NCD980602163_19780902_Warren County PCB Landfill_SERB C_Press Clipping-OCR

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PCB normal 1f
in blood test
I at spill site
SMITHFIELD JP -Blood tests
taken two weeks ago showed a
group of Johnston County resi•
dents who Jive or work near a
PCB spill have no more PCBs in
their systems than most other
Americans.
--Vr. John M:· MacCormack, head
of the communicable diseases
branch of the state Department of
Human Resources, announced the
results of the tests Friday night in
Smithfield at a meeting of worried
citizens from areas where the
PCBs were dumped.
The citizens asked for the meet•
ing with state officials after two
state departments put out confiict•
ing reports on the effects of the
PCB found dumped J:ong about
270 miles of roadway in North
Carolina.last m0nth.
PCBs are polychlorinatcd biphe•
nyls, a white, crystalline substance
used as a heat retardant in clectri•
cal components. They have been
linked to cancer;-· liver damage and
birth defects. ·
Although · Maccormack said he
couldn't say how much PCB the
human body can tolcr;ite without
danger, he said it would he several
times more than thl' amount found
in the persons tested.
Mcanwhi,e, North Carolina au-
thorities probably will ask for bail
of $100,000 each on three New
York men charged in connection
with the PCB dumpings.
If the men don't waive extradi•
tion, Gov. Jim Hunt bas said he'll
sign extradition papers immcdi•
ately.
The three -Robert J. Burns,
49, president of Transiorm..::r Sales
Co. of Allegany, N.Y., and his sons,
Randall J. Burns, 20. and Timothy
P. Burns, 23 -w ere arrested
Thursday on warrants drawn from
three indictments handed down
Wednesday in H;.difax County.
They face a bail hearing in Cha-
taqua County, N.Y., Tuesday.
Each is charged with felon:ously
damaging public property, conspir-
ing to damage public property :ind
creating a public nuis.ince. said At-
torney General Rufus Edmisten.
Burns. who also faces investiga-
tion in New York on his shipment
into lhat state of some 6.400 ;:::1l-
lon s of PCB, :.;is denied ti",c ~.C.
1°,:mping charg('S.