict again and ` . Toxic levsta could Inertsso Alia, the FDA bega" only this week to aumy the axttot, II any, M con- AD of these proposals mart! canstderalton. Tho FDA clearly needs help. Postcards or totters to Oregon's congressional delegation likely would Public Welfare Must Come First THE TANDEM team of DDT In recent montht at many ai betausr of mounting leteMifie ind PCB couW constitute st much harm-d to human health a* the Four Horaemcn of the Apocalvpsc, it the endden iciemulc nccumulatlon ol inlormatioo about their combined effects it accurate. DDT It (he abbreviation for M,OW chickens. 50,000 turkeys, ten* oi thousands of egg* and ton* of fish meal have been destroyed became of PCB con tamination. The only American manufac turer of PCB Monsanto Co. of St. LourtTTiriilfi'ahy'iir effects evidence that it pose* an tmmediate hazard. Qiven Hie recent evident* Unking PCB to DDT. toil cwrt order should be upended in to- ciudt rcn. Granted, a ban would work * hardship on farmer* wh* wtB dleht crodphonyltricMoreotha- from the chemical and refutes ne. a colorlest, contact inacc- to dlvulyo the amount of tho tWc. VCH stands tor chemical being made. It etu K'lcMorinRted blpiienyh. an has denied to congressmen in uflrfitJ chemicot that efotefy formation on PCB. resembles DDT. PCB It Ugrd have to find a safer aubthtMa pesticide iHtiey airsedy hment end the Monsanto Co,, width may haie to UmH tunic of ti* products ot change Usrir cam- peakten. mainly in heat axchange systems, non carbon copying paper*, paint* and peaUeMoi. PCB rciM* dccontpoaXtoti. can withstand temperature* up to )A0* degree* Fsrenhejt. U in. aolubte in water but soluble in animal fat and, therefore, eaatly frswfereWe through the human food chain. All the effects of PCB are unknown, including tha critical level at which it becomes a human health hazard. However, there it evidence that a com. bloatton of DDT and PCB h canting environmental con tamination. f'CB atoae ha* beco known to cauae twinan death, liver and akin dtaeaie and it wheeled of esuiisg birth defects. A ala agency Interdepart mental task force has been formed to coordinate a goveratnrnl wide invatligaliM. It appears the government will follow tho same poHcy regarding PCB aa H lit* with DDT; that no "ImQilaeM hazard to the pqbHc" exists. We cas respect the govern ment. and the. federal Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA). for not ntahing to ban every product aomoose thinks i* harmful to the en vironment or humans, However, we believe a ban an both DDT and PCS It now Justifiable. In fact, a federal court haa ordered the EPA for a second time wHMo a year to put a ban on Dop^into effect bat to be balanced aganiM the public welter*. Must the government wart until pe.-p:e re becoming ill or dy ing briar* It eliminate* the oflends.* ebemirala or shewM It tali* preventive rtep* when M has s reasonable baai* el tclento-r and legal fact auggeattof this imgM happea* Wt think iha latter roortr of aettos it the aMfelion of pmamenl. Finally, the federal EPA should conduct comprvbatout todies of other todwtrlsi chemicals to determine H they are entering the tend that* ai d thaw poasiM* affecta. PCD was round for to years before try. an* thought to take a attend leak at it. Also, at scientific Kudos reveal unwanted tide effects uf Mustritl chemicals, tho government! emtrenmeti:l, ptetcctlon (rnciei muM guard? against rrplaccmeMs that mev bt worse thae the origtmi at fender*. (fjjr Eitriiltig frlttr WASHINGTON, D. C. D. SOJ.OP* SUN. SM.Wt . I OCT 14 1971 ^ PCB and the FDA Loti June, the Food and Drug AdmlntotraUon found potenttnlly danger ous eonrrntratlona of She industrial chemical polychlorinated dlthenyl In a variety of dried food products, including tome baby cereals. No public announce ment of the discovery was made until thfa month, when U was revealed by Representative William F. Ryan. Ryan coupled hit revelation with a castigation of the FDA for showing "more concern about the Image of American Industry, rathrr Minn the public." The Congroasman has a point, In defense of the FDA. It should be noted that the problem was not simply overlooked. The probable source is Iden tified aa Ute printing Ink uted in re cycled paper In which the foods ware packaged; since June, PCB has been re moved from printing Ink. Tho FDA then had solved the problem for the future, ao why risk a public tlap and the possi bility of luting damage to centumer confidence in the guipeet food stuff*? Bo there waseomelocleintheFDA'e alienee, but not enough to Justify It, Tho FDA did find PCB In amount* that It hu labeled unacceptable In other food*. PCB. a chemical eouatn of DDT, haa been implicated In human death and dimbtllty. The only valid oetton under the cir cumstances wu a full public disclosure of the facts tn its possession without consideration for the repute Mon or the financial health of the paehapm. The FDA la mistaken in It* evident belief that the public la prepared to pante at the mention of tainted food. And the public should be able to expoet the unadulterated truth from agtnetoa establish** while orotocMcn. HONS 033683 !