Document dQxG4R0RE5g93vB51EBRNaBL9

MAR 2 1981 " 2 potentially deadly toxins found in tower n Ftb it, lift Tht Sttn-Bolleltn. Blnshimtim, N Y, l-A . Br STEVE GF,IMAM However, several officials said the state Is wrapped up and other work will cease while \W micorgrams per cubic meter Officials Two highly toxic chemicals were tawed now faced with an even more difficult public the state reassesses the currentwork. have said they plan lo meet the NIOSH gml- In the tainted soot and ash o( Binghamton's relations task to convince employees the budd Sources said officials believe the total dine before Ihe building is declared safe for State Office Building yesterday, triggering a ingwill besafe afterthe cleaning is completed. cleanup of all sections of Ihe building may in reentry - year-long cleanup which may cost millions,- sources said last night, - The new chemicals.-- dibeninfunn and dl- btmodkixin - art considered extremely toxic by experts, and in significant doses can cause death, a health official said Sources in Albany and Binghamton told 77k Informed that two new chemicals were pres ent, Dr, Arnold J, Schecter, Broome County health commissioner, said extra precautions must be taken to ensure contaminated materi al remains In the office lower and does not es cape into thecommunity. clude gutting the interior and destroying all furniture, although a final decision on the exact procedure has not been made. Cleanup coordinator^ working to wash the lop layer of soot yesterday experimented with several solvents - Including Lysol, Lestoil, Seawash and a mixture of mineral oil and alco i\ An unprecedented cleanup has been earned out lor the past 22 days as the slate works to return the building lo normal, a process that has cost about {600,000- not including salaries for state employees reassigned to Binghamton forIhe work Sun-Bulletin last night that the cleanup consid- "These are extremely toxic chemicil com hol - to determine which cleaned best. Those The discovery of the two additional chemi ' ered a massive tash two weeks ago now will be pounds and (he most potent kind," Schecter solvents may still be used to clean Ihe addi cals could mean all the "hidden spaces" will even more intense,lengthy andcostly said. "We have to be much more careful." tional chemicals,officialssaid. be cleaned, a process that could lake months, The Office of General Services, which owns Schecter said more vigilance will be re-' The new chemicals were uncovered in the accordingto officialson the scne. the building and is in charge of the cleanup, quired as the cleanupwork progresses. will hold a news conference at noon today to Scientific reports show that dtbenrofunn discuss the Immediate and long-term" ac 1 and dibetuodioxio are frequent by-products most recent set ol tests completed by the stale health department. The exact amounts of Ihe chemicais could not beobtained lastnight Schecter said he was also concerned that some cleaners who entered the building were not properly shielded, and he called (or a thor tions needed to clean. Slate Health Commissioner Dr David Axel rod met with the Office of General Services last night and discussed Ihe new information.' John F Iludacs, Ihe deputy commissioner monitoring the cleanup, declined to discuss Ihe future work when contacted at his home last night Sources stressed that based on Ihe tests, * [here wjj no health danger to people in nearby takings since Ihe cleanup has been bandied asatonicchemical spill. when PCBsreact with electricity arcing across malfunctioning circuits. Fire and electrical experts believe the fire that has kept the building locked since Feb. $ was triggered by an electrical'mal(unettoo in the main circuit ward. The 18-story office lower is polluted by soot and ash with Id percent polychlorinated biphe nyls (PCBs) covering every surface, including concealedsections behind false rollings. An official said the work now being done |o remove the top layer of soot and ash will be A separate set of tests showed the PCB con tamination level dropped from an average 162 micrograms per square meter on work surfac es before washing and cleaning to about II micrograiro persquaremeter afterthe washing, Air in the tower contains 14} micrograms of PCBs per cubic meter - just above the Nation 'll Institute of Occupational Safety and Health recommendation of one microgram per cubic meter and below the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration regulation of ough review of the process. A senes of tests conducted by General Elec tric Co. just after Ihe mishap snowed traces of the two new chemicals, although stale officials decided not lo act until their own tesis were completed. The new discovery will mean the displaced workers will find permanent homes in other buildings in downtown Binghamton, or at sev eral state-owned buildings at the Psychiatric Centerofthe DevelopmenlalCenter. HONS 209696 .V i& y( #'. ------ Mi. '*w* *. r elease (It * " , yr<e\, ?v;i ill,, J bjgi " CrtboJ 1A ` -*1'/ keep any.contaminaL m^vater ** '*? > J . vedfe. ;t w * ^v<i ' {? Hirchi said the flushing points out' /?" out f therttate! ding inter?J f a the deficiencies that have existed in Tflie cleanup brocedure and, the ditfi Acuity in communication Wween ridl.Du'ghamton. l moWst edeaaredlrdealing "* with one of "ti j!.*! the A?1*' _ , gate approrya ; ^gTsi*. 1 vo hlofj -a Hart - TK* '2.*7*?"P?5 JMTS f S*TKolSSS(?-** get wt ,rf ** into u5$ ' ,r*->v --jJ' - ' "V'1' >' LOLSFECTEAU *lnlW i V .---------------------------------- -----;------- : ' the contaminated BinghamtonA' "There urai *'no "'ducussion about $ OfIke Building were flushed yesterday, releas-^'ffusiitmr the water, Why would you ,H A MkaiwU*! Intrt ttinnS'Stnl/ifl^Jifi * " _ . >____ . ^ W `**z. - , ., :idehC ;,Schecter' Broome'County' health, _ ' commissioner,yesterday \discov- j ' Nirchi said the ered that , certain doors thattVere^' ?h have been Bushed that, too?" , r Supposed to be secure were unu? .* permit was granted!?? the state De, , Vlocked in the basement of Bingham- , ^ partment qEnvironmental Conser&.'' u vef9e environmental impact because tne.amouB ' -^ton Citv Hall which adjoirn- the i- Ration. " Tv polychlorinated biphenyls in the toilet-water are,1 ' .ystate building. The basement area^o^' - " e**v - ', thoughtrto be low and would be significantly diluted Mario M.` Nii^chi' f --.---------- ..--.'i,... f , A . ..* v y\. ^ " "I was justed asked about the.(test results). I'saiif '' of the government complex is sup-i"^le bottom line is DEC did before getting into the Bmghamton-Johnson -City, .v they appeared to look good because they were lb the J i \posed to be off limits to the public we. grant approval to OGS (state Officd^^P Jtunt. Sewage Treatment FaciliUpS^.and - the > parts per bdlion range and other tests (results) from' i and the doors In question borestgns^-!,<^ General Services), but'^he bnvi-2iji Stfequebanna Rifer. - , ` ` (*>J the bmlding have been in the parts per million range A '.\that said, "This door is not t6 be un->-J*' ronmental impact is Dotreally any-^^i. 'The,toilet flashing was the latest mishap in the)}. There was no discussion about flushing the water i " i lockedor blocked,''^.' ? '' t*"' i thing to worry about,'Its unfor-^V'j^cleamip at the state building which was halted indefi-p Why would you want to flush? Why do it now? There ' *' c,,i___, J *, tunate, but itShouldn't e?en be de-^J^Cinrtery Thursday after dioxin, the deadly component /. are so many things that have to be studied and f!vu , ^cal1 j . tectible atlthe^trebtment-Dlant.'.fefJ^rt'Acent Orange, the defohant used in Vietnam, and:- looked at m that buildingawhy hot study IhaUpoT*, ' Bu,^^n ^ J-rn >rehisaidd , 'V Libous about the unlocked doors, ' , t-irarvaraw < said ': environraetiUl offl-Kt'i trials sakl they' did not.know if'ihese the toilet water1, but said if so they^' , ,,, t j) . /' Schecter said security and safety'., 'u Judgment and'we usSuSalil^y'^like tdA*-" 'Jith Mario M. Nirchi, senior engineer ,in the Bingy; office of the state Department nf Envinmi. i ;R! befo!^*ra4^e:.C^"cental Conservation. ' l, ' ^ ? ^,Z talked about the numbers (test'samples of vfeV'Vwater from a few toilets) and he said, '1 see no prob-,' ^ lem with those.' I took that to mean I could go ahead. . rxiJb He didn't literally sav 1 could flush." said skfert, a b state Office of General Services engineer. 'AiTaHvA. 1UL k- th. tf two,it. vt-r. eS2 t1 securing the building after the cleanup baltandto, prevent any sanitary problem*. fj? > . -,, , " ,, ,.'j. W"?g to,be>* " j ^* =**P,a5 l0 ** t smelling like a zoo I thought it a prucent more at the \ PCBs.^ ' ' ^ri MONS 209697 HONS 209696 electrical sygte ^forake at least a year ^^tyLOiarECTEAu ro fj (j"<n*Hnn ic'^asw electrical system it the T.Sw Office Buflding will Uke it least a year, says Jl'De$d K. Selflwt, Voo it in charge of cleanup and ' of the downtown Binghamton budding, --nwtule, because this is the tint time in the Id an office building has been contaminated by bUlldUlg ''chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), aafety aUodards bfflce buildings are lacking and the state health ... irtment 'must develop guidelines for the l"tfH 7* Tra`-i ji; ,|i t('tfchaleaTathnaulospo,isffitcbee, bf*iursildt itnimg ebaesvbeereannypiwhe^rein>-th*e`w or-ld l' ' ` that an office building has been polluted with PCBs. ' * -T 8- J.CTta*"** h*a""ve been c"u--es I*n- imnduussitry of warehouses _ __ Continued (bom 1A -S';'?' -r6id sheds which would be mu>cdh) more straightlor- fsrao"SiWmddc..heree'rcferteigbrersreruaa'tdtohrsinsa,gmfllpuolowerseleswvcoee.ulnsldt-(libogefhPttsaCkBesn)'to-risdgSa-hcykth--efinrfcpo.tweodr.,n*WS?;.t'..Zw3s,it?.,vi 'HtH#aCeeba>a>llTtilh*tirhhehCCweoaaohmsdmka"mientm*dwigsi*sestas*hi'nori**oedn(nessklmeirthnkraDooeDtowerrttAui)hnwuAmghihsire.len"oanoitlH-sltwdhsajoeJtidd.'wreSeBepcrafchionraeotinmscmthseeeeerne.dtCwt.oohuenerstIeyt the Broome County Health Department, 30 Watt Sty-", * BmintvligJerTWhniwaafcmmhKtue*omaanllt..thk di4e--pHatvr4tmmenntt wwiillll ,benonn#e. fotffO*oUuPi`r,~,c'oh' TrjtIwomt(^*.I*v-*f.riI ^, :'~,,i<f'1.*'.fdcaeipeMpineGaurepsn,"ewsreaa'ifrdSeSetrebrieifcfeefrsitr,.swt heovwerorttos do ior this kind of the state-*Off- buddings. We also want to get someteamnalrom* new bunding and from outside,' Schecter saw. - ,J' "" ----------- ---------- II,. . . ft* jute building bas been cKwed since Thursday i .; ktm a fire and explosion fa a basement transform fll-'ertUsted hundreds of gamma of PCB coolant raring uie aiawmiuouia row* TM 1 "'l . throughout the roomand contaminated other areas products of PCBs, such as dibenwfurans, which ctyi ^. I ^ the building with fumes and ash. * v koAAucaonumrienrMsytrsiTtIeam* from Binghamton to nu oeen set up to run Albany every morning, uo/mlk*:pi*tno*>f*,J- ,yKni*j^1''av>j'eT*r-yh-e-to-"-o-d-*ne-*-sl,i*-ag>on--AA-f-llobb--raa--nn(tyyb,,ephb. euulvrett ct--trrtar-iac--aa-flos-r-yms--teeis.m...)a--..r.ww.-iIln-losttaarst said. t .v s* i . JMli t St? `EikMa tteemm..'TUtwmull taka a year or more. Just or* The stata health department will continue to,fakPj- i j ^ Seibe__rt described* the'elelyear/'safdSetffert ssaaTmmhpeplelsestasfrtuaommhnetmhalet*hobuuddeudpuiaunrgwtmaetnitt iiwt*cuilllemcauonncetduinttuoeavsidsuurbewflCjI 1-u,'. ildinanow**10 l*1* i>s* dFoer^tthaims rheiaitseodn,roJSf ttehhief*feWPrCt Bislsal irrdekllieutaissMeddl iiifnnfitcthhu#eltffiitrrofhet/.ei'Tt.t!i!*v!i: - i: hT-miJ * J etoetrical system. wds " TTMTM1* to *** UP * f*mporary ho"wIlohnagvethheicglheahnouppews iollftabkeein.g done .wit"h ~the bode U ` r-- *SE ;a?$*7 TMfonner installed from NYSEG (New York State Electric k Gas cleaning operation Tuesday. The progress will bei, p c Cocp,), but more importantly we're working on tbe monitored by testingconstantly,'' Seiffert said. 1 ,*Celectrical) distribnoon system that was ruined and Officials do not yet know if it will be necessary-TOtt i (' V baato be recorutmcted," Seiffert said. - clean insides ofdesk drawers and files, Seiffert sat*~-i - ' ` Ke said offlciala hoped td have an elevator wort "That's one of the things I'm hoping the healUrd^t -. ing;tn the Uetory building today to (auhtate the partment will be able to tell me, if that kind of cledn- ",`Cleanup. - - ingts necessary," Seiffert said. - `V'01.-'. * '- He uud ofTkiala are learning. " if1*? go in the When asked how one decontaminates documentor -; degnup. - vo-rtc;...-:- - - Seiffert said, "We don't know yet. That's something " > .. k special team from the slate pealth department i have to experiment with. We're (int vacuu.mi,,ng-.-..> Siw* in Binghamton yesterday to monitor the and then we'll test.' . T ^ ` v-J "' cleanup. ' HtlCeaIlUlthlOoIfHficCialIll*I tIOoOoKk bUlIoWoMd sgaflmiri^ptlcegs yesterudoayy f|riuotm>vy ti iKv ^ p/Schecter said officials planned to test other etrvaenrsyfoonremewrheoxphlaosd.ebdeeTnheinsatmheplebsuwildiilnl gbesfirnoczeentha?t-.otPSlBCamBtoan Duuaui4 tod*v t0 rfetenrune normal ie%n `.Binghamton General Hospital for future testing, bffi- ^eialsaaid. ->j - . -"-e-l - * Ate:, sis. 5:H-,--n MONS 209699 > _W. ' *`^1 '11114 Bin1 ** to -r ^ v*--r i \* M 1*- ' . ` iL4 toxin tamt v 'I -.v. V 1 **JU j + *' , worstX` C* r?Tf ' J-J f"' i.' *' .Tf wr- v*-b--._ - *w.< ' , By LOtS FCCTCAU also is contaminated with dioxin and dibemofurans The imount ot contamination in the Binghamton State Office Building is equal to the effects of a chemical plant explosion that has left portions of an in addition to the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) The dioxin and dlbenxofurant are combustible by products of the PCBs. . _. . Italian village unoccupied (or five years, state health Dioxin is one of the most potent chemicals known .officials say. to man and is the deadly Ingredient m Agent Orange, In 1976 after the ICMESA chemical plant outside of the defoliant used during the Vietnam War Officials , Milan exploded releasing cloud of chemicals into said it is a thousand times more deadly than PCBs the air. more than 700 persons were evacuated from There is no known antidote todioxin poisoning. .. . t(tthheeiir homes in the nearoy town of Seveso. Many of Rhe homes still are contaminated and unoccupied) r'"We're talking the same ballpark of contamination f't don't think the community realizes the magni-. tude of the problem here. Obviously no one wants to as Seveso, but they had people exposed. Here, the ^building has been exposed,'* said Dr. Philip R. Tay-- expose people to this. What we have to do is be extremaly careful so that none of this gets out into the lor, i state health department epidemiologist. . -tf&TsntrSeedts jof Binghamton and Broome CSoun,ty," said Dr. - Taylor and that between two to 10 pounds of checter' Broome County health commis- tetrachlorodibenzoparadioxin (TCDD) were released* in Sa_e_v_e_s_o. r /"That's the same, particular dioxin we're con- deemed about in Binghamton. We don't know the exact calculation of how much material was released " into the building yet, but we think it's similar. That's ..being studied," Taylor said.' ii-i" ` Meanwhile, Binghamton Mayor Alfred J. Liboua .Today asked the state health department to test the , ' air in city hall and surrounding area to see rf any pol` hition is escaping from the state building. "oaer', , Dioxi*n iias .s.o potent athVa.tt in ItLhae days tim___m_ ediately after the accident in Seveso, all the Oats, rabbits, dogs and other animals in the most contaminated area died. Witnesses told reporters that birds just fell from the sky in the wake of the explosion. - - The extent of the pollution in Seveso was such that the Italian government sanctioned abortions for pregnant women who lived in the most heavily con taminated zone. More than ISO rases of chloracne. a serious skin disorder associated with the toxin, also ,*L> 71 want assurances that it's not leaking into the at- ' were confirmed; many of the cases In children. mospbere and if It is leaking at what levels " Liboua .? * "There were also questions of nerve problems, .rsakL,-ir ~*r*~*&Q^*~' '* . neurological disorders, questions ct~miscamages. cleanup at the state building was halted indefi- f? spontaneous abortions,1' Taylor said. . 3 nitely last week after officials teamed the building , ., . --o nc.*n, vu - a::/. -' 7` ''.'V- ... SWOe-AUt'Y.W . ----------- - -------- - ^ MDNS 209700 j. tests * irr\ 2. ,, . IHforce' halt r -* '' iVe'-r-f-V g ^ T',, By LOIS FECTEAU ,,' 9 ,. L3&The cleanup at the Binghamton Slate Office V^BuiMlng will be-suspended today because of the , .^presence of two additional toxic chemicals. - - aft ,, Everything we asked for will happen. The wi'i ygiCleMup "til be suspended immediately and uidefi- I" A request lor a proposal will be issued to find W* s^*'.00***^* connect team to do the cleanup," said if.) -L Df' Arnold J, Schecter, Broome County health comi'i tnissiooer. -w is ( t r Schecter said Dr. Philip R. Taylor of tbe state i - health department phoned nim today with coofirma- ,,, '" iton that two deadly by-products of polychlorinated -' ;* ktJaphenyii (PCBs) were present in the state building -.inhigh amounts. . '*; Schecter said 2.3,7,1 tetrachlorodibenzodioxin * 1 ,(TCDD) was detected at 3 parts per million and 1 ^Wl>' JO JjState suspends cleanup-- parts per million by weight and that 2.3.T.I terra- chlorodibenzofuran (TCDF) was detected at HZ parts per million 'and 133 parts per million per .weight. ->.0. -- - ' "These are big numbers and these compounds are 6? far more toxic than PCBa. They can simply kill you ill Continued from tA -r ' Cleanup supervisor David K Seiffert by breathing,"Schecter said, , "They're just keeping it secret," said today some of the toilets in the _ The state health department tests confirm earlier added Young state building had been used even i, < findings by General Electric Co., which detected The county would like the state to though the environmental agency haa ; j trace amounts of substances compatible with diben- . put its plan of action into writing, Lee not received the test results. . ' zofurana and dibeiuodioxuis in a sample from the said. . _ "It's obvious that we have to use ! ' 1 building. 'f' * "The safety plan was described vcr- some. In the locker rooms and other ; I \ New York state Office of General Services Com-, baily . We'd like to see it In writing dean areas," said Seiffert. a state Off * mis**oner John C. Egan announced the halt in the and (we'd like) communication of aU ice of General Services engineer. cleanu.p and the new :gs at a noon press confer '`jmedatatoDr. Schecter." Lee said, The state health department today ence in Albany today. Egan said the building would , Schecter said yesterday he had also released summations of average be closed a minimum of six months. ` Received Just bits and pieces of the test , .Jesuits and would like complete infor -W|.jlevels of PCBa in the building from air and wipe samples. The data included . Officials said they did not know wbat the cleanup now would involve. ' . mation. values before and after cleaning for Schemer said the cleanup at the garage area of , "Right now, Mike (Mario M. Nirchi ; of the state Department of Environ- -mental Conservation) and I don't know .different floors, but were not site spe- afic. Stale Health' Commissioner Or . '.I the government complex will continue, but work on ?n.*vr*l fth1-e- other "Doors w.i.l.l...b.e....s.topped "immediately and indefinitely" because of the new findings. ' 'anything about the PCBs (polychlori David Axelrod has said state officials nated biphenyls) in the building. We are hesitant to release site specific Schecter said the situation at the state building .will be evaluated by a team of experts across the -don't have the data," Schecter said. data because they are afraid it would country. Including himself. ' _ -e" For example, Nircht said he does not needlessly worry people. .. (it . '`Certification of the building will then be by a sep know if the toilet water in the slate Nirchi, an environmental engineer building is safe to be discharged to the whose office was on the eighth floor of outside because environmental off] the state budding, said he will not go - `oials hive not been able to get inside back into the building until he sees the [be building. Chemical waste dis- specific values, . . - - .(target are regulated by law by the "Personally. I will not go back in v^btate environmental agency. ""until I, myself, am satisfied f want to `t "We've told them not to use any of see all the numbers. E know what the dhe toilets until we can test, and we've numbers mean. (Another slate engi . asked OCS to sample, but I'm having a neer) says that's treason, but that s a --tough time getting results." Nirchi personal decision each individual will laid. have make themselves," Nirchi said -*'* -V-w-' f* . -if irate team." Schecter said, adding "This u every thing that we had asked for." Broome County and environmental officials com plained yesterday that they were having difficulty fitting complete test results and other information rom the state health department about contamina tion at the stita building. --~ Officials also expressed concern about adequacy of the safely measures and tong term goals of the state cleanup. ,. I"Ithink they have a plan." said James E Lee ad ministrative assistant to Broome County Executive - ` S. Young. . scs See STATE. 4A L-- HONS 209701 --. ' '-nr," larnr-r , ...mm fcb-ium TheI-- iolium m-gw.-w*,n.y. i-a Dioxin removal stynsiies cleanup r- -'I BySTEVEGEiMANN ' Binghamton i tainted Stale Office Building could be stripped of ell Us (until!re Uie only wiy lo remove (we deadly Inins experts be lieve remeln In Ihe environment forever. t lop stole official conceited lest nighi A specie! pose! Is being formed sfter besllh officials discovered two highly toxic chemlenls mixed In *tUi Ihe soot sod ash the! Infiltrated the buUdinj B dxyi ego JohnC Egan, commissioner of the stele Oll- ' Ice of General Services, said i special blue-rib bon panel of experts now being assembled could recommend removing ell the furniture end buying new desks, Files end other equip ment Egan laid inch an action remained e "re mote possibility," but It bis not beep ruled out "Thai may be the conclusion we come to," Egan eald last night in a telephone interview from Albany Slate health official* discovered extremely high levels of toxic chemicals linked with Agent (fringe on all (loon of the building earli er Ibis week ' The chemicals -- l,1,7,1 tetrachkrodiberao- furan and telrecieroeUbensodloxla -- r< M ...................... are known lo cause cancer or dealh in labors- ' dibtnaofurtn ind dioxtn lory animals and significant health problems 1 ' Mote* said levels for Ihe two toxins in the in humans exposed lo high levels of the loxtiu ' office building reported by the stale health de There is no minimum ecceptsble dots partment were considerably higher dun con- Health department teats showed belween 3 cenlralloRi In the deadly Agent orange befell- and d parU per million of (he dioxin compound - nf and in lo 173 parti per million of the dlbenso- Agent Orange wu used widely In Vietnam furan on the third and fourth (loon and now many veterans have blamed the Several experts agreed yesterday that dxuln cnemlcel for sericua besllh end cencer prob Is the maxi lethal man made chemical, and lems plaguing them and their children very xmall doses Injected In laboratory ani Reseerch has shown that the two toxins re mals have caused death ,, duce immunity In some young animals, affect "It's a vtry toxic compound,* iik) Dr Bev the nervous ayatem, the fiver and reproductive erly Moses of the Ht Slanl research center in system -- although the testa measured effect* New York City when the chemical was Injected into the sTo Moves and other researchers said the two rnait ' toxms arc known to remain present in malerl-' One researeher said the highly toxic cheml- ala for a long time and rarefy. If ever, decom Call cm have the same effects whan absorbed pose ' , - through ihe akin The PCBs reacted with the eleetrletiy to -T Mosel end other experts agreed that the two form the other compound* officials said toxic compounds do not breast down easily, re Officials have reported that the soot wu maining attached to the soot or other material thicker on several upper floors, stllwugh sddl- The toxins can be removed as long as every Lfonal Letts for the toxins are unlikely, offlelali - bit of dirt Is removed Iran every crack said A Single test (or the new compound! cost irougbout the building bout IIP HD ___ Offlelali generally refer to the chemicals u Dr Philip R Teyior, state epidemiologfit, lid more tpt* were being considered using I l-'T< I?*' .* ' liboratory mice to see B the tainted mot la ab sorbed through the skin , Under certain circumstances he uid the ' two loxtns attached lo Ihe soot might separate and not penetrate the ekln -- elthough that the ory has not bean tooted In e laboratory The discovery of Uve new chemicals prompt . ed state officials to stop rlesnlng the toot and ash from the IS story tower Several worken wilt remain in the building today, removing some begs of contaminated piper while a crew cleanr the beaement ga rage and finishes repairs on the electric nr cults, said David K Seiffert, the slate official In charge of theclrinup Slate officials spent Ihe past Iwo dsys Irek ing around the city for possible office space, al ready ruling the Broome Developmental ind the Binghamton Psychiatric centers as unne rentable * * Neither building has enough room lor the displaced workers, officials said Officials are concenlral ing new on Columbus School on Hawley Street, about five blocks from the government plus, but are atm look mg at the Marine Hidlend Bank building when many of lha dtsplncod an working nww. Office workers seek answers By STEVE GEIMANN meeting to ally fears of Workers, many of them X New York Slat# win restore the pay end vi women ' cation lime lor worker! thrown out ef their Several union members said after the meet ' Jobe when the Stele Office Building wa* cloud ing they were usuaged by Cxrtson'j as d earlier thix month surances but olhori were still concerned by . MeyerS frontier, of the Office of Employee romon that personal possession were taken Relations, said yesterday he supported effort! front the building * of the.CM Service Employees Association for Workers said they heard that typewrueir the pay ' had been taken from the building and resold Frucber naked the governors office lo several pocket calculators were removed and suspend certain rules to ittow the unions Uie tusk* of an elephant in the office of Senate members In Binghamton to regain the vice - Majority Leader Warren M Anderson, R Bing lion time, hamton. wu missing When Ihe building was first cloned, those em Union officials also told Uta worken to life ployees unable to work were told to charge the insurance claims lor their lost or damaged days against their vacation time. Union offi property cials, prompted by employee complaints, sought help from the state. ' At the same Ume, union offictats said they After the meeting, several employees had mixed feelings about returning to the building will monitor the cleanup of Ihe tf-story office "t think we're pretty well protected ' said' tower and wilt make their own determination Lucille D Barnhart of Conklin, an employee m of the buttdtng'anfety the Motor Vehicle Oflire "We srlll oe satisfied when Ihe scientific community is satisfied,' said Nell E Cariteo. Other workers, however, said they stale s unlen safety director sloppy cleanup procedures which allowed soot The comments came during Ihe first union meeting convened to discuss the closing of the and ub lo be tracked Uirough the basemen! garage caused I hem alarm ihn C Egon, commissioner of the state Office of Genera! Services, tell* o press mleiertca yesterday ihol ihe discovery of two more toxic chemicals tn the state hce building has forced suspension of cleanup operations < ,, , - * ( office building and La assess the effects on the workers About 65 workers, sbout a half-doten men, attended (he seasten Carlson, whs is assigned to monitor the state's compliance wfthlho US Occupational Health and Safety Act, wu summoned to the One said ihe ; tacked <eredfbiity after Hral saying the basement wu uf and' (hen later reporting some contamination, "They keep on the roles on what Uie standards are," said David Staff of John- - ion City, another DMV worker .- HONS 209702 ! Dioxincontamination TlwliWltfc8>ntHiin.K T.Hf v Bt STEVE GE1MANN t. officials mspcrtcd Mhaf tmdm existed n (be hpn( and ash cf Binghamton i tirrrtcd Jtrtf Office BtnWfor one d*y aller fhe acel knt but continued twining to avoid panicking hr puhftc H'a lib experts lokf the OfTiteefGeneral Ser 'levs on Feb t that the electrw maffunHien night produce dtbenaofuran and dwxm - Ihe ntKt de*Jty man-madethcTmcils ftoh substances were discovered In the sent l veeh prompting the slate (a stop the kanup of the building cloved for 28 day* The wort continued until offkiek knew the tic* Umlc chemicals andjheir concentr> Ions the state s health cwnmrawiet said Wifie officials assess the mortal-dollar teamip, ofTknab readied agreement with the rlnehamton City School District lor use of the rant Cotombus School aspermanent home or me workerr Health officials *bo began preparing lilera ve on t he effects of Into which will be given e mn people who entered the budding, and lair experts Inted to see If chemicals of J IT u tached (0 soot are absented through the tfcfe The unprecedented cleanup has coded whOe the state seeks advice from experts and pee- fitrcs 0 pfin for deamflg the budding -- 1 Job ikeiv to take a year andcost millions Health Commissioner Dr David Axelrod ad mitted yesterday he told dennup supervisors the iioirchtorinstaJ biphenyls that tnfiltrafed the building m Ihe fire can turn Into highly tone chemicals when in contact wfth efectrici (y 1 But thn was no reason (0 staple taw ta the safety plan was bemg followed/' Axelrod said "We did suspect there were other ehemi- Cals/ said John C Egan. comiQtasJofttr of General Services, owner of (he budding '`But nnttl we were sure, they was no point in crying wolf " The safety plan waa reeeatedfy breached by jamlonal crews who (rooted soot and ash Into CKy Half and fhe underground garage, promptIngtocai officials to sen a bait Those efforts foled when superiors in Alba ny rejected the recormnendatwns, rotenlew* with ofhciab disclosed #L Dr Arnold 1 Schecter, miwtj beeJth comiV call *re UghUy bwnd k carbon pwtlde*."': . mLsskjnrr, recommended I halt on Feb li,*, Schecter arid * printed letter u beta* pre- xtnf erieertve cprdimtnaUot rmulred mare v pnd (or tot prop), who entered the buOdaig, Cirefnl study TV errrirwtmeolri town i.Uoa, npl.ntn( tV possible Mr effects Schecter deportment tried Feb 10, but tbeb rerpiejt sud the too workers In the budding cortinoudy for a stop wn Wonted by afency offioris hi Al-^, mar be sought tor itto and other tests, bany , i Meanwhile, the search (or more permanent "We weteworitiig at craw pupm." sridl offices ended taatweefc when the strie retched one official who prerkmsfy lek tree to speak sffreema* with school officials to rent Colom but srho lost night requested anonymity ' bus School on Hawley Street TVCleanup ofstot yd .sh from the IMtssyj The school board k esperird lo appnre a office tower ended Friday when crews r*-t (oiMht Somes said IV rentis aboot EM"*SK !E*riJP3*v say-* *Bh"*h fi-1 to"* " when the stale erected large pfywuod barrl- * .. .__ . ...___ ..___ , * otimdeMs ttoedpbmastretmpievople fruw entering the nTW. "*****&** 1 ***** , "^*** uf i(UhJwdT OfficW* wvre department lata xOcoiptlag the Federal lOoffmicuerBe uitikahnUgbmct S3 "* TM _Tf * UXTwfhlhnwee* / tarey street and total atste te^Ufore to (he * **" Chare Mndwttn But* The Department f iV / Hu Vehicles wil nun to the Boon* " 'Axtaod, meaimOe* mh tspertf thaortaa', County Office Bufldteg aad Worknien* Cara PCBs and twa tame may not be ebambed ` penMoou will Stay m the tod Flour of Marine through the Ain since the caitaMMeedcheiniw^, Midland Bank t H MONS 209703 HONS 20970** r State taint is; 1 miliiori times more deadly thaii P ,vrft 1-b 4 j L-. A{ * ByUHSTTCTEAU contaminated Binghamton Building,* Prances Sale officials have said they will do reason- Edward Mosher, of the state Office of Genes be scientlSu about tt,` Let s not guess tiui it s F/Ontbf tbe chcmicab polluting the Bingham- fiaa stale Office Buildmg b a million lime* ' more deadly in liborelory testing than DDT or _ 1 poiicMOnnated biphenyls. a chemolry profes- jot at the Stale University of Ne*l York at Tarlton, a Mate health department spokesmaa, aide testing but said j| is "d of the question1' ` M Services, said the theft of the tickets is said today .' I* do extensive dioitn and dibenzofuran jam-1. thought Lo han occurred sometime early Mon The panel wil ktckade experts irem all ever pling because of the enst and lime involved day morning Mosher said a guard noticed that the world In (oxicetcgy, dectmUmbatlon pro Dr Philip fi Taylor, c Dale health depart-V the steel lock and cable were raising from the etdurea and chtmtary City, county, state anl `merit epsdcmiologiit, said minute tracts of2 newstand door Monday tie said the lock had federal government representatives also wdl dioxht probably wen Iracled eU of the staff" been on the door Sunday night , low 1-el s be sure obout It,' VertxtsaxJ Taylor said he u convinced I Ik toxins In the 1 stile building in bonded te the scot in the , budding aod are not u> the air because of the r properties of Ihe chemical Teylor called this bonding process `carben love " He said dioxin ' Buwhamlon says ; Lawrence P VerbK said he called Binghamif ten Mayor Alfred J, Llbous Sunday after i remairbiiM 0" h>**ctty of dxin and suggestl ed edddiaul testing be done to assure the toxic chemical is not getting Into the street* of Bing- t hataioo "] u concerned there might be a risk for (people living near the building or downwind ' from the building " Verblt said ' Meanwhile, a panel el world expert] *di fnwel April ] in New York Cliy It the SheratonJ l.idmrdii inn to discus] what to do about the ' , ( be at the meeting as ww umoo represeikatlm. TarHon laid She said the meeting enU be opa to Hie public. ' Tarttee said she does <M know if ibe state health dapertnent plans to do additional test ing in Binghamton Qty Halt or outside the II story state bullditig Liboos liked die Male beaHk departmeet Monday to test the eir in city hal and the aur rounding area to set if pollution Is escaping from the Male building , ' | walk assurance] that K's not leaking Into the olttMCphen, ` Libous said building along with PCBl during Uk Initial .. Police said someone in the building is deenup after tbe Feb s fire fie sent they did * thought to have taken Ibe tickets. The incident not intent a health threat and probably were J B under Investigation toosmall to measure. ` J[ The cleanup at the state buiktag was halted "I fhhM we can be quite confident Uut there v' laM week after official] learned uie structure h very Htlle. if anything, gettmg eul," Taylor also a contaminated with dnxm and dibemo- Id |. 7 furans These chemicals an combustion by However. more than 100 lottery lickels have *> products of PCBi Dunn Is the deadly mgred been stolen from a concession stand m thei'lc Mngm Agent Orange, the defoliant used during building, cny police said today a*. the Vietnam War Officials said then IS no append henltlrli Verblt said the stale's reluctance totest out threat from the tickets which wen kept mo-. side the state bu ltd lug bothers him steel esse "We cen lea (or U now Let's test for it and and the other chemicals "tove1 carbon and , would (henfon be bonded to the soot 1 Without testing, authorities do not know U the people working tn downtown Binghamton or living downwind from the budding are af - any kind of n&k, YerbH said I nalue we've got to walk a line line be , tween not panicking anyone On the other hand Ihe toxicity of dnxm has impressed me ft is in deed one of the mos] toxic manmade chemi cats, if not the most toxic manmade chemi 1 cal." Verblt said V - * See TAINT, 1A - HONS 209705 Tbafcwdtalletl^BlimkMif.N.T. M *r$ 7V*|* -S*_* ... . >38" ._ BySTEVfeGBIMANN ' "I...o..f.f.e..r..,..h.--rte,-s-n--d--n--o-W--,-T--t-o w--a.lk....i.n.t.o.....B...in..g-ir Pm telling Jrou, these things become orer-J^ Union officials predicted an angry backlash. itiilugh Ij. Carey, unleashed in angry > hiuaimi'iulojnii, lwoaoirijtfjuairmt oinuJtiasitbuuwlijdulunig., animd sjMwai-.i bulnoiwwnn,,'" he said. "Now we have to satisfy the ittlrom members *e against unions ind local health officials; 'low an en"tire'gl'ass o-f -PCBs and th- en hai unions which can withtld its services until they fir * "As far as I'm concerned, he's free and wel- ^a7 in an effort to downplay dangers,''' jnrle afterwards, all right?" Carey said. V, art welt satisfied," . ' -tw <*' t'tome to come here and taste the water," said > 1Oxins id the Binghamton State Office. The governor'* office said Cafey has'noWr:. L, _ .... . .. .. . t. - , *; Charles J Eynon, presidenl of Local <W2, civil dlAg. -V'. ' re-n--t-p--la--n--s-t-o-nvis.i.t BMing,hnamitwon -1 ifey said in Albany yesterday he was will. . "Look, that'll sorry Situation.''Carey said, t> drink a glass of water containing the lux- . gesturing in *>iy to show disgust'T hale to nd belpwactnun the building now coveted .............................. r-' (it t"he. ~Bing'. p ane^l I ,,nrJTL, iVniii' V L ! gwg to Work there is no risk .j ' dim -anrve munan 7 Patricia A. Cavanlgh. field representalivt -c for the N.Y S Profe_s_s_fonal EEmmppllooyyeeeess F1 eder- i^Jtandash. - ;Xi.; * ` Carey spolrt only of the polychlorinated bb'Ration, was astonished by the Carey comments. 1. phenyls, PCBs," and did not mention deadly: 1 "We hare been so tow key " she said. "We dioxins letrachforodibenzofuran or the newest; don t wanl hysteria 1 can t see any justifies- * J, toxin -- tetracMorobiphenylene found in the bon for those comments " . ,, ;> , ^ ' soot and ash that infiltrated the braiding after Assembhrman James R Tallon Jr.. D-Bing- - . "i-.V >'j a f"ire one mon.th .ag.o t.oday. *ej. > C'bamlon. chairman of the Health Committee* ;, V Rls offer to drink a g,,lass of wiier '_^***Prtswt when Carey made the comment \ * laughs from reporters and cringes from the,^-- ' state health officials, and his own staff, who Related Item*. Pages SA, ItA ? Sa^lsS^S11 * 'tf* "j was showed, and I don't use that word * But his comments angered local anion offl- Ti**011 Jjt' - dais, stunned, cleanup workers, alarmed* *T;7? havefhe gmrnior so flippantly made health officials and pfompted ao EndfcotTe thto^lemert 8 absolutely uresponsibto ' * radio station tb invite Carey to maid good on. ^ Taltoo Senior undercut the work - ' hi,promise, " ' Without mentioning his name. Carey I ` ` Dr. Arnold J, Scheder, the Broome health commissioner, for distorting ' gers of the contamination. J i CPf1 vaaa vaun s.aun.ci aini ii'ct upiua\ 'J d Ike to meet that local health offices^ "J,\y. "Youre got to take PCBs In quantities. " Carey said. * ' f|f steatfily, over tong periods of time, and proba- int, which I don't kitend to %'say' you're rirqg to drink PCBl'jnii yod water containing PCBs.Would probably cause y-mean It as a . .ijflarriiea. / A . - .. "t thtok he's kicking off his^new substance - Tv "There's ho such thing as a risk free b- ; K! * abuse camaplgri, showing that PCBs are better tence, as long as we have a free presa," the ^ Toryou than alcohol," SeBecWr sakUe If- governor concluded V- 'Vi" f&Jtems fromtower recalled W.&M Kjy .. v.v.- ' phf. i vT Broome County has recalled papers end Papers whre removed from the tower after other materials removed from Ihe eontaminal- David K Seiffert in charge of the cleanup ed Binghamton State Office Building lOjirt-,'' until Tuesday, gave in to agency officials' de* vttf Insine fwshiTb gTea-ie<H# *h rH V l~w i U- ' HONS 209706