Document xpvZYypVNGevzpOJZjqV0gmJ

PLEASE OBSERVE EMBARGO INTERDEPARTMENT TASK FORCE ON PCB'S FOR RELEASE: SUNDAY, MAY 14, 1972 A.M. EPA--Dick Hoffmann - 202-755-2770 USDA--B111 Whyte - 202-388-4296 FDA--Donald Barreth - 301-443-328 A Federal Government task force on the chemicals known as PCB's polychlorinated biphenyl# - today issued a report reconsnandlng that all current uses of the chemicals, except use in electrical capacitors and transformer;;, be discontinued. The task force study concludes that current environmental levels do a<*t constitute an imminent hazard to health, but that the efUcts of long-tiro exposure to PCB's are largely unknown. In conjunction with the Issuance of the report, the government announced several actions to deal with the PCB problem: -- Tht Environmental Protection Agency will restrict the discharge of all Industrial effluents of PCB's from PCB users Into water so that levels of PCB's la rivers or lakes do not exceed Q.G1 parts per billion. -- The Food and Drug Administration proposed on March 16 new regulations which Include new and more stringent action levels for PCB's in lood, steps to prevent PCB's In food packaging, and measures to prevent contamination of food from accidents in food plants. The task force report, entitled "PCB's and the Environment," is the result of a six-month review by eight Federal Agencies. It includes detailed Information on the production, use, and distribution of PCB's, the benefits of the chemicals, the effects of PCB's on man and wildlife, and a variety of other data related to the problem* Despite finding "much data that it regards as Inadequate and many questions that remain unanswered, "the teak force concluded, from all of thu available scientific information on the PCB problenv that: MQNS 060558 -2- -- All uses of PCB's that are not essential should be d i`-c,.n 1 nm : . .mu to the extent that they must be used groat care should be taken to pri v, release of the substances to the environment. -- The chutriicals can have serious adverse ofi. its on human Im-oIm;. hut. so far as i now know, these adverse effects will not ou-ur e- .1 . .i the levcij o': PCB's currently in the environment. -- PC]'* ire highly persistent and can lx found in air-s' il put' ! the environment. -- Hipli levels of PCB's have occurred in food us a result .u ui release < f the substance. Steps taken by the Food ;uvl Drug Adnuo, ,rr >>n and the Department of Agriculture will minimize t. !_ ccurr>- tic,*i .suv accidents in the future and avoid the food and economic lo,s>. . rl h. e. accompanied the accidents. -- Die use of PCB's should not he banned entirely. H currently available substitutes were used in transformer;; and .upucjtorr t'nore wi-ule be a greatly Increased likelihood of fire and explosion, resulting in death , injury, and-damage to property. Furthermore, suc h use cun ho umirnllul that it does not significantly contribute to environmental contjmin.jtI on. -- The major gap in the regulatory system to deal with PCH's is tinabsence of any broad Federal authority to restrict use or distrihut:on. to control imports, and to collect information. The task force b< 1 lovi . that such authority is needed. It would be provided by the Administration' Toxic Substances Control Act, now pending before Congress. The Monsanto Company, the sole U.S. producer of PCB's, has reported voluntarily taking a number of actions, including discontinuing sales of PCB's for use in paints, plasticizers, sealants, adhesives, and all other open-system use. MGNS 060559 J. -3- -- PCTe an widely manufactured In Japan, Italy, France, Heat Germany, and Ruaela, and poaalbly la Braxll, Argentina, India, and East Germany. Many electrical products Imported Iron those or other countries into the United States nay use PCX's. The task force knows of no way to monitor this supply imleae the Tonic Substances Control Act or similar legislation is enacted. Until than, buyers of products which may contain PCX's are cautioned that they should question their overseas suppliers about the potential presence of PCX's snd consider the substitution of suitable alter natives. As an additional measure, the United States has asked the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) through its Environment Ceamrittaa to maka a special review of member states' national policies con cerning PCS' s end also to identify products moving In International trade Which contain PCX's. ORCD, whose membership Includes all major Western Industriallead stataa plus Japan and Australia, has been giving priority attention to the problem of PCX's over the past year. leprnsemtsd on the Interdepartmental task force are the following: Deportment of Agriculture, Department of Coammrce (Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology and Rational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Invlrnnsmntel Protection Agency, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (Food and Drug Administration and the Rational Institute of Environments! Health Sciences), Department of the Interior, Office of Science and Technology, V.;j;'vi;^.nS tha Council on Environmental Quality. 060560 The 132-paga report "PCX's and the Environment" Is avallabla at $6.00 " from tha Rational Technical Information Service, Sprlngflaid, Virginia 22151, or tha first floor of, the Coaaarca Building, 14th and E Streets, Washington . C. ROTB: Copies of tha report an available for the working pre*a only, > the FDA Press Offlea. Boom 3807, 200 C Street, S. W., Washingt-