Document nkXqYx99DDEz3eepmj8eGr1eG

rnryi n n n r \, ,nn "v k^t'} i; : >. i. J- - i i J-~ V: J. -J I EESSESSia- PCB Coatitmlfe lPJmk, 0 The Environmental Protection Agency to Mine to control properly the only chemical Congreus hoa considered dangercm enough to requin* special legislation, according to the General Accounting Of fice. Nychlorinslrd biphenyls (PCHs) have been used widely in industry since 1929, largely in electric transformers and caperilon (devices that store electricity). Since the chemical was developed, mere then 600,000 tons of PCBs have been sold to American industry. Various studies have associated PCHs with a variety of health problems, includlag liver damage, reproductive disorders sad cancer, the GAO report said. The chemical is made even more dangeroua by the fact it is very persistent and can exist in the environment for years. la 1979,900 gallons of fluid containing PCHs in a single transformer leaked into a Montana packing plant's drainage sys tem and were processed into animal feed and grease. WUhin four months the contaminated products and Die animals to which they were fed were distributed to 19 states, Chnada and Japan. The spill cost private firms an estimat ed |9 million. They had to destroy 90*900 chickens, 9.9 million eggs. 4,000 bogs, 74,000 bakery Items, 400 tons of fn4 and 11 million pounds of grease. "Perhaps of even greater impact on the affected companies will be the loss of pub lic confidence and possible lawsuits stem ming from the incident," the GAO reported. But even though the EPA has been charged by Congress with the responsibil ity of controlling the chemical, the agency has failed to take effective action to do so. the GAO said. "EPA missed by more than seven months its congressionally mandated deadline for issuing rules for marking and disposing of PCBs," the report said. "In addition, regulations for imple menting the statutory ban on PCHs were late by as much as 18 months." Even after the regulations were issued, the GAO found, "EPA was not adequately prepared to enforce them through a coor dinated inspection program." Because the EPA does not have the re-. sources to monitor all potential PCB facil ities, "it must rely on the deterrent value of Its penalties and voluntary industry efforts to help achieve widespread compli ance," the report said. However, it continued, enforcement ac tion is slow, penalties for rule violations are reduced an average of 65 percent dur ing settlement, and most possible PCB us ers have not even been informed of the regulations. The EPA also has been slow In provid ing for PCB disposal facilities, the report said. The GAO called on the EPA adminis trator to improve the enforcement and Inspection activities of the agency and de velop better controls over those activities. The EPA also should strengthen its en forcement activities and penalties as well as assure greater industry awareness of the PCB regulations. According to the GAO. the EPA Office of Toxic Substances officials agreed with the conclusions and recommendations of the rejx>rt and are considering ways of Implementing the recommendations. HONS 011664