Document daGwMJyyD6DvjByax449wZmz9

(Durafm Itfnrlb-Sfrntft OMAHA, NEBR. (MORNING) D. 125.376 SUN. 273.381 ^OCT 1 5 197R "* Report `Misleading' Toxin in Milk Still Causing Controversy' wxmmw rm umm. Washington *- A panel of fed eral and private health special ists has bam accused ofbeing "very misleading" in conchiding that mothers can con tinue to breast-feed their babies despite contamination of their Milk by a toxic industrial chemical called PCBs. The Department of Health. Education, and Welfare Com- \ mittae to Coordinate Toxicology , on PCBs in Mothers' Milk "felled to adequately deal with the issue" at a meeting here on Sept. 23. according to a Joint statement issued by Dr. Joseph Highland of the Environmental Defense Fund and Stephanie Harris of the Health Research Group. Adverse Effects PCBs. which concentrate in fatty tissue and remain there for years, first came into wide use in the 1990s. mainly in elec trical equipment. Not until the mid-1960s did ; researchers discover thar PCBs ; - polychlorinated biphenyls ' had contaminated the eir, we , tar and soil of ell industrialized countries. Last weak. Monsanto Chetn- Ice) Co., the only American manufacturer, announced that It was ending production. HEW convened the com mittee after the Environmental Protection Agency reported finding PCBs Tn 79 of SO sam- flee ofmilk fat from mothers in 1 states. I The avenge concentration !, was l.S parts per million. In baby rhaaus monkeys nursed by their mothers with milk contaminated by as little as f toi ppm, skin discoloration end other adverse effects oc- weaned, hut bebavorlal and ; teaming deftctendei persisted ter at least a year. ! Because of this finding, made tar University of Wisconsin patnotagiat James R. Allen, the HEW committee urged imme diate studies to determine, among other things, whether the harm possibly caused by PCBs to breast-fed babies In cluded learning disabilities or hyperactivity. Objection* i te a letter to HEW Secretary ' ' obl?cted `o the conmi^ sltion of the committee wylng it was labeled "expert'' but Included pediatricians and wws not expert in the toxicity ofJCBs nor of chemical* gen- niey also protested "the lack opportunity for discussion" by members of ihe public at the committee meeting. The nonprofit organization v" r* committee's con clusions were those "of the w`nnan lone." did not have *, r.")>tlyt support" from cmmlttet member, end am- "O' ranked "oJWel government man. mendattoiu. rffov.,iU,"u*1'. *e,'r** federal offlcfafs on the committee ad* wl"*TMor ml**" f* PTM*TM"1 not to eat Port fish identified ae PCB ITM?,!TM "<! wildlife Sere, wnotnclnl In the eudlenct 2"** dtin Indicated "the "HTM* Incidence of PCB. mnllfredivmterfWi." . "Jnfeooo tbe dun cn hrautfeeding with PCB-con- ""'t *r too epant * fwrml. eccur,,. monstiramont of benefit, and rich., the commftten "could not" have JTM" ound advice end should not hive utter .position. MOMS 050669