Path: utzoo!attcan!lsuc!hcr!larry From: larry@hcr.UUCP (Larry Philps) Newsgroups: can.general Subject: Re: Attikamek-Montagnais Protest PCB Plan Message-ID: <1971@hcr.UUCP> Date: 6 Sep 89 12:32:46 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: larry@zeus.UUCP (Larry Philps) Organization: HCR Corporation, Toronto Lines: 31 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. >> >>Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software Ltd. > >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 >the other hand, the "PCBs" being discussed are really PCB-laden oils, >not just pure PCBs. >---------------------------------------------------------------------- >Login name: sccowan In real life: S. Crispin Cowan Hmmm. According to the information in the interview with, John Polyani, Nobel Laureate for Chemistry, in last Saturday's star, they are quite harmless unless burned at temperatures too low for complete breakdown. Even then it is not the PCB's themselves that are harmful, but the byproducts of the incomplete destruction. He says that there is no evidence whatsoever that they produce cancer of any sort. I have read this statement about the dangers of PCB about 3 times since all the fuss about them started. The other 9,999,999 (or so) news articles all raved about how dangerous they are. Given that I am not an expert in organic chemistry, I think I will choose to believe John Polyani. Larry Philps HCR Corporation 130 Bloor St. West, 10th floor Toronto, Ontario. M5S 1N5 (416) 922-1937 {utzoo,utcsri,lsuc}!hcr!larry