The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, May 22, 1984 - Page 7
Health effects of PBB, PCB examined
(Continued from Page 1)
will develop specific case studies of in-
dividual children who are presenting
medical or behavioral symptoms.
"WE'LL BE asking the mothers how
long they breast fed the child and what
the health of the child was like," Joseph
said. "We will then contrast this infor-
mation with the current status of the
child's health and behavior."
"We plan to contact mothers at their
last known addresses and use standard
epidemiological technique to locate
them, but if any of the mothers who
participated in the study have moved or
have questions or concerns they can
call us collect," Brix added.
A similar study is currently being
conducted by the state health depar-
tment but it focuses on a smaller group
of mothers in the Grand Rapids and
Muskegon area according to Brix. In
addition, the $300,000 study funded by
the federal government is more con-
cerned with PCB levelsand effects.
"WE STILL have residual levels in
foodstuffs," said Prof. Jim Martin of
the Environmental and Industrial
Health dept. at the School of Public
Health. "We had the incident and it
resulted in widespread contamination
in the state."
"Cows you have now may still have a
little bit of the chemical in their bodies
simply because it is passed from
generation to generation," Brix ex-
plained. "People who moved to this
state twoyears ago probably don't have
any detectable levels though."
"The people most at risk to PBB con-
tamination were the workers who
manufactured the stuff and the farmers
who kept herds of cattle that were
highly exposed," Brix said. "People
who got their produce directly from
contaminated farms are at high risk
also, but everybody else was pretty
much at low risk."
SCIENTISTS have yet to determine
human blood levels of the chemicals
that can be considered 'safe' and PBB
studies have yielded often conflicting
data over human toxicity and
association with physical or behavioral
problems.
The survey is being funded by the
state's 10-member Toxic Control Sub-
stance Commission that was created in
the wake of public outcry when almost
2,000 pounds of the PBB flame retar-
dant A. Firemaster BP-6 was acciden-
tly mixed with farm feed in 1973 and
gradually worked its way into
Michigan's food chain primarily
through beef and milk products.
Martin is the chairman of the com-
mission.
The incident has been termed "one of
the worst chemical disasters in United
States history" by health professionals
because penetration in the food chain
was so extensive that traces of the
chemical can still be found in food
products even though officials attem-
pted to limit the extent of con-
tamination through the quarantine and
destruction of cattle that were affected.
PBB, polybrominated biphenyl, was
once widely used as a flame retardant
and produced by the Michigan
Chemical Company in St. Louis,
Michigan. PCB, polychlorinated
biphenyl, is a toxic industrial chemical
closely related to PBB and has recently
become the focus of national attention
as an environmental toxicant. PCB has
been banned.
Both chemicals are stored in human
fatty tissue and are eliminated slowly
through sweat, feces, breast milk -
and through the placenta to a
developing fetus. PCB has also been
associated with Chloracne - a per-
manently disfiguring form of acne -
and with liver disease.
PCB blood levels in Michigan
residents are consistent with the
national average, according to Brix,
but widespread PBB blood levels have
not been found in people residing in
other areas of the U.S..
Group pushes proposal to
stop weapons research
(Continued from Page 2) Behind-the-scenes negotiations are
by scattered applause from the audien- taking place between members of the
ce and the Council. Democratic and Republican caucuses
If the proposal is passed, Michaels to iron out differences between the par-
said, the University would probably not ties' preferred budgets.
be affected greatly since classified Councilmembers declined to com-
research which could endanger human ment on the negotiations, but Coun-
life is already prohibited by the Univer- cilman Gerald Jernigan (R-Fourth
sity. Ward) said the differences between the
The Campaign for Nuclear Free Ann eventual compromise budget and the
Arbor, sponsored by the Michigan current proposed one will be substan-
Alliance for Disarmament, is tial.
petitioning to get the proposal on the The Democratic caucus is reportedly
ballot. Michaels said about 5,500 pushing for more human services,
signatures are necessary, and she ex- while the Republican caucus is ad-
pecte that they will have more than vocating a pro-business budget.
8,000 signatures before the July 1 Councilwoman Doris Preston (D-
deadline. Fifth Ward), one of three Democratic
In other matters, the Council post- negotiators, said she is optimistic that
poned approving the 1984-85 budget un- the differences will be settled before the
til Thursday. Thursday meeting.
Mondale calls for N.J.
debate before primary
A person who is Overweight
may be suffering from
BULIMIA
A disease characterized by any three of the following:
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5. Eating to discomfort.
6. Use of laxatives or diuretics.
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41 1 . & COUNSELING CENTER
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(Continued from Pagee3)
As Jackson walked up a muddy, win-
ding path to Bryant's modest home,
neighbors lined the way. Most
welcomed him, but a few shouted racial
epithets.
"THEY MUST not be from around
here," Bryant said of the shouters.
"The neighbors are happy and pleased
that Rev. Jackson is here."
But it was Mondale who picked up the
supprt Monday of West Virginia's most
influential voter - Gov. Jay
Rockefeller.
Rockefeller, who is running for the
Senate, said Mondale "favors an
energy policy that depends on the use of
coal" and in general "as president
would have economic -interests that
coincide with West Virginia's own."
HART CAMPAIGN officials say the
senator will not make attacks on Mon-
dale as part of his strategy of casting
himself as the "high road" candidate in
California and will not respond directly
to attacks by Mondale.
That did not inhibit Mondale. He
ridiculed his rival's record on the
superfund legislation and on arms con-
trol - just as he had done last week.
"When the superfund was being con-
sidered Gary Hart served on the Senate
committee that considered that
measure," Mondale declared.
"HE DIDN'T find time to attend a
single hearing that helped shape the.
legislation. We can find no evidence
that he participated in writing ... the
bill at all. And he didn't even show up
for the vote in the Senate that passed
the bill."
Stephen Saunders, the senator's en-
vironmental adviser, said Hart was ab-
sent because the outcome was a
foregone conclusion and that, in the
committee, Hart had in fact supported
even stronger superfund legislation.
Hart visited waste dumps in New
Jersey last week to complain about the
administration's environmental
cleanup efforts, and he regularly
promises a stricter enforcement effort.
Specifically, he has promised to seek
a tenfold increase in the superfund if
elected president.