Document nmORRvRkYyQ3dj2NoQbZQ0XBm

July 13, 1971 Mr. J. Gordon McCullough President Amax Load & Zinc Div. American Metal Climax, Inc. 1270 Avenue of the Americas New York, N.Y. 10020 Dear Gordons Draft of Minutes of Meeting, June 30, 1971 I am attaching a copy of the above meeting we had of interested people relative to the lead poisoning of animals at the Staten Island Zoo. Please note that copies axe also being sent to the Health and Safety Committee of the Board of Directors. Jerry Cole of ILZRO is proceeding at this time to imple ment the investigation at the Staten Island Zoo with the help of cooperating members who have indicated they will supply the nece ssary manpower anc laboratory facilities. When this particular investigation is concluded it was the feeling of the group that serious consideration be given to having similar teams located throughout the country available for such investigations. Further reports on this program and suggested methods of implementation will be sent you as they become available to me* In the meantime any thoughts you might have on this acti vity of LIA and ILZRO would be appreciated. Sincerely yours. O DMBt so cci D. Broward Craig Simon D. Strauss R. W. Unwin, Jr. J. F. Cole, ILZRO J. L. Kimberley David M. Borclna Secretary, Treasurer June 30, 1971 STATEN ISLAND ZOO INVESTIGATION A meeting was held in the offices of the Association on June 30, 1971, starting at 2s00 P. M. to discuss the unfortunate ill nesses and deaths of animals at the Staten Island Zoo, reportedly due to lead poisoning. MEMBERS PRESENT REPRESENTING William Pallies Reg Bushell Cap Hall M. Remondino Ray Bates John Lekstutis ESB Inc. Ethyl Corp. H tl II II N L Industries,, Inc. II II PUBLIC RELATIONS COUNSELOR James Callaghan Hill & Knowlton, Inc. STAFF J. L. Kimberley, Executive Vice President D. M. Borcina, Secretary, Treasurer The Secretary stated that it was the purpose of the meeting to determine how best the lead industry can serve the community at large by offering such technical personnel and laboratory facilities as may be necessary to investigate such reported lead poisonings as recently occurred at the Staten Island Zoo. The major emphasis of the investigation would be to determine if lead in fact was a contributing cause of the illness or death, and if so, to determine the source of the lead. The investigation would include but not necessarily be con fined to laboratory analyses of the lead content of the followings 03 e qi N 733.01 -2- June 30, 1971 Blood Feces Urine Animal Hair Food Drinking Water Food Containers Ceramic Tile Pool Water Fall-Out Air Sampling Surface Soil Sub-Surface Soil Paint Vegetation Other Sources After some discussion it was agreed that such an investi gation of the situation at the Staten Island Zoo should be undertaken with the cooperation of the members, under the direction of Dr. J. Cole, LIA's Director of Environmental Health. It was also agreed that for the present at least, this industry activity should be confined to the Staten Island Zoo, wherein the proper procedural outline can be determined. Following this, other areas should be considered. Preliminary unofficial tests at the Staten Island Zoo re vealed the following: Contained Lead Vegetation - 13.6 micrograms per gram Soil - 500.0 "- " " Paint - 1-3 percent - It was also suggested that some consideration be given to employing outside consultants such as Dr. Tepper, perhaps a zoologist and/or a medical research facility. It was then brought to the attention of the group that a similar situation involving seals, had occurred at the Detroit Zoo. Two seals had died earlier this year and a third one just recently, reportedly from lead poisoning. The source of the lead was given as the throwaway portion of the Polaroid film pack. It was revealed that the developing fluid is contained in lead foil. These throwaways had been found in the seals pool. Investigation had indicated that this throwaway portion of the film contained the followings Black and White film - 0.6 gram per throwaway - 15% lead Color film - 1.5 " " " - 30% lead > Q 0C -3- June 30, 1971 Further, the throwaway when tested in 1/10 normal HC1 solu tion dissolved 3 mg of lead per ml. The pool water was free of lead and currently, attempts are being made to get a liver sample of the latest fatality for laboratory analysis. Analysis of the hair of various animals was also conducted with the following results; ANIMAL HAIR ANALYSIS (Micrograms of lead per gram of hair) Washed Hair Wash-Off Solution Camel Tahr Bison Reindeer Michigan Deer Elk 22.5 4.0 17.6 22.9 3.8 25.8 4.0 2.5 5.0 7.5 10.0 10.0 It was the consensus that such an activity as outlined here in under the sponsorship of the lead industry's associations could pro vide a much needed service to the community-at-large and to the lead industry itself. Sincerely, DMB;SO David M. Borcina Secretary-Treasurer