Document nN3NRkbKjkm5OKbp2vD8Rnrg1

4 i.'onsanto . * Mt - IMAT(-AMONt I John Hr Craddock - St. Loulz A2SA 4-4764 !. '.usjcer (MCI March 12p 1991 PCS *3 - MAJOR NEW YORK ISSUES STATUS REPORT CC. D. Re Bishop * A3NB Re S. Nelzon - A2SA J. R. G. Ortiz - E2 B. J. Wander - G3NO TO C. F. Callis - B3CA % M. C. Throdahl - The two PCS incidents In Naif York Stata In February continue to have extremely high press and media viaibility within New York and acroaa the nation. Traneformer Fire __ ___ The transformer fire occurred after houra in a 17-story state office building involving about 100 gallons of tranaformer fluid, 50% PCS 50% trichlorobanaene. - -*> No injuries occurred. The fire wae contained and did little physical dusage. However, a faulty ventilation ayataai circulated soot through out the entire building. After the PCS toxicity 8care dissipated, new reports of two other 'deadly toxins', dioxins and polychlorinated dlbanzofurans (PCEBF'e) appeared in the press and on TV. The situation is highly politically motivated now with even Governor Carey taking a stand on the relative toxicity and safety of PCB's. (Governor Carey offered to drink a glass of PCB's and help vacuus the building to clean it up.) Presently, local Srooms county (Binghamton), New York, and New York State Department of Ftfclic Health officials are squabbling about who kncsre more about PCS and dioxln/PCDBF health hasards, etc. A big question Lai How good are the analytical nuabers being tossed about? And even more important, shat is the significance of these results if they are accurate? 'Ixperta* from all over are being interviewed, including Dr. Senate Kimbrough of CDC and Dr. James Allen of the University of Wisconsin (formerly). The local New York media is having a field day. I spoke for over 30 minutes Tussday, March 10, to Bill Schmidt of the NEW YORK TIMS about this subject and Wednesday, March 11, Dan Bishop was contacted by ABC-TV (New York City) '30-20' program. I learned lata yesterday from Don Dahm that MFC had received wipe samples from New York State officials to be analyzed for PCB and dioxins. (No FCDKF analyses were requested.) These will be handled as all standard contract analyses according to GLP. In the recent past certain early analytical reports of dioxins and PCDBF's from this fire were attributed to General Bleetric Company chemists. However GE is trying to maintain ' a low profile and gat out of the middle of this Incident. ! O ' **V. 7? MONS 003338 C. r. C*1U*/M. c. ihrodahl Page 2 March 12, 1981 In addition. Dr. Don Coleman of DtBH haa baan invitad to address a unit of tha Upstate Haw York Medical Society to discuss PCS's froai a health, toxicity and clinical axaaination perspective in lata March. Me agree that thle could have beneficial effects in attempting to defuse this situation. However, Dr. Coleman is aware of tha dioxin/PCDBF Implications and will atteapt to keep from being sandbagged with these issues, particularly non-medical aspects. natural Gas Lina Contamination Kl's were detected in natural gas pipelines and maters in Long Island in early February. In condensate in maters concentrations as high as 2000-3000 ppm ware detected. (The condensate occurred as a result of a mmbar of factors, all happening at the same tins, i.e., very cold weather, high gas velocities (flew rates) in tha system and high concentrations of high-molecular weight hydrocarbons in the gas -- C4 to C9's.) Since tha first discovery on Long Island, gas transmission lines all across tha oountry have been sampled and found to contain trace levels of PCS'a as contaminants. Levels in the vapor in pipelines are of tha order of 1 ppb or less. Samples in residences in Long Island of 0.04 ppb or less have been Identified. The media, government and health officials reaction to this incident haa tampered significantly over tha past months. All responsible sources have publicly stated that there is no health hazard. Programs to sample, identify and remove contaminants are being developed. However, in tha past week the PCEBF issue haa emerged here and smiling programs will be modified to include analyses for this possible co-contaminant. J. H. Craddock jb M0NS 003339