I wrote a paper on PCB (well actually 2 papers) and there is some evidence
that Inuit women and Scandinavian women with high levels of PCB's are giving
birth to low birth weight babies. In addition there seals in the Baltic are
having trouble reproducing, and having immunological suspression (leading to
death) due to high levels of PCBs in the environment. Even though PCBs have
not been in use for many years, there are still a high concentration of PCBs
in the northern climates where the various congeners deposit in the fat of
mammals and fish. The only local source of PCB's in the Arctic is near the
Radar Defense stations used during the Cold War (DEW LINE). And no of these
sources have been cleaned up yet, but that is prefectly okay for Whelan and
Wildavsky, should spend more on guns, rather than roses.
I can send the papers to any one who would like them. They have been well
distributed amongst environmental toxicity experts. DDE is also a major
contaminant of the Inuit population (which has a cancer rate that is 2 times
higher than non-Inuit populations in Canada). The highest DDE concentrations
in fact actually are found mammals in the north in the area of Baffin
Island. This is due to the leap frog of the volatile pesticides. Anyway
there is substantial evidence that seals and other sea life are being made
sick because of the PSBs and other POPs that were used long ago or are still
being used (eg. toxaphene in China).
chao
john foster
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