Document nN3pVkkXXqoQLVyX4xLyqYgRa

/( .K'-' 32 _____ THE WALLSTREETJOURNAL Periled Pesticide 4^/'; DDT ;s sate, it must he ippruveo by .he Fed eral Government, tr.ey assert, ana the Govern mental agencies involved --the departments of i Agriculture and Interior and the Food and : Drug Administration-wouidn'l approve any agent harmful to humans or wildlife The industry backs up as contentions on Wisconsin Hearing on Bid to Ban DDT Could Affect Future of All Such Products safety by citing a study of Montrose Chemical employes at a DDT plant. The stud> reperts the employes are exposed to much higher levels of DDT than is the general pubiic they don't snow any signs of n.trm/ui effects Possible Effect on Humans So far. the .ssue of POT's eff,,,t. >n hu mans hadn't boen~r.tI5bd"T By RfctHKn Staff Htporttr of The W*j,l Sthiet Jot- ! DDT 'TMd ITM ,""" a "*<* Ktl. MADISON, Wis. --The agricultural chcmmeal itou* and similar naectirides. ehie.f.lv .in the industry is under attack-again. courts ever since it was formed in October 1967 Ever since 1962 it has led a somewhat har It has met only limited success in -he ried existence. That was rhe year the late icZoulrt"s,' b"u"Vt it"s law state and local Rachel Carsons best seller. -Silent Sonne' ` ImgenocTie*s haven't b`'en :o,all-v tneflccmai. appeared, alleging widespread, indiscriminate have **7b" \t"ngs- lhc Pressure the suns lllgS. 'f- .UlitTA'C xr Drop in Bird Population witnesses. Richard Welch, a ph-irmucoiogis' with Burroughs Wellcome i Co., a drug mau.i- f University of Wisconsin wildlife ecologist facturer. said the sex hormones affected ,n Joseph Hickey testified that since 1950 there rats by -he ijDT-.u tivatod enzymes ire ;ne has been a plunge in populations of birds of same' ones found in man He uiso exp.amed prey such as the eagle, osprey and peregrine that the amount u PDT needed to produce ::i- falcon. At first, scientists didn't know whv. he effect "is wilnin a range of DPT found ::i use of pesticides produced by the industry. I more than 5n cd'et "'1,b PromP"nS Now, os before, the issue is pesticides thi* I nrvr cit.es in Michigan to stop using time specifically t.l.l-trichloro" 2 S !p.chmS j "I/".'T Du'Ch "m to'a3" explained. Then in 1967 research showed the I human fat. . thus, if one can exirnpoou-' birds were laying thinner-shelled eggs that data front animals 'u man, then one would s.i,. were breaking and failing to hatch. Because L that the charge in these enzymes prooaoly jo rophenyii ethane-better known as DDT |r-,nT -n ustr> is fighting back through a The batile is beta, waged on several fronts/1 under lh^ "v*ril -vears * the change in eggshell thickness occurred after , occur in man.' 194.. the start of widespread DDT use the sci i And Robert Risebnugh. a biologigt wi'h Last summer. Illinois. Wisconsin. MichicnT'Oh..m;,' and Indiana signed an agreement calling for :Ses stricter controls on ail pesticides DDT m me `,gs 0t -he National Agricultural W> LOT r- opponents. Most of its entists theorized that DDT somehow was up i.the UnncrsUy -u rnifirm.i's M.irme P.->- setting the birds' calcium metabolism, which is j) sources [nstUuto. touched on the subjtvrffrcf'-y involved in eggshell formation. itliri^his tcsfimon> Our general point is th.it eluded, tha. are polluting Lake Michigan. The . Diamond 17 C,0T"'M U"' makc DDT; Messrs. Hickey. Wurster and others believe) Hhc Food and Drug AdministramT, hasn t ,. 10013 le-gislature is, ccoonnssiiddeerriinngg aa bbiillll bbaannnniinngg '!iCr-nIrnTm,...rSh,i; n.!uf?' ck C?rP- Aliit*d* .. kC-hueeamuiccaa,l the use of DDT. In Pennsylvania, a st.ve sen- Li Malhieson Chenuc.il Corp.. Leb.i the theory now is well documented. During the 1 taken any consider.it.or. of the enzyme induc hearings they explained how researchers quite! ing capacity ot these substances -DDT .ir.d ate committee recommended a ban on u use : I Corp.. a privately held comoanv. m fields and forests. And Sen Nelsor. -d dnn M"trosc Chemical Corp of California, the by accident found that DDT. even in small, similar pesticides-. This .* a decision wmch th*amounts, activates certain liver enzvmes in: FDA will have to marie sonetime in the near Wjs.1 says he plans again jo seek legislation r* T* m-, r yitmXrn^ s owned lojntJv bv rats, rabbits and some birds. Enzymes gener-' future. Will it permit a:i increase m the a-":', outlawing the msecticioe nationally : l thmk 7 , ~Lraft Induslncs Inc and Stauffer Ch'cm!- it's been clear for a long time to those scien- ;r . A *,xxn mcml>cr. Geigy Chemical ally control the body's chemical functions- , ity of these enyzrfs m our aver" No re*pop.Mthose involved in this instance affect estrogen blc person could r- w j>et up here'and 5Trrih.it lists who are knowledgeable that DDT is hav- . P" Ar0 -' v ' doesn't make DDT. a female sex hormone that plays a role in cal this eor.jianrnTlFST,u uw.iv_at_-jur_stcr'.ids -th- mg a devastating environmental effect, ' he . taught Off Balance jf|*' j, Thu`V the indusirv is well organized to de cium metabolism. In this subtle wav. thev argue. DDT exacts its toll. A Hearing in Wisconsin V*nd itself, but the Wisconsin attack seemmgiv Additional support came from Lucille Stic- The sharpest fight of the campaign. how/?TM*1*1 lt--The task foi ' . kel al lhe Interior Department's Patuxent wiid- ornev -.0 -vprescr' 'll' 7?,rcl' "nl,r in M".vlnd. She told how ever, is snaping up here, and its outcome could ti: less 'ivin'i " ' hmrhcji ,,,5s I she fed small amounts of DDT and DDE a hht an '"Pliant bearing on the future of DDT and pesticides generally. Focal point of .he confrontation is a hearing being conducted bv the V\ isconsin Department of Natural Re sources on a petition to pan the use of the -u!d face m Madison "Frankiv. nobodv kno m nearing this was. " says Louis . Mi'Lca/i. :n. ittorncy finally picked by the task ! creased breakage, she said. L4!^2H|!Lite industry hasn'^-ct presented srx'Tiormones, is '.sitnuut any physidl-igtrai >:' j feet. It ttuuld be .r-r'SDnr.sible r Finally, the industry can be expected to hit ` hard on DDT's public health uses and benefits "Too many people forget we need DDT tor control of mosquitoes that carry encephalitis. and the world needs it to contro. malaria, says Mr. McLean Adds Samuc: Rotrosen. chairman of the chemical m the slate. The agenev has .ur,*aic- v>,. ...uueli it would be something like v ion over keeping the state s water rr'sotirees : irgis.ativv nraruig. where people got up anc free or pollution, and under state law :: cun n..iKc sui.-monts of position. ' Mr McLean JS , upon petition by interested parties, restrict or ,ong nine industry spokesman, who until ho rr oan the use o! any substance it finds to be foui- tued :n July 196, was secretary and genera ing the water. cuun.se! :or Velsicoi Chemical Co., pcs"-'*-- In November the department was petitioned ir.aker and Northwest Industries Inc subsidi by a group ot Wisconsin conservationists -Mllf-ci the Citizens Natural Resources Association \ In the past, pesticide manufacturers some They were joined by the Wisconsin division of times ii.n- l ,c-d io dismiss their critics as food the JzadK Waiton League. The two grouuppss m- I faddists and neurotics. For example, in 1967 lego DDT :S getting into the water from a wr can wmte. . the antipesticide peo- en- ol sources and :s harming wildlife ii'/st every instance hoid numerous bc- Hearings began in December and continued nutriiional quackery and medical for 13 days, with about a dozen sarn:is- ap ana they oppose public health pro- pearing in support of a ban. Then the proceed ings were recessed to allow the chemical com panies time lo prepare a defense, Thev arc ex pected to begin presenting their case rn a few weeks The case is of more than passing interest Since "Silent Spring" appeared, research has turned up new evidence suggesting DDT .t,,iv harm wildlife, and possibiv nurr.ans too m or.*-' viousiy unsuspec-.ea wavs The hearings mar* haracterizatior. rankles many of the scicntis mtoived here, leading some to sug. , ?est the -h*- indin-tr;. this time has underesti- { mated : opposition Indeed, the Environtr.er-! ta. Defense Fund und its Attornc^ "TTTTTir Yannact `penrh Tded The i" nst I.iDT M,itF. c\pe: many from r pu- i.gn: um ad over -he first time -3f ihe findings nave boon.- used as ammunition ngnir.st pesticide mak---If vs isconsin fir.us the naence suifu- udid are fisru-rv or d'.tfc 0ruing;: JrgutTTm-rrir FTa-juu, d an 'Vt:..>m.'iogisi Through suasive to ban ,-,r s1 DDT. conser-.a :sts ar.d other T. -y c.r:ua3KW". headed oy Ch^rie." Ir ., b:',i...iry professor a; the S rents are cxpec the industry inn to carry :hc:r gn: os. ier states. V''v Stony Brook Moreover. .1 proves success? campaign ,g.u re moustry expert LI U i -n leruists turnisr. opinions or t against simi.ar here seems -e; "iicides Fina.iv i to appeal ih raisir the pruspi ct of a precede lost rigid lega! aecisior t 'a : 11 St;:: I) : '.he water .mo .I'nvis CouJd Af/ecl Larger Market Mr Wars" stit'iec DDT .s The industry attempts to play down its ;; nanciai interest in the case It savs the DDT used in Wisconsin in J967 amounted to sales of oniy J17.000. Even nationally. DDT volume isn't huge. Ir. 1967. the largest period for which figures are available, sales totaled $13.7 mil lion However, the larger market that the in the 1 ip trum in-.- aTOrnrrJtdThrough,, m d on wmd-oorn dust and water n.irt: < :es*. Other v!tresses TMtlfjVd 'DDT has'hem found in dim :y e>. cry pan of tnc world, ,ne;uo ing dust coll .'tted over the Indian and Atlantic oceans. It e en has been detected ir. ue pen- gums of Am rctiea. 'hey assert. dustry oelieves would be threatened if the DDT The widespread contamination Js harming issue goes against it totals about $20u0u mir-iililioonn ,h ""* b-v Kllli"r it outrighi, annually - more than 25' ot manufacturers >duclI';e sublle mstabolic ehanges. on- tota. pesticide sales. | suspected until recently, that are gradual'y To botster their attach, tbe Wisconsin con-| Ke^etT Macek0118 SP*C"*' to Tvhj-. 1 llnea it will follow, Mr. McLean quesii'ons'lhe; r, accuracy of the research studies'ahd the qua!- STTOjjgi;li*l. wlioa-onducied them ne contends, lor instance. :hat Mr. W'u.-sle| is an organic chemist, "but he was talkingj about things entirelv unrelated to the held o-' i chemistry. If a man wants his opinions re` spected. he should oc qualified ,n the soeeia'tv i in which he's speaking, and u sc,enlist who's speaking outside his area of expertise is reallv ! no belWr qualified to foist an opinion than an'v -person on the street." Mr. McLear. indicates thej^nHi.^n- wn ca,, .medjcai exports' in ,ts dctfjtsf- "I think it's particularly interesting tna- although the EDF is basicai-v talking aboir matters of health, it didn't bring one medical witness to the stand. And frankiv I didn't ex pect them to. because I don't Know of am- -ned . ical toxicologist who's informed about'pesnfcides who shares their fears '' The EDF argues that !her- ar^ suostiuitc-. for DDT that are as effective out mui-r. -.ner- because they arc shorter uved and .hcreiorc their harmful effects don'* persist :r :h<- atni-is !phere. ! The industry disagrees. It contends otr.v [ pesticides aren t as eff-^-uv.' ,,nd oet-msc the-! i arc shorter-lived they must oe applied more often. incre2Ling tno cn.mces for improper ar.d DIG' task force and general managgoeir of Vl\n trose Chemical. "1 don't say these poopie EDF '.sitnesses- -iron t true scientists but r i?:teres: appears to Oe ,et s worry auuul -:-d> more titan people I thank we'll h.iv-- cij.int'ied scientists who will put the picture ::t <pe way of course, to -ei: yet new U : Natural Resources Board will Bn; it may have given some indication of ti'.'ade ,n the DDT question last year :n f ,'s eernc.u bulletins "The use of any -.fct i:i:i. wrier aides DDT, re s ., .-a., '.i.at1 a risk Science has tlready r. ni-.xnr.itrd n;. uro, aro..n pestvcidrs une e|l bgS 1 with i:)d -redn.ir Sldue: on.y become .luparei eareh To continue to u; e ,;f the present Vvei servanomsts enlisted Ute hripof the Environ- 1 narimer, 3 bl`fsl for the l's mcma! Defense Fund. a .bSU U.4M.'.|| partment of `Incteyr101"3. l_i_s_b_,-_p__c_s_t_icide laboratorv N ^ .-baseo~"froCp-Tompi iSed mainl Of ,,.,nr aJ Co'um,3ia. Mo., reported his research shows oi scion-, that feeding low. sublethal doses of DDT J brook trout causes a higher mortality amontt their offspring and makes the trout more sus ceptible to environmental stresses. DSW 201154 STLCOPCB4059218