Date: Fri 18-Aug-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

fish-PCBs-Housatonic-DEP

Full Text:

DEP Renews Warning About Contaminated Fish

The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has published the

results of scientific testing on the level of PCB's in Housatonic River fish,

warning that most fish species taken from the river shouldn't be eaten.

The DEP and the state Department of Public Health (DPH) recommend that fish

not be eaten if they are caught in the river between the Massachusetts state

line and Stevenson Dam due to PCB contamination.

The two state agencies say scientific testing has shown there to be some

exceptions to eating certain types of fish caught in various sections of the

river.

According to the two agencies, it is safe to eat: yellow perch taken from the

Bulls Bridge area; yellow perch and sunfish taken from the Lake Lillinonah

section of the river; and yellow perch, white perch, and sunfish taken from

the Lake Zoar section of the river.

Also, eels and carp taken from the Lake Housatonic section of the river

shouldn't be eaten, according to the DEP.

The contents of the DEP's recently published "Housatonic River Fish Monitoring

Studies" are based on testing done on fish samples by the Academy of Natural

Sciences of Philadelphia. The academy did the testing under contract to

General Electric, the large industrial corporation whose electrical

transformer plant upriver in Pittsfield, Mass, is believed to have caused most

of the PCB contamination in the Housatonic.

The fish studies were performed in 1992 and 1994. The fish report recently

published by the state is similar to reports which were issued in 1990, 1988

and 1984.

"A total of 313 fish from various species and locations were analayzed for PCB

concentrations in edible (fish) tissue... Levels of PCBs found in edible

portions (fillets) of these fish were determined using procedures approved by

DEP," according to the report.

PCB's, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are a family of stable and persistent

chemical compounds which were manufactured in the US from 1929 to 1977. PCB's

were used as coolants in electrical transformers, capacitors and heat

exchangers. They also were used as components of paints, adhesives, carbonless

copy paper, rubber products, printing ink and plastic wrappers, according to

DEP. Except for use in certain electrical equipment, the use of PCB's has been

banned in the US since 1979.

The US government imposed the PCB ban after it was learned that PCB's

decompose slowly in the environment and enter the food chain through foods

including PCB-contaminated fish.