_ ROB BROWN _ PDBEs in, the PC Age”

‘Oo: what can we do about. it?” _asked.

alarm,

‘Scientist;. Alaskan - sockeye salmon, said there was: really there: ‘being absorbed: by creaturés, inclading us, until: they: disappeared: ‘over. ‘time.. What ° we

gedy: and: ban: flame-retardants.

nd turned to. my: computer. ‘and-Googled “flame

PCB. have become commonplace ‘since Rachel

ind. ‘But, PDBE- was new to me.

uff,'I learned PDBE is short for poly-bromina-

ent bureaucrats piven: the: gulations, for North ‘American households.

"The. Product has been. a. commercial’ smash. al

; When. the’ upholstery furniture: ‘cushions, car: *. Pets, 1 mattresses and. building: materials: make: it’ 3 tor your: nearby: unsanitary: landfi ll, the: “PDBEs |

_ borne. away: ‘by. water’and” wind then bioaccu- ne * thulate up-the food web" and: ‘return, home, : so'to

. “ speak, when they’ lodge i in your body. fat.

. Some: of: them. “get: into “placentas . ‘ensuring 2 that the ‘next generation will be the beneficiar-.

the CBC host. conducting the inter: | view; barely: able to disguise: her

After’a ‘short: ‘pause. the ‘American: of one Of the: team ‘that. had just disco- * = vered synthetic carcinogenic. chemicals in wild -

nothing: meore-to be done. about PCBs; they. had - already been ‘banned world wide; they: were’ ‘out

should. da, he added, is learn fram, the. PCB tra- J

: Flamé-retardants? Tput'the “finighing touches on. the- fly: Vd. started when the: interview. began -

retardant:”. In: seconds I came up’ “with: the i in-. : Initialized. « digomlants" like® ‘DDT, PCP: ‘and

arson's: Silent Spring first “hit: the’ bookstands of 80: years ago. Boom babies, Gen- Xers ‘and everyone: else in’ this PC Age — the: politically- ” orrect age “of. petrochemicals ‘atid personal . sompi ters: — knows ‘those: vowelless’ ‘agerega- “|- tions. starid : for’: ‘poisons: .of- the: most’ insidious

With- the- help: of my.. iMac,’ ‘whose casing . and: ‘electronic. ‘board , is probably’ full. of, the -:

ted. diphenyl ethers. invented. by myopic chem- ~ k

AMANDA STELLA,

left, and Jennifer Rempel’ round the first barrel in the group barrel race during Totem Saddle Club's ; gymithana at © Thornhill Community. Grounds on August 8. The group barrel race was a fun event to finish the day. MARGARET SPEIRS PHOTO:

Riders rein in for a great ayminena

By MARGARET SPEIRS °

RIDERS. GALLOPED their way: ‘through: the’

‘five events of the Totem Saddle Club's: gymk:,

hana. at. ‘the Thornbill: | Community Grounds: last

o Week.

Amy: ‘Hayduk. ‘rode: Persia ‘to ihe. fastest “times ‘in. n Ring Searing. with a, 9.736 secs” fine

“Keyhole event ‘in 8. 452: ‘Sec.

des of, their. effects; while: others | “contaminate T os

breast milk:so that infants‘will get a dose.-

“This is problematic’: becauise ‘PDBE exposure : has been shown: t6 ‘interfere -with- thyroid: pro-- |: duction of.a key hormone that helps guide | brain = ws development, resulting i in learning, tnemory. and “behaviour problems: in lab animals” and “it ° ~ screws: with’ their reproductive capacity téo. *. ; ‘Toxicologists: have Tecently ‘identified ‘dra: | tic increases of PDBEs in the bodies of Eur: “opeans-and Americans, ‘The amounts‘of PDBEs.

| in people and ‘wildlife appear: to have doubled: :|. “iit North America every four. or five years since : 7 the. 1970s.- ~ anew record for contaminants. ‘Not:

oe “The study found. fnuch: higher fe: a “Tevels: of chemical: flame. retar- a Gant | in farmed salmon.

: s suiptisingly, Americans; who’ use 85: per cent: tot | }. the. world’s‘ PDBE production, carry. 20 to. 30 |

times more PDBEs that Europeans do... - . Which brings us to’ farmed salmon. Recently

| . T cited: the PCB- study. done inthe January issue - “| of Seience.: Do ‘salmon; contain PDBEs: too? It- | appears: they’ do, Led by Ronald A: Hites: Ph. D.,

“the director of Indiana. University’ s Envir

“mental: ‘Research. Center, : ‘a’ teamof- Eavions | “has just. completed: the. most comprehensive , |

analysis. of farmed and wild-salmon to date.: -

‘Dr. Hites and his. six esteemed ‘colleagues .

" analyzed. the toxic contaminants: in approxima-

“tely 700 farmed ‘and’.wild ‘salmon, 2 tonnes - |: worth in all,” obtained: from: 16’ thajor cities on, “this: ‘continent’ and ‘i in Europé:. Their® conclusion: : : “the « coneentrations of ‘several ‘contaminants, ass | sociated ‘with serious. health risks. ranging from.. op. neurological contaminants. to cancer are signif- "|: “|. icantly: higher’ in farmed salmon: than in their,’

2

‘wild counterparts. Amongst those deadly ‘toxins

“eal. flaine retardant i in, farmed salmon...” 2° 2

“In the press release” accompanying the study, a

“its. authors conchided. that consumers should.

: consider. restricting their’ consumption of-farmed. - salmon ‘to: nd" more. than’ ‘one: meal of. farmed

~ salmon per month, ’ : Mary Ellen: Walling: president: of. the: B. c.

“Salmon: Farmers~ Association, says, “Bottom ai

ms ling, salinion:is' safe," °°

vp Lessee - Mary Ellen vs: Phi D, researchers with no vested interest, Til trust the good doctors. How “bout you?

» to. complete _ ‘the : Skeeha River

-‘with Smithers’’ Craig’ Richey: iti

“D+ you. guessed: it - PDBEs.. How much more?” : » “The: Study; found much higher levels:of chemi- .

: ‘attack’ (began: there].

. | pack-broke’ Up.

six highly’ respected ze | ‘| think. 1

“by MARGARET ! SPEIRS _ CYCLISTS: braved! the. headwinds.

Challenge on: August: 8. , “Twenty-nine bikérs took on. ‘the. 160km, 0100. tmile, distance from:

: Prince-- ‘Rupert to “Terrace under - . sunny. skies. while’ facing a wind of. - 25k per hour. Riders" finished, with ‘amastic,

ea “cyclists: Sar ~ couldn’ ‘t quite. pull’ out.a-solo: wi settling instéad. fora. plioto finish:

- time of 4:24,34.: .. Térrace’s ar ~fres! off his ‘third: ‘place finish. in’ thi “year’s: - Adventure:: Chall lenge “rounded. ‘out. ‘the: lop three” inthe - senior..men’s- division with: a time ofa: 25,10. ~ Tina) Haskitis” of: Sriithers. won ‘ihe ladies“ division: with hertime: “of 4:44.55 way: ahéad of felléw ~-Smithereen: Jody. Hollinberg's 5317.04 -second .place® finish and; .Terrace’s Mary. Stewart: in ‘third: ~ with'5:22.06; “. After the race; Richey said the: headwind . definitely. slowed riders” : but didn't

an Lavoie sped: i ‘around: ihe barre S° “foi the ‘fastest time’ of 17.784 seus. pie took. the.

-. Koopmans, who rode Dreamer. to the win in Keyhole. with. [1.271 secs, Jocy ‘Muiler on Ne: * .vada:in Ring Spearing. with 10.989 secs and”. on Bargain. . Michalla - ‘Heighington in Triton took’ the top’. ’ times of 26. 430° secs. in: Pale. Bending, 21 262. oe 39° :

Lead’ ‘Line. ene ee - : . The: last event, done ust for: un, was group |

arrel. racing,

Each pair. of. riders’ held., Onto. ‘the: ‘end: of. ae ibbon strung between them,: which’ ‘they. had. to: “ey. Bxhibition Arena. ‘hang onto for the ‘duration of the race...”

A couple. of teams walk d.their horses care: fully braund: lhe: barrels: and galloper for. ‘the ; finish | line. :

Up t hi ‘part

Fall Fair ¢ on September 3

One: pair to take it.casy-was Amaida: Stel- la, 8, riding Tequila. and . Jennifer Renipel, Sy

Urged on by. the: ‘érowd to trot her horse. be- "hide -Amanda’ Sy Jennifer Aid. her best to: Keep:

: ‘hit Taised about: $50. towards the Skeena Vale

ride. into: ‘the: ring: ie the: ‘Skeena a alley

JON AMBERT powers towards the. finish line. in: the. Skeena 4 River. “Chalienge place third in: the 1 60km | race. from’ Rupert to Terrace. MARGARET: r SPEIRS. PHOTO.

While’ enjoying. a. _tiassage: from

» Hool,. a “The. jockey for bositior

“On” Rainbow. Summit finisher

“Richey. was. quite. ‘please have. improved : from lis” third’: place: finish: last.’ “year. “although makes _ disappointed‘ he- gouldn’t pull Pl aM on Krause, aoe Toes #To-. lose’ by

tis: 's frustrating. especially ~ Spa. ‘Essential: ‘Mtiasgeuse: Me ee to] Peter," che: said,. smi

time ‘indicated. that” ‘Richey: had a

to = The times. were: caer ‘adjusted.

vious ‘finish time as five hours

inst. lime in: ‘the Pertictdn, ronan, at a the end.of Auguste: : Haskins" first place’ win ee "her finish. from wo: years. ago “oept for. her’ fl mess e

‘wih friends,”

her short a a we feel like i improved signitie nly," she. said, - dding: her pre

tive aivieiea a We! ust ‘BO. together, for:-fiin;: she: said.’ It wasn't all-for-fun: though. Led I did not? make promises ‘oni ‘last. kilometre,": she said. ‘Organizers. are. planning. di res : “union. foF past riders anda. special “Terrace’s? top. leriale ‘finisher-. ‘prize draw: at next’ year’s . 20th wis: Mary Stewart: who. said: she’ Skeena River Challenge,

her: in ‘and hod fun sane 7 7