Document yr91BL2nYMmO6jamVmgDzeoa4

Wisconsin State Journal MADISON, WISC. D. SON. 107,031 MAY ,9 1969 . i i. 1 Expert Sdys POT ; Weakens in Mature rVAn expert on pesticides and their residues testified at the' state DDT hesrlngs^Thiirsday that in any situation in nature* DDT will break down and not become a permanent fixture of the environment. . But, according to Dr. Paul E. Porter of lhe.SheU_Develop.: mont Co. and now a visaing sclemhft In England, the periods of breakdown and loss of DDt: `" from various substances has a casei'tf would take 30 to 40 days ' wide range of time periods --I[for thfComplete loss of DDT. 1 j 'two-thirds of it can be gone from The first step hi the break-1 e "live" soil in two weeks or 20j[down of DDT is to form a rela-' [per cent of it can disappear per lltvc called DDE. This form o! > [year from soil. the chemical is less toxic than I "I know of no natural situa-||DDT. t Uon in which DDT Is not de- On reference to its action in! [graded," Porter said. soils, Porter said that DDT Is \ tightly bound to soil particles ; Porter was challenged only1 and not readily moved by water, j moderately by Viclor J. Yanna- If it is moved, it is by "physical \ cone, attorney for the petition dJslodgement," he said. ers who want to ban DDT In the] In water, like streams and ! state. At 4he end of less than] lakes, DDT is extremely Jnsphk j three hours of testimony, Yan. [able and Porter said that it< necone thanked Porter for com tends to absorb into any organlo \ ing (from England) and never|[matter. Thus it will collect in the , did cross-examine the witness. mud (pf a lake) which is high in i The hearings will resume][organic matter. ^ j Monday. HOWEVER, PORTER eontln- < AS FREDRIK WAISS, attor-| ued, its breakdown in mud will i ney for the National Agricul |be rapid. tural Chemicals Assn., / ques I As for the breakdown of DDT ] tioned Porter, the scientist em in fish. Porter said it has been; jphasized that in many cases the][demonstrated that a degrade-1 build-up of DDT wUI not be in (ion does take place, although in definite, butwUl reach a pla fish It !e very slow; j teau. Porter was questioned atj In the atmosphere, DDT is] length on the presence of pies-' subject to the action of sunlight ticing agents known 11 p and oxygen and Is broken down] thatjnterfcrre with gas chroma-! tography readings on DDT. This j Into a less toxic DDE and other was e carry-over from Wednes-. compounds. ]day't cross-examination of e de-j Porter added [breakdown In etihr act othueldDDbTe,,IspianrtmAelunmt hnei eRd efrsoemarc(hhe Wlscon-! Founds-! [more rapid than it was on lion (WARF). * iglass aurlace, where half of 11 is! Porter said In answer to a Ijlost in 12 days when in sunlight] question on WARF's capability; "We have the highest regard for' WHEN APPLIED to crops, their capability. It is one of the- Sthe lot* of DDT U accounted for] [' commercial laboratories by evaporation, the plant meta-l where we have work carried out Ibollc process, end rain. In thlal for us." * MONS 029002