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WELCOME TO "INDIANA NEWSDESK." CONGRESS BANNED A GROUP OF TOXIC
CONGRESS BANNED A GROUP OF TOXIC CHEMICALS KNOWN AS PCBs IN THE
CHEMICALS KNOWN AS PCBs IN THE 1970s BUT BY THEN A
1970s BUT BY THEN A WESTINGHOUSE PLANT HAD ALREADY
WESTINGHOUSE PLANT HAD ALREADY DUMPED MORE THAN
DUMPED MORE THAN 1 MILLION POUNDS OF PCB-LADEN
1 MILLION POUNDS OF PCB-LADEN WASTE IN AND AROUND MONROE
WASTE IN AND AROUND MONROE COUNTY.
COUNTY. THE RESULTING CLEANUP HAS SO FAR
THE RESULTING CLEANUP HAS SO FAR COST THE COMPANY'S SUCCESSOR,
COST THE COMPANY'S SUCCESSOR, NEARLY A QUARTER BILLION
NEARLY A QUARTER BILLION DOLLARS.
DOLLARS. AND SOME OF THAT DAMAGE CAN'T BE
AND SOME OF THAT DAMAGE CAN'T BE UNDONE.
UNDONE. RESEARCH SHOWS WORKERS ONCE
RESEARCH SHOWS WORKERS ONCE EXPOSED ON THE JOB OR RESIDENTS
EXPOSED ON THE JOB OR RESIDENTS WHO ENCOUNTERED IT MAY FACE A
WHO ENCOUNTERED IT MAY FACE A HEIGHTENED RISK FOR CERTAIN
HEIGHTENED RISK FOR CERTAIN DISEASES.
DISEASES. SEHVILLA MANN RESULTS ON THE
SEHVILLA MANN RESULTS ON THE STUDY OF FORMER CAPACITOR
STUDY OF FORMER CAPACITOR WORKERS RELEASED EARLIER.
WORKERS RELEASED EARLIER. >> BY THE LATE 1950s, WHEN
>> BY THE LATE 1950s, WHEN WESTINGHOUSE STARTED BUILDING
WESTINGHOUSE STARTED BUILDING CAPACITORS, PCBs HAD BECOME AN
CAPACITORS, PCBs HAD BECOME AN INDUSTRY STANDARD.
INDUSTRY STANDARD. THEY SAW A DEPRESSING SAFETY
THEY SAW A DEPRESSING SAFETY PROBLEM, BY -- THEY SOLVED A
PROBLEM, BY -- THEY SOLVED A SAFETY PROBLEM, BY PREVENTING
SAFETY PROBLEM, BY PREVENTING CAPACITORS FROM SHORT CIRCUITING
CAPACITORS FROM SHORT CIRCUITING AND CATCHING ON FIRE.
AND CATCHING ON FIRE. WESTINGHOUSE CALLED IT INERTEEN.
WESTINGHOUSE CALLED IT INERTEEN. >> IF YOU GOT ON IT YOUR
>> IF YOU GOT ON IT YOUR CLOTHES, WOULD YOU GET IT ON
CLOTHES, WOULD YOU GET IT ON YOUR CAR SEAT.
YOUR CAR SEAT. IT WAS AWFULLY HARD TO GET RID
IT WAS AWFULLY HARD TO GET RID OF.
OF. >> BUT BROWNING SAID HE AND HIS
>> BUT BROWNING SAID HE AND HIS COWORKERS DIDN'T SUSPECT
COWORKERS DIDN'T SUSPECT INERTEEN WAS ANYTHING MORE THAN
INERTEEN WAS ANYTHING MORE THAN ANNOYING TO WORK WITH, WHICH IS
ANNOYING TO WORK WITH, WHICH IS WHAT WESTINGHOUSE TOLD THEM.
WHAT WESTINGHOUSE TOLD THEM. >> OH, YEAH.
>> OH, YEAH. HEY, WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY
HEY, WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT.
ABOUT IT. IT WASN'T GOING TO HURT YOU.
IT WASN'T GOING TO HURT YOU. >> THE COMPANY'S REASSURANCES
>> THE COMPANY'S REASSURANCES IGNORED A GROWING BODY OF
IGNORED A GROWING BODY OF RESEARCH LINKING PCBs TO A
RESEARCH LINKING PCBs TO A VARIETY OF SERIOUS HEALTH
VARIETY OF SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS.
PROBLEMS. THOSE CONCERNS LED THE
THOSE CONCERNS LED THE GOVERNMENT TO BAN PCB USE IN
GOVERNMENT TO BAN PCB USE IN 1970 BUT THAT DIDN'T BRING THE
1970 BUT THAT DIDN'T BRING THE END OF PCBs IN BLOOMINGTON.
END OF PCBs IN BLOOMINGTON. BY THEN WESTINGHOUSE HAD BEEN
BY THEN WESTINGHOUSE HAD BEEN RELEASING THEM INTO THE LOCAL
RELEASING THEM INTO THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT FOR NEARLY TWO
ENVIRONMENT FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES.
DECADES. >> WHEN THEY HAD BAD CAPACITORS,
>> WHEN THEY HAD BAD CAPACITORS, THEY HAD GUYS CUTTING THE TOPS
THEY HAD GUYS CUTTING THE TOPS OFF AND POURING IT RIGHT IN THE
OFF AND POURING IT RIGHT IN THE DRAIN.
DRAIN. AND I MEAN RIGHT IN THE SEWER
AND I MEAN RIGHT IN THE SEWER DRAINS, YOU KNOW.
DRAINS, YOU KNOW. SO AIN'T NO WONDER IT'S
SO AIN'T NO WONDER IT'S EVERYWHERE.
EVERYWHERE. >> OTHER CAPACITORS ENDED UP AT
>> OTHER CAPACITORS ENDED UP AT LOCAL LANDFILLS, INCLUDING A
LOCAL LANDFILLS, INCLUDING A CITY-OWNED DUMP ON LEMON LANE.
CITY-OWNED DUMP ON LEMON LANE. MORE THAN A DECADE AFTER
MORE THAN A DECADE AFTER OFFICIALS REMOVED 4,400 OLD
OFFICIALS REMOVED 4,400 OLD CAPACITORS, AND 80,000 TONS OF
CAPACITORS, AND 80,000 TONS OF DIRT, AND COVERED SITE WITH A
DIRT, AND COVERED SITE WITH A CAP, PCBs CONTINUE TO WASH OUT
CAP, PCBs CONTINUE TO WASH OUT OF THE ROCK INTO THE
OF THE ROCK INTO THE GROUNDWATER.
GROUNDWATER. SOME OF IT SURFACES IN THE
SOME OF IT SURFACES IN THE SPRING A HALF A MILE AWAY, WHERE
SPRING A HALF A MILE AWAY, WHERE IT GOES STRAIGHT INTO A WATER
IT GOES STRAIGHT INTO A WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
TREATMENT PLANT. BUT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED AT
BUT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED AT WESTINGHOUSE, EXPOSURE CAN'T BE
WESTINGHOUSE, EXPOSURE CAN'T BE UNDONE.
UNDONE. THE INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR
THE INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR RESEARCH ON DANCE CANCER SAYS IS
RESEARCH ON DANCE CANCER SAYS IS ENOUGH INFORMATION TO LABEL
ENOUGH INFORMATION TO LABEL PCBs AS A DEFINITE CARCINOGEN.
PCBs AS A DEFINITE CARCINOGEN. PCBs TEND TO STICK WITH
PCBs TEND TO STICK WITH PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. >> AND THEY ACCUMULATE IN THE
>> AND THEY ACCUMULATE IN THE FAT IN THE BODY.
FAT IN THE BODY. AND THERE'S BASICALLY A
AND THERE'S BASICALLY A RESERVOIR AND SLOWLY OVER TIME,
RESERVOIR AND SLOWLY OVER TIME, YOU KNOW, AS THEY LOSE THE
YOU KNOW, AS THEY LOSE THE CHLORINES, THE LEVELS WILL DROP.
CHLORINES, THE LEVELS WILL DROP. >> FOR YEARS REUTER AND OR
>> FOR YEARS REUTER AND OR SCIENTISTS AT THE NATIONAL
SCIENTISTS AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL
INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH HAVE BEEN
SAFETY AND HEALTH HAVE BEEN STUDYING CAUSES OF DEATH AMONG
STUDYING CAUSES OF DEATH AMONG NEARLY 25,000 WORKERS EXPOSED TO
NEARLY 25,000 WORKERS EXPOSED TO PCBs AT THREE ELECTRICAL
PCBs AT THREE ELECTRICAL MANUFACTURING PLANTS, INCLUDING
MANUFACTURING PLANTS, INCLUDING THE WESTINGHOUSE PLANT IN
THE WESTINGHOUSE PLANT IN BLOOMINGTON.
BLOOMINGTON. THEY PUBLISHED AN UPDATE EARLIER
THEY PUBLISHED AN UPDATE EARLIER THIS YEAR.
THIS YEAR. >> THE LAST ROUND, THE RESULTS
>> THE LAST ROUND, THE RESULTS DIDN'T DIFFER TOO MUCH FROM WHAT
DIDN'T DIFFER TOO MUCH FROM WHAT WE FOUND IN 2006, WHICH WAS
WE FOUND IN 2006, WHICH WAS BASICALLY AN EXCESS OF MELANOMA,
BASICALLY AN EXCESS OF MELANOMA, SKIN CANCER, AND BRAIN CANCER IN
SKIN CANCER, AND BRAIN CANCER IN INDIANA.
INDIANA. >> REUTER SAYS AN INDIVIDUAL'S
>> REUTER SAYS AN INDIVIDUAL'S RISK MIGHT DEPEND LARGELY ON
RISK MIGHT DEPEND LARGELY ON FACTORS LIKE THEIR GENES.
FACTORS LIKE THEIR GENES. >> JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS
>> JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS EXPOSED TO A SMALL AMOUNT
EXPOSED TO A SMALL AMOUNT DOESN'T MEAN THEY CAN'T HAVE A
DOESN'T MEAN THEY CAN'T HAVE A BIG EFFECT AND SOME OF THE
BIG EFFECT AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPOSED TO LARGE
PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPOSED TO LARGE QUANTITIES OF THE SUBSTANCE,
QUANTITIES OF THE SUBSTANCE, DON'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY EFFECT.
DON'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY EFFECT. >> THIS MAN RETIRED AFTER 32
>> THIS MAN RETIRED AFTER 32 YEARS AT WESTINGHOUSE.
YEARS AT WESTINGHOUSE. HE SAYS AT 76, HE FEELS ALL
HE SAYS AT 76, HE FEELS ALL RIGHT BUT HE CONDITION HELP BUT
RIGHT BUT HE CONDITION HELP BUT WONDER WHY WHEN SO MUCH WHY,
WONDER WHY WHEN SO MUCH WHY, WHEN SO MUCH LEVEL OF CARE
WHEN SO MUCH LEVEL OF CARE WASN'T EXTENDED TO THE WORKERS.
WASN'T EXTENDED TO THE WORKERS. ONLY A HANDFUL OF FORMER
ONLY A HANDFUL OF FORMER EMPLOYEES EVER RECEIVED
EMPLOYEES EVER RECEIVED SETTLEMENTS FROM THE COMPANY.
SETTLEMENTS FROM THE COMPANY. >> IT WAS THAT BAD, WHY WOULD
>> IT WAS THAT BAD, WHY WOULD THEY MOVE THE DIRT AND NOT TAKE
THEY MOVE THE DIRT AND NOT TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE.
CARE OF THE PEOPLE. >> BROWNING SAYS WESTINGHOUSE
>> BROWNING SAYS WESTINGHOUSE AVOIDED ACKNOWLEDGING THE
AVOIDED ACKNOWLEDGING THE DANGERS OF PCBs, EVEN WHEN IT
DANGERS OF PCBs, EVEN WHEN IT SEEMED ABSURD NOT TO.
SEEMED ABSURD NOT TO. >> WELL WHEN THEY CAME IN TO
>> WELL WHEN THEY CAME IN TO CLEAN UP INSIDE THE PLANT, WE
CLEAN UP INSIDE THE PLANT, WE WERE ALL STILL WORKING AND THEY
WERE ALL STILL WORKING AND THEY ALL WORE THEIR MOON SUITS AND
ALL WORE THEIR MOON SUITS AND PROTECTIVE GEAR AND WAS DOING
PROTECTIVE GEAR AND WAS DOING THIS CLEANUP, RIGHT WHERE WE
THIS CLEANUP, RIGHT WHERE WE WERE WORKING.
WERE WORKING. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS THAT
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS THAT DANGEROUS THAT THEY NEEDED ALL
DANGEROUS THAT THEY NEEDED ALL OF THIS PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT,
OF THIS PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE HAD US IN
THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE HAD US IN THERE.
THERE. >> AND REPORTER SEHVILLAMA A MAN
>> AND REPORTER SEHVILLAMA A MAN JOINS US NOW WITH MORE.
JOINS US NOW WITH MORE. WHAT'S NEXT.
WHAT'S NEXT. >> REUTER AND HER COLLEAGUES ARE
>> REUTER AND HER COLLEAGUES ARE WORKING ON ANOTHER STUDY, A
WORKING ON ANOTHER STUDY, A STUDY JUST OF CANCER AMONG THOSE
STUDY JUST OF CANCER AMONG THOSE CAPACITOR WORKERS THAT THEY HAVE
CAPACITOR WORKERS THAT THEY HAVE TRACKED AND THAT LOOKS AT ALL
TRACKED AND THAT LOOKS AT ALL CASES OF CANCER IN THAT GROUP AS
CASES OF CANCER IN THAT GROUP AS OPPOSED TO JUST FATAL ONES,
OPPOSED TO JUST FATAL ONES, WHICH ARE THE ONES THAT THE
WHICH ARE THE ONES THAT THE MORTALITY STUDY CATCHES.
MORTALITY STUDY CATCHES. AT THIS POINT, THERE ARE ABOUT
AT THIS POINT, THERE ARE ABOUT 70% OF THE PEOPLE STILL LIVING
70% OF THE PEOPLE STILL LIVING WHO WORKED AT THE PLANT IN THE
WHO WORKED AT THE PLANT IN THE PCB ERA.
PCB ERA. I THINK IT WAS 3500 PEOPLE
I THINK IT WAS 3500 PEOPLE TOTAL.
TOTAL. >> AND WE HAVE SEEN WHERE PCBs
>> AND WE HAVE SEEN WHERE PCBs CAN CAUSE CANCER BUT ARE THERE
CAN CAUSE CANCER BUT ARE THERE OTHER DISEASES THAT THEY SHOULD
OTHER DISEASES THAT THEY SHOULD WORRY ABOUT?
WORRY ABOUT? >> YES, PCBs ARE LINKED WITH A
>> YES, PCBs ARE LINKED WITH A NUMBER OF SERIOUS HEALTH
NUMBER OF SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS.
PROBLEMS. ANOTHER SEPARATE STUDY THAT
ANOTHER SEPARATE STUDY THAT NIOSH DID LOOKED AT NEUROLOGICAL
NIOSH DID LOOKED AT NEUROLOGICAL DISEASES.
DISEASES. THEY FOUND IN THAT GROUP OF
THEY FOUND IN THAT GROUP OF CAPACITOR WORKERS THAT THEY HAVE
CAPACITOR WORKERS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN TRACKING FOR THAT MORTALITY
BEEN TRACKING FOR THAT MORTALITY STUDY, THEY FOUND A HIGHER
STUDY, THEY FOUND A HIGHER INSTANCE OF PARKINSON'S IN THAT
INSTANCE OF PARKINSON'S IN THAT GROUP AND ALSO AMONG THE WOMEN,
GROUP AND ALSO AMONG THE WOMEN, ESPECIALLY, THE NEUROLOGICAL
ESPECIALLY, THE NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER, ALS OR LOU GEHRIG'S
DISORDER, ALS OR LOU GEHRIG'S DISEASE.
DISEASE. >> I GUESS THERE'S MORE THAN ONE
>> I GUESS THERE'S MORE THAN ONE PCB, BUT ARE THINK EQUALLY
PCB, BUT ARE THINK EQUALLY TOXIC?
TOXIC? >> THERE ARE TO THE PCBss.
>> THERE ARE TO THE PCBss. THE TOXICITY CHANGES IS.
THE TOXICITY CHANGES IS. THEY HAVE DIFFERENT NUMBER OF
THEY HAVE DIFFERENT NUMBER OF CHLORINES AND SO HOW TOXIC A PCB
CHLORINES AND SO HOW TOXIC A PCB IS, DEPENDS HOW MANY CHLORINES
IS, DEPENDS HOW MANY CHLORINES THERE ARE AND IN WHAT
THERE ARE AND IN WHAT ARRANGEMENT.
ARRANGEMENT. THE EPA SAYS UP FORTUNATELY WHAT
THE EPA SAYS UP FORTUNATELY WHAT OFTEN HAPPENS IS THE LESS TOXIC
OFTEN HAPPENS IS THE LESS TOXIC PCB WILL GAIN OR LOSE SOME
PCB WILL GAIN OR LOSE SOME CHLORINES IN THE ENVIRONMENT TO
CHLORINES IN THE ENVIRONMENT TO BECOME MORE TOXIC.
BECOME MORE TOXIC. >> NOW, YOU TALKED TO SOME OF
>> NOW, YOU TALKED TO SOME OF THE EMPLOYEES WHO WORKED THERE.
THE EMPLOYEES WHO WORKED THERE. WHAT WAS THAT WORK ENVIRONMENT
WHAT WAS THAT WORK ENVIRONMENT LIKE WHILE THEY WERE THERE?
LIKE WHILE THEY WERE THERE? >> I HEARD A LOT OF VERY
>> I HEARD A LOT OF VERY POSITIVE THINGS FROM THE PEOPLE
POSITIVE THINGS FROM THE PEOPLE I TALKED TO ABOUT WHAT IT WAS
I TALKED TO ABOUT WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO WORK AT WESTINGHOUSE.
LIKE TO WORK AT WESTINGHOUSE. THEY SAID THE WORK WAS
THEY SAID THE WORK WAS INTERESTING, WHICH WASN'T ALWAYS
INTERESTING, WHICH WASN'T ALWAYS THE CASE IN MANUFACTURING JOBS.
THE CASE IN MANUFACTURING JOBS. IT WAS CHALLENGING.
IT WAS CHALLENGING. IT EVOLVED AND, YEAH, I THINK
IT EVOLVED AND, YEAH, I THINK IT'S NOT FOR