1994 Maine Dioxin Study-DEP Press Release

[Chuck31671@aol.com]

Thought someone might be interested in this press release.  Copies are
available from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection

Information from Maine Department of Environmental Protection Press Release 
7/14/95

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

   STATE RELEASES FINDINGS OF 1994 DIOXIN STUDY.......

  (AUGUSTA)--Current data profiling the presence of one highly toxic
   pollutant indicates that the quality of Maine's rivers continues to
   improve. Concentrations of dioxin in fish tissue have declined in  
   recent years, and the state's Dioxin Monitoring Program shows the
   trend continuing. The 1994 findings are contained in a report recently
   released by the Department of Environmental Protection .
   Dioxin comes from several sources, including paper mills that use
   chlorine to bleach their pulp, incinerators, textile mills and forest
   fires. Dioxin is a very toxic substance, resistant to breakdown, that
   accumulates in the tissue of fish and shellfish. The lower
   concentrations seen in recent years are attributed to changes and
   improvements by industrial sources.
   
   Despite the considerable progress made since dioxin was first
   discovered in Maine waters (1984), the levels in fish taken from some
   Maine rivers still exceed concentrations advised for consumer
   protection. The Maine Bureau of Health currently recommends that:
   "women of child bearing age eat no fish from the Androscoggin River,
   the Kennebec River below Skowhegan and the Penobscot River below
   Lincoln. Furthermore, the general public should not eat more than one
   fish meal per month from   Androscoggin or more than two fish meals
   per month from those sections of the Kennebec and Penobscot." A "fish
   meal" is generally considered to be 8-ounces.   
   
   The 1994 round of sampling involved collecting game fish as well as
   bottom feeders from the Androscoggin, Kennebec, Penobscot,
   Presumpscot, Salmon Falls and Sebasticook Rivers.  
   
   For the last two years, the Dioxin Monitoring Program has also   
   collected lobsters. Similar to the findings involving fish tissue, the
   1994 data indicates the presence of dioxin in lobster, but at slightly
   lower level than in 1993. Dioxin concentrations in lobster meat are
   not a concern, but unacceptably high concentrations of dioxin have
   been found in the tomalley samples. The Maine Bureau of health advises
   that pregnant women, nursing mothers and women of child bearing age  
   eat no tomalley, and that others limit their tomalley consumption.
     
   The Dioxin Monitoring Program was established by the Legislature in 
   1988 to determine the "nature of dioxin contamination in the waters
   and fisheries of the state." The 117th Legislature has voted to   
   continue the program through 1997.        
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