Document n9XKoVqeZ7ZKYxeRjVdJDXrz6

iltc 2 9 W? Abandoning PCB Will Be Costlv 4 CHARLESTON, W.Va. lUPI) -- Ths coal industry sy the $3 million cost of abandoning a ctncar-eauamg lubricant com monly used on mins machinery probably will wind up in the lap of consumers. Starting in February, the substance, known as poly* cfcJortnatad bipbeayi (PCB) officially is banned. According to tha Environmen tal Protection Agency, the coal and power industries together must obeli out $49 million to convert to new materials. PCS, considered by the federal agency as causa of cancer and nerve damage in animals, must be phaaad out totally in mining machinery by Ml. An EPA official. Robin Wood, aid daily fines of $25,001 will be imposed on violators. it'i shown up everywhere from ici in the Arctic tn mother's milk in a dozen states," she said "Industries used to dump old PCB in the waterways and it was dispersed in the air. It also made its way into the food chain. There's just no way to gat rid of it." Enforcement will be aided by lhe Mining Safety and Health Administration, another federal agency. "We use PCB extensively in both surface and deep mining," noted Herk Hamm of ConalMMad Cod Co. "We're Mdac at alt ways we cnn meal tfeia problem." * ! my the coal Industry will have to acquiesce pretty hard to fit the new regulations,'' offered Charles Jones, part owner of Amherst Coal Co. "The problem Is going to be getting the public to pay for them. How much more expense from complying with new laws can we absorb?" The EPA believes that mors than 1.25 billion pounds of tbs chemical have been used by industry since Monsanto Co. first produced it bn the early 1920s. From that amount at least 799 mfilton pounds are still la uae, six million pounds have been incinerated, and the rest hat been dfaperaed in the environment. HONS 008883