Document LVwgny7q0KgbDe9qr5BqRmgw

HARBOR SPRIROS, MICH. HARBOR L'OHT 1 900 JAf; 2 21b/6 AkJL THB OUTDOOR L/Pf------- Of Chemicals! and Catastrophe Kendo/f P. Sron/ey-"^ Michigan nearly bad a tragedy over tba past year and one-ball, as a toe ol Flremaster, a polybromtoated biphenyl produced by Michigan Chemical Conpasy, aided ''p to a nutrition supplement destined tor dairy and other Urms throughout the state. The reason tor the near trafedy? Tbs tael that It was by accident, aad the pressure ol a Grand Rapids area cbemlstturaed-larmer who nought the answer to why bis cattle were dylnf, that discovered the ntiup ol tbe tire retardent aod *ag- aesiun oxide, which is one ol tbe itfredleats to tbe teed supplement. This column will oot deal with tbe Lxup Uselt, a mixuptbai baa cost tanners Ullons ol dollars ia losses, aad bas parked lawsuits sialnst Mlcblgnn Rtf* Bureau Services, who sold tbe leedj|a|'1 Michigan Chemical Company. It will Baal | with chemicals, not only PBS, but tbe i then 2,000,000 chemicals Identm* used In the United State*, tbousai ol which are Introduced each yeal The 1960's saw the opening at ol the chemlea/s that are paf technological eofclety seeping IntojJ viroameat. (a her book "Silent Rachael Carton,pointed out tbe encountered by animals at tb{ .. , centrations ol these chemicals balriVpi.' their bodies. Wbat we now see atl^BOB^? centrations ot polychlorinated bipIliMfW In llsh ol the Great hakes, enough chMttff In tact, that sating no more than oiuVfc, trout > wort It racoramnuM. *`*1. la th, Ut, ol VlrjInU, irUorhi^ja closed to tisbing that contains kepoaa^, tied in the United States In aat traps, foreign eotmtrles as an insecticide. ^ Tbe ledersl Environmental Protects* Agency bas banned tbe use ol DOT in till oountrji, boeiuio ol lit luroilul tod ldC,r term eUects. Other chemicals have bffa ; banned here, In the Interest of putyl*' ' health and safety. However, that does Mi * I mean the chemical ilrmv have quit peg- < duclng them, It simply meaas they are" ~ selling them overseas. It you can mabft .'kv 'buck, It la alright to let a foreign coiirftix a~ poison ItseU, ao they must reason, . The chemical concerns are reluhhtf '* to test their products tor the ellects'UI" human health; the costa, they polat out, are prohibitive. Our lives are touched by countless chemicals - simply read the inrredients, I U they are listed, on a bottle ol hand eromo, a can ol spray deodorant, tba paint thinner in the garage. Multiply them by tho myriad chemicals use in industry, an. the problems appear staggering. Level* ht,. beer *abllshed lor the parts pa. mUltoa ol c ..dleals that can be 1 allowed to food products, to tbe case ol dairy products coming Irom the herds that were altected with PBB, It Is .2 parts per million. A Grand Rapids physician, however, is seeking action that would not allow any parts per million. As be rightly points out, a lire retardant bas no place to tood, period. Some chemical benelits have been re alized, nylon and vinyl to name two. But H has brought tragedy too. la tbe term ot tost Income and animals. A closer examination oi the chemicals that make up our world must be taken, tor the sake oi all living things, mao included. HONS 03292?