09/25/1978 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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The Council could ask EWEB to provide reports on the presence or absence of traces of 2,4,5-T and TCDD in the city water supply; e Council could adopt a resolution urging the appropriate Federal agencies to prohibit the use of herbicides; Council could ask the State to refrain from using herbicides in its own activities. However, Council could not adopt an ordinance banning the transport or storage of TCDD, as that would be in violation of the commerce clause of the United States Constitution. Public hearing was opened. Those speaking in favor of control of the use of herbicides were as follows: Wilbur P. McNulty, Ph.D.,7835 Southwest 136th Avenue, Beaverton, head of the Pathology Lab at Oregon Primate Research Center. He sa i d fo r the last 'three to four years he had been studying the toxic effects of a family of chemicals which included dioxin. He noted the EPA is now in a hearings process regarding whether or not dioxin should be used. His preliminary findings based on Rhesus monkeys and the effects of TCDD, have brought out the following conclusions: Dioxin does cause miscarriages if there is exposure early, malformations are caused at level of dosage far lower than found before in rats and mice. He fel t the level of sensitivity were sufficiently low and that there is credibility indicating the risk in the use of herbicides, particularly on pregnant women. e George Streisinger, Ph.D.,32591 Fox Hollow Road, said TCDD is one of the most poisonous substances known to human beings. He sai d there is a risk regarding the level of exposure in forests and fields that are sprayed, and dioxins do find their way into the food chain. He cited supporting evidence, including an EPA study which showed the fat of beef cattle grazing on lands which had been sprayed with the herbicide contained a fraction of TCDD. In another instance, animals from the Siuslaw National Forest were found to have TCDD in them. He said it is clear that the ordinary use of TCDD is getting in the environment and in the food chain. He felt it was necessary to have a margin of safety in regard to the hazard of the herbicide to human beings. He had calculated the levels of hazards would be reached by human beings after eating a resonable number of meals of animals in areas where the spray had been used. He felt the continued use of dioxins did pose a hazard to human beings and urged Council to take a position in opposition to its use. Jim Stratton, Survival Center, University of Oregon, urged the Council to support suspension of the use of the herbicide until the EPA completes its review of the substances. He said herbicides had been detected in the water supply. He noted the buffer zones do not always eliminate the risk, as shown in the recent incidents in Coos Bay, where the herbicide was found in the water runoff. He said contamina- tion of stream systems still does occur. He further felt the State and Federal governmental agencies cannot be depended upon to protect e 9/25/78--5 "38