Path: utzoo!bnr-vpa!bnr-fos!tpc
From: tpc@bnr-fos.UUCP (Tom Chmara)
Newsgroups: can.general
Subject: Re: Attikamek-Montagnais Protest PCB Plan
Message-ID: <1450@bnr-fos.UUCP>
Date: 6 Sep 89 12:10:33 GMT
References: <2324@yunccn.UUCP> <620791816.24086@telly.on.ca> <1989Sep5.173937.24977@utzoo.uucp> <8328@looking.on.ca> <28908@watmath.waterloo.edu>
Reply-To: tpc@bnr-fos.UUCP (Tom Chmara)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada
Lines: 29

In article <28908@watmath.waterloo.edu> sccowan@watmsg.waterloo.edu (S. Crispin Cowan) writes:
>In article <8328@looking.on.ca> brad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton) writes:
>>Are PCBs that dangerous?  I have read that they are quite inert -- that's
>>why they were used in transformers.  According to what I heard, they are
>>only dangerous if burned improperly, upon which they are carcinogenic.
>
>They are massively carcinogenic on contact.  They have on 'no effect
>level', i.e. concentrations in the body so small that they are hard to
>detect (parts per billion) still seem to statisticly induce cancer.  On

I hope you have a reference for this, because as far as I am aware, Brad
is completely correct and you are way off.  There was a GE transformer
plant in Toronto (now closed) at which the workers WASHED UP with PCBs:
they are excellent degreasers.  There is no evidence of anything statistically
abnormal about their cancer levels.  You have been caught up in the media
hype.  PCBs of themselves are particularly inert.  The only problem is that
incomplete combustion leads to generation of carcinogenic compounds.
This argues for disposal of the wastes in a timely, effective manner.

Even the newspapers are beginning to get a handle on the matter.  The Ottawa
Citizen ran an article a few days ago covering much the same material as
above.  Hype may sell newspapers; fortunately, SOME information leaks out,
too...
	---tpc---
-- 
I am sole owner of the above opinions. Licensing inquiries welcome.
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Tom Chmara			UUCP:  ..utgpu!bnr-vpa!bnr-fos!tpc
BNR Ltd.  			BITNET: TPC@BNR.CA