Document yb7YaZQDyMM7Ej424kyOBdZm2

/ Monsanto FROM (NAME ft LOCATION) W. B. Papageorge - B2NK DATE February 29# 1972 SUBJECT PCB-POULTRY - MAINE REFERENCE TO FILE ) H.CC: S. Bergen W. R. Corey C. P. Cunningham K. W. Easley - 1920 E. V. John J. F. Stapleton R. A. Stohr - A2SB F. P. Wheeler - A2SA Reviewed by telephone on February 29# 1972 the PCB-poultry incident in Maine with Mr. LeRoy Schilte, Ralston Purina, St. Louis, Missouri. " Purina representatives met with representatives of FDA and USDA in Washington# D.C. on Friday, February 28. FDA was represented by Messrs. Wodicka, Kolbye, Ramsey, Quinn, Duggan, Schrafner and Swanson. USDA was represented by Messrs. Fullerton and MacEnroe. Purina asked that chickens with PCB content in the fatty tissue up to 40 ppm be released for human use. They did not expect approval. A heated discussion took place between USDA and FDA regarding methods of flock sampling and application of guidelines. Finally agreement was reached that flocks would be released if a ten-bird composite sample had 4.5 ppm PCB in the fatty tissue. If PCB levels exceed 5*5#birds must be destroyed. If level fell between 4.5 and 5-5 individual bird analysis would be permitted if each bird did not exceed 10 ppm PCB in its fatty tissue. Mr. Schilte believes this guide line will be followed for all future cases as well as the current. FDA had obtained samples of meat fat and meat meal from Pine State Rendering Company. No PCB's are being found In current production. A flock of chickens in New Hampshire was found to have birds with up to 7*7 ppm In fatty tissue. There is no apparent relationship between this flock and the Maine flock. The transformer incident at the Purina mill occurred In November. Some of the oil did leak from the outdoor unit. Amount lost was estimated at 1-2 pounds. It is not known whether the oil contained PCB fluid or was mineral base. Since the amount of oil lost was small no tie-in to the poultry contamination problem can be established. ' DSW 325377 IN- IO REV. 11 -65 STLCOPCB4075547 (. ) February 29, 1972 Page 2 Mr. Schiltfe reported that Purina Is detecting fairly rapid lowering of PCB content in the birds. Three flocks were found to have the following lowered levels in one week: 90 ppm to 50 ppm, 50 ppm to 25-30 ppm, 6 ppm to 4 ppm. Purina plans to study other flocks to better understand the rate at which this lowering takes place. Maplewood Farms, which had experienced symptoms in its flocks which were attributed to "salt" or "air sac", is reported to also have found PCB in its birds. The govern ment agencies have embargoed some of the Maplewood Farm flocks. /bt W. B. Papageorge DSW 325378 STLCOPCB4075548