Document mpO5mnd524KMDXzR25bpDGqoQ

VEffPJM. CALIF. STAR FKE PRESS 0. 3I.CG0 s1A OCT 6 1976 jntyjpdr) Star-Free I Health concern caused phase-out of chemical tamination." said EPA Administrator Russeil E. Train. "Environmental contamina tion will continue to be a problem due to the millions of PCBs already in landfills, .sods, river and lake sedi ST. LOUIS (UPI) - Mon santo Co. the nation's leading suppbcrof polychlorinated bi phenyl, used as an electric insulator, said Tuesday it ` wwdd stop production of the - chemical by Oct 31,1977, be cause of posable hazardous * effects oa humans. . Monsanto old the phasing out of production over the nod year would give time for , manufacturers to find substitide materials for PCB Subi rtitutes developed by the dectrtcal industry are being , tested, although they may not prove as effective in resisting ' Areas PCB The Environmental Protec* dm Agency, which had caljed polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) a "significant hazard to human health and the envi ronment," welcomed the news of Monsanto's derision. "The Monsanto derision is a ikmiftcant step in dealing with the total problem of PCB con ments, in our air and water and in wildlife and human tis sue. This contamination will be there for years-moving into life systems, including tomans" Monsanto said last January it would eveatually stop production of PCB but no date was set. Polychlorinated bi* phenyl.^has been ased since aboet 1130 as fire-resstant fluids and electric Insulating in capacitors and transform ers. Monsanto once made as nuch as 8 milium pounds of PCB a year, but that protec tion has dropped to about 27,M pounds hi recent years as fears aboet environmental idunage mounted. Monsanto also makes PCB * a plant in England.