The NORTH COAST
<1*3,
kJ
2 =
T V olu m e IV , N u m b e r X
mi ------ L-t i n i------------i n
r--
in i
i n i -------- ¡-i n
i , =
i m
,-■ i.T,i n i J J ^ = lCTl
r i
In ii (iiirk time the eye Input te> see. _
’
■'u n i -----=r=3 E)E
- rlw,t'ie R.«flikz
25? n c o p y
F r id a y , 10 D e c e m b e r 1982
m"'------- ■"■
—-mm
3 G>I--- — IDI ----- 1 □ r
El 1----= 1 .........EI---------1 Cl
MYTHS OF
PESTICIDE
SAFETY
b y M a ry S e llin
C H R IS T M A S O N T H E W A V E
H. R . R o o e r ts o n
E N KFD.hl FOR FREDEN'
A CHAIN FOR PEACE
by B en L a n e
T h e p o i n t o f r e d l i g h t t h a t b o r e in to m y c o n -
¡ c i o u s n e s s in th e w a r m c o c o o n o f m y b e d g r a d u -
i l l y c a m e i n to f o c u s : t h e r e d n u m e r a l s i n d i
c t i n g 0 5 4 5 h o u r s o f a d a r k , o v e r c a s t S to c k -
10’m m o r n i n g . S l ip p i n g a w a y q u i e t l y , I p a d d e d
lo w n to m y " r a d i o r o o m " . T h i s w a s to b e th e
l a y o f th e g r e a t p e a c e m a r c h . F o l l o w i n g th e
i n i v e r s a l r i t u a l in S w e d e n , I p lu g g e d in th e
’k a f f e " m a k e r . S o m e t i m e s i t s e e m s a s if S w e -
le n r u n s on c o ffe e .
J m a r v e ll e d a s a lw a y s a s I tu r n e d on m y
r a n s c i e v e r u p o n th e m a g i c o f r a d i o
h o w th e
in v is ib le e le c tr o m a g n e tic w a v e s c a n c a r r y so
m uch in fo rm a tio n , n e w s , and e n te rta in m e n t
j v e r th e w o r l d . O n e g e t s th e s e n s e o f th e b r o -
: h e r h o o d o f m a n b y l i s t e n i n g to o n e o f th e i n
te rn a tio n a l a m a te u r (" h a m " ) b an d s . A m a te u r s ,
in p a r t i c u l a r , g e n e r a t e a n e n o r m o u s a m o u n t of
g o o d w ill, s i n c e t h e i r s is a p e r s o n - t o - p e r s o n
c o n ta c t a m o n g a fe llo w s h ip of lik e - m in d e d
f r i e n d s , b o u n d t o g e t h e r by m u t u a l t e c h n i c a l
i n t e r e s t s t h a t o f te n b l o s s o m i n to l i f e l o n g f r i e n d
s h i p s . R a d io w a v e s k n o w n o n a t i o n a l b o u n d a r
ie s .
In A m e r i c a , w h e n I m e n t i o n t h a t I w o r k
m a n y a m a t e u r s in R u s s i a , th e i n v a r i a b l e r e
s p o n s e i s : " R u s s i a 9 W hy, t h e y a r e n ' t a l l o w e d
o n t h e a i r , a r e t h e y ? " S u c h is th e i g n o r a n c e in
A m e r i c a o f t h i n g s R u s s i a n . T o d a y , I h e a r an
o ld f r i e n d , V la d , o v e r in S i b e r i a , a n d g iv e h im
a c a l l . " W h y , h e l l o , B e n . W h a t a r e y o u d o in g in
S w e d e n 9 H o w 's t h a t b o y o f y o u r s . . . . " W hen
w e s ig n o f f, h e s a y s , a s s o m a n y do t h e s e d a y s ,
" p e a c e " . S o m e t i m e s , a " G o d b e w ith y o u " . So
m u c h f o r g o d l e s s c o m m u n i s m . It i s h a r d to
t h in k o f t h i s m a n a s a n " e n e m y " , a s o u r p r o p -
o g a n d i s t s w o u ld h a v e i t.
O ne w o n d e rs w hy it i s , n a tio n s w o rk h a r m o n
i o u s l y t o g e t h e r in s u c h a r e a s a s th e p o s t a l
s e r v i c e , t e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s , th e w e a t h e r s e r
v i c e , a n d th e w o r l d h e a l t h o r g a n i z a t i o n . W hy,
t h e n , c a n n o t t h e y w o r k t o g e t h e r in a l l a r e a s ,
t h u s r e l e g a t i n g w a r th e a n a c h r o n i s m it c e r
t a i n l y h a s b e c o m e in th e t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y .
L a t e r , I g o d o w n to w n a n d o b s e r v e th e p e o p le
g a t h e r i n g f o r t o d a y 's m a r c h . I a m . s u r p r i s e d
o w m a n y y o u n g p e o p le s h o w u p . T h e r e a r e
t h e u s u a l b a n d s , th e s p e a k e r s , a l l s p e a k i n g o f
" f r e d " — th e S w e d is h w o rd f o r p e a c e . B a n n e r s ,
s o m e o f t h e m t h a t m u s t h a v e t a k e n d a y s to
m a k e , o t h e r s h a s t i l y s c r i b b l e d on a p i e c e o f
c a r d b o a r d a n d a t t a c h e d to a " b a r n v a g n " ( p e r
a m b u l a t o r ) , o f w h ic h t h e r e a r e h u n d r e d s . F r o m
S e r g e i s T o r g , S t o c k h o l m 's C e n t r u m , p a s t th e
R i k s d a g , K u n g h o l m e n , p a s t th e d i g n i f i e d b a n k s
__th e l i n e e x t e n d e d m o r e t h a n s e v e n k i l o m e t e r s ,
f r o m t h e A m e r i c a n t o th e S o v i e t e m b a s s y . T h e
s t r a i n s o f "W e s h a l l o v e r c o m e " b r i n g b a c k
m e m o r i e s , a n d I w o n d e r : " W ill w e e v e r o v e r
c o m e t h e p o w e r o f th e a r m s m e r c h a n t s w h o
s e e m to b e r u n n i n g t h i n g s ? " We m a r c h , f o u r
a n d s ix a b r e a s t , s o m e of u s s in g in g , s o m e
c h a n t i n g . So m a n y y o u n g p e o p le ; b e a u t i f u l p e o
p le ; b r i g h t - e y e d o l d s t e r s . S u d d e n ly th e lin e
s t o p s a n d th e c h a i n f o r m s . M y r i g h t h a n d is
s e iz e d by a b e a u tif u l yo u n g S c a n d in a v ia n w o m a n ;
I do a d o u b le t a k e , w o n d e rin g : " W h e re h a v e I
s e e n y o u b e f o r e ? " T o m y l e f t , a w o m a n h o l d in g
a b a b y h o l d s o u t h e r b a b y 's tin y h a n d ; th e b a b y
g r a s p s o n e o f m y f i n g e r s . I th in k :
W hat k in d
of w o rld h a v e we c r e a te d fo r th is in n o c e n t
y o u n g o n e ? " T h e n a n a s t y t h o u g h t s a i l s in : " A t
l e a s t , th e a r m s m e r c h a n t s w i l l b e i n c i n e r a t e d
a lo n g w ith th e r e s t o f u s . " I t r y to r e m e m b e r
m y C h r is tia n c h a r i ty a n d p r a y in s te a d th a t o u r
l e a d e r s w i l l s o m e h o w c o m e to t h e i r s e n s e s in
tim e .
T h e S o v ie t a m b a s s a d o r , B o r is P a n k in , c a m e
o u t a n d m a d e a g r a c io u s ta lk . I c o u ld n o t u n d e r
s t a n d m u c h e x c e p t th e s u s u a l c l i c h e s , b u t a t
l e a s t h e f a c e d th e c r o w d . W o rd f i l t e r e d b a c k
t h a t th e A m e r i c a n e m b a s s y w a s g u a r e d b y p o
l i c e a n d t h a t th e a m b a s s a d o r w o u ld n o t a p p e a r .
P e r h a p s t h o s e b a b y b u g g i e s w e r e a t h r e a t to
h i s p e a c e o f m in d . At t h a t m o m e n t , I w a s g la d
I c o u ld p a s s m y s e l f o ff a s a S w e d e .
I p l a c e d th e y o u n g w o m e n 's h a n d a r o u n d t h a t
o f th e b a b y , a n d b id t h e m " h e j d a " a n d m a d e m y
w a y s lo w ly h o m e . T h e y o u n g la d y — w h e r e h a d
I s e e n h e r b e f o r e 9 T h e n i t c a m e to m e . O f
c o u r s e ! S h e w a s th e s p i t t i n g i m a g e o f th e p i c
tu r e of m y b le s s e d m o th e r a t th a t a g e . S y m
b o lic 9
B en L a n e , of T o lo v a n a P a r k , is s p e n d in g a
y e a r in S w e d e n w ith h i s w ife a n d s o n .
" T h e r e a r e no t r a c e s of th e h e r b i c id e 2 ,4 - D
in h i s b o d y . T h e f il e is c l o s e d . " T h i s w a s th e
c o n c l u s i o n r e a c h e d b y th e P e s t i c i d e * A n a l y t i c a l
R e s e a r c h C e n t e r in O r e g o n ( P A R C ) in M a r c h
o f 1981 c o n c e r n i n g M r . X, a g e t h i r t y - t w o , f o r e -
m a n o f a t r e e p l a n t i n g c r e w . Y ou b e th e j u d g e .
On F e b r u a r y 2 0 , 1 9 8 1 , M r . X t o o k h i s c r e w
to th e w o r k s i t e to p l a n t t r e e s . W h ile e a t i n g
lu n c h in th e t r u c k a t n o o n , a h e l i c o p t e r c a m e
o u t o f t h e r lr a w a n d s t a r t e d s p r a y i n g th e u n i t .
T h e w in d o w s o f th e t r u c k w e r e r o l l e d d o w n .
T h e p e o p le in th e t r u c k s m e l l e d a v e r y s t r o n g
o d o r a n d f e l t th e m i s t c o m e in t h r o u g h t h e
w i n d o w s . T h e y p a c k e d up a n d l e f t th e u n i t t e n
m i n u t e s l a t e r . B y t h i s t i m e M r . X 's e y e s w e r e
b u r n i n g ; h e h a d .a c h in g b e h in d th e e y e s , a c r o s s
th e f o r e h e a d a n d a c r o s s th e t e m p l e s . H is t h r o a t
w a s d r y a n d r a w a n d h e c o u l d t a s t e th e s t u f f .
T h a t e v e n in g h e h a d a b d o m in a l c r a m p s a n d
d i a r r h e a . H e r e t u r n e d to w o r k o n th e s a m e u n i t
th e n e x t m o r n i n g .
D u r i n g th e m o r n i n g h e s a w t h e h e l i c o p t e r
s p r a y i n g a c r o s s th e c a n y o n a n d th e o d o r o f th e
s p r a y d r i f t e d a c r o s s to w h e r e h e w a s w o r k i n g .
H e r e l a t e s t h a t th e o d o r g o t s t r o n g e r a n d s t r o n g
e r , a p p a r e nt 1 y f r o m d r i f t . H is h e a d a c h e b e c a m e
w o r s e , h is e y e s b u r n e d , h is t h r o a t w as ra w . He
le f t th e u n it a n d w e n t o v e r to th e h e l i c o p t e r
p a d . He w a s t o ld b y p e r s o n n e l t h a t th e s p r a y
w a s 2 , 4 - D w ith d i e s e l . T h i s w a s T h u r s d a y .
He w a s sic k a l l d a y F r i d a y a n d S a t u r d a y . H is
h a n d s and a r m s tin g le d , fe lt h a lf - a s le e p , w e re
c o ld a n d s w e a t y . H e a d a c h e a n d n a u s e a w e r e
b e t t e r on S u n d a y .
On M o n d a y h e w e n t to w o r k , a g a i n on th e s a m e
u n i t. A s f a r a s h e k n o w s , t h e r e w a s no a c t i v e
s p ra y in g a f te r T h u rs d a y .
It r a i n e d h e a v i l y on T h u r s d a y , F r i d a y a n d
S a t u r d a y , a n d w a s s t i l l r a i n i n g w h e n h e g o t to
th e u n it on M o n d a y . T h e r a i n q u i t, w ith a b r e e z e
c o m i n g o ff th e s p r a y e d a r e a . T h e o d o r b e c a m e
s t r o n g e r a n d s t r o n g e r . A p a tc h o f fo g f l o a t e d
o v e r t h e m a n d it f e l t to h i m a s i f t h e y w e r e
b e in g s p r a y e d a g a in .
He c a l l e d t h e e m e r g e n c y r o o m a t th e c o u n ty
h o s p ita l an d w as a d v is e d th a t he h ad s y m p to m s
o f 2 ,4 - D p o i s o n i n g .
He w a s s u b s e q u e n t l y t o ld a f t e r t e s t s w e r e
c o m p le te d th a t th e r e w as s ig n if ic a n t p e r i p h e r
a l n e r v e d a m a g e in h i s a r m s a n d l e g s . T h e r e
w a s p a in in h i s l e g s , th e m u s c l e s w e r e in k n o t s .
H e c o u l d n o t r e l a x t h e m a n d c o u l d n o t w a lk
n o r m a l l y . It w a s a s t r e n u o u s e f f o r t to r a i s e h i s
r i g h t fo o t o ff th e f l o o r . It to o k a s t r o n g c o n s
c i o u s e f f o r t a n d s t r o n g c o n c e n t r a t i o n to w a lk .
T h e re w as no im p ro v e m e n t fro m F e b r u a r y
to D e c e m b e r .
Y e t, a c c o r d i n g to P A R C , t h e f i l e is c l o s e d .
P A R C c o n t e n d s t h a t if t h e r e i s n o r e s i d u e o f
a n h e r b i c i d e / p e s t i c i d e in th e b o d y , t h e n t h e r e
a r e n o e f f e c t s . 2 ,4 - D c a n p a s s t h r o u g h th e b o d y
in t h r e e d a y s . M r . X 's b lo o d a n d u r i n e w e r e
t e s t e d b y th e s t a t e l a b t w e lv e d a y s l a t e r . Y e t
m o s t p e o p le a r e w i l l i n g to a c c e p t o 'h e r i n s t a n
c e s of " h i t - r u n " e f f e c ts — s u c h a s lig h tn in g ,
w h ic h c a n p a s s t h r o u g h t h e b o d y f a s t e r th a n
2 .4 - D a n d l e a v e d r a s t i c e f f e c t s o f b u r n s t h a t
c a n l a s t q u i t e a lo n g t i m e a f t e r th e l ig h t n i n g
is g o n e .
C o n s i d e r t h i s a s o n e m y th of p e s t i c i d e s a f e
ty : T h a t a f t e r a p e s t i c i d e h a s b e e n l a r g e l y e x
c r e t e d f r o m th e b o d y a l l p o s s ib lity of h e a lth
e f f e c t s is g o n e . T h e t r u t h i s t h a t t h e r e c a n b e
n u m e r o u s r e s i d u a l e f f e c t s s u c h a s n o t e d in
M r . X ’s c a s e . If th e c h e m i c a l i s a c a r c i n o g e n
o r m u t a g e n , th e e f f e c t s a r e n o t o n ly r e s i d u a l ,
b u t a r e a l s o c u m u l a t i v e a n d i r r e v e r s i b l e , w h ic h
w ill b e e x p l a i n e d l a t e r .
A s e c o n d m y th c o n c e r n i n g p e s t i c i d e s a f e t y
is th a t p e s ti c id e s a r e s a fe w h e n u s e d a c c o r d
in g to th e l a b e l . F i r s t o f a l l , it i s n o t l e g a l f o r
C O N T IN U E D ON P A G E F O U R
P e s t i c i d e is a t e r m u s e d w h ic h i n c l u d e s
h e rb ic id e s and in s e c tic id e s .