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‘"If you look at it from the worker‘s exposure level, we‘ve borrowed our levels from the United States." Wright believes that Ontario should begin "testâ€" ing to determine the soâ€"called ‘safe‘ level of chemicals. It has been done for asbestos, so it is possible. It is a slow process and we need to speed it up. Cameron Wright, a research coâ€"ordinator at the Waterloo Public Interest Research Group (WPIRG) thinks steps could be taken to protect workers and the general public. Under certain conditions, full protective gear including breathâ€" ing apparatus and disposable clothing may be effective, he noted. It is the role of local heaith & safety inspectors to try to determine those conditions. However, said Siu, "we stronâ€" gly advise people to avoid any contact."" Such contact would include inhalation, ingestion and skin contact. Dr. Sydney Siu, the senior medical consultant of the London region of the Ontario Ministry of Labor says a safe exposure level to benzo(a)pyrene for workers "is very difficult to say at this point. It would depend on whether it is in a solid, or liquid, or gaseous phase and how it is being used." "If the water has above 100 times the (WHO) safe drinking water level, the soil is considered hazardous,"‘ said MacDonnell. Of course, if you multiply one part per trillion by 100, the result is one part per billion. Similar criteria for disposal of chrysene do not exist "because there‘s no known criteria for drinking water," said MacDonâ€" nell. And that is how the disposal criteria is arrived at. Yet both chemicals have been listed under the provincial health and safety act as agents "to which any exposure should be avoided." In local tests, the soil containâ€" ing the chemical is subjected to ‘"leachate quality criteria‘" by being immersed in water; the level of chemical which ends up in the water is measured. Yet, the World Health Organiâ€" zation (WHO) has developed drinking water criteria for benzo(a)pyrene which considers levels below ten parts per trillion as safe to drink. billion disposal criteria come from? According to Larry Macâ€" Donnell, the area supervisor for the Ontario Ministry of the Enviâ€" ronment, benzo(a)pyrene and chrysene are not specifically listed in ‘"Regulation 309°" which handles the disposal of toxic wastes. Excavated soils containing above one part per billion of benzo(a)pyrene were shipped to Sarnia for special burial; those with less of the chemical or no measurable amount of the chemâ€" ical were sent to the Erb Street dump for disposal. Workers reâ€" fused to work with the material after experiencing nausea. Just how much of a potentially cancerâ€"causing chemical, such as benzo(a)pyrene or chrysene can a worker be safely exposed to? How much can the general public be exposed to? Nobody surveyed by the Chronicle seemed to know for sure. The refusal of landfill workers to handle coal tar wastes from the civic centre excavation until safety questions are answered begs a question. lan Kirkby Chronicle S How much is safe chemical exposure? taft one part per Another area for improveâ€" ment, said Wright, is drinking water standards. "There are no drinking water standards for the province," he said. ‘"‘That‘s why they are using the World Healith Organization standards. Whether that is the proper stanâ€" dard, I don‘t know. ‘"If you‘ve got a standard, you at least have something to go by. You can adjust it down the road. You do want to err on the side of caution in setting standards, though. ‘"I Think we need strict regulaâ€" tions for chemical substances being used in the workplace, we need strict regulations for sub stances going into water and also for substances going into landâ€" THE ABSOLUTE BEST FALL SALES EVENT â€" DON‘T MISS IT! e All leather floor modelis including new arrivals up to e European design modular sofa groupings up to e Imported dining rooms up to FEATURING: DESIGNER COLLECTION SOFA GROUPINGS FALL FURNITURE EVENT Plus much, much more! All items one only â€" come early for best selection ine Furniture 30% off 40% off 40% off WATERLOC CHRAONICLE, WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 30, 1087 â€" PAGE o e All Sebastian De Lorenzis e Imported wall units up to & Floor model youth rooms 25% off 40% off 25% off