3/20 GP Calls on Toronto to Drop "Toxic Piping"

[the.greenbase@green2.greenpeace.org]

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Original-TO:      World Press (Green2:Green2:Gnl:INET)
Original-Cc:      The Greenbase (Green2:Green2:Gnl:Main)
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                   GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE
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GREENPEACE CALLS ON TORONTO TO DROP "TOXIC PIPING"
Board of Health Proposals Could Begin City's Battle Against
Human Health Pollution
 
TORONTO -- (GP) --March 20, 1996-- Greenpeace Canada called on
the City of Toronto today to begin the battle against human
health pollution and accept a proposal now being considered by
the Board of Health to phase out use of  polyvinyl chloride 
(PVC) --one of the world's most widely used plastics. 
 
On March 25th Board of Health Chair Peter Tabuns will present
recommendations to a joint session of the  City Services
Committee and the Board of Health calling on the city to adopt
a policy of using alternatives to PVC piping for drinking
water distribution and sewer collection.  If accepted by the
specially convened joint meeting, City Council will vote on
the issue sometime early next month.
 
"Toronto City Councillors now have an  opportunity to take an
enormous step in public health leadership by taking a stand
against a substance that is imperilling reproductive health in
both humans and wildlife," said Greenpeace toxics campaigner
Morag Simpson.  "We've done it with smoking---we have to do
the same thing with products like PVC piping which produce
dangerous toxins in  their production and use." 
 
Hundreds of European municipalities have already passed
regulations phasing out their use of PVC products;  Sweden and
Denmark are considering federal legislation that would phase
out whole sectors of the industry by the year 2000.   A move
by Toronto City Council towards a phase-out would set a
significant precedent for North America, one of the few parts
of the world where the PVC market continues to grow."People in
Toronto must have the right to a healthy future where their
bodies are free from poisonous industrial pollutants.  We
strongly urge
councillors to consider the  dangerous consequences of not
voting in favour of this proposal," said Simpson.
 
 Toronto's PVC piping issue coincides with the publication of
"Our Stolen Future",written by a team of senior American
research scientists,  which documents the ominous effects of  
toxic hormones in wildlife and humans.  The book is widely
touted to be even more significant than Rachel Carson's
historic "Silent Spring" which first sounded the alarm about
chemical pollution of our environment.  It adds to an
increasing body of scientific evidence which links the
production and use of some plastics to dioxin, a deadly toxin 
linked to increasing human and wildlife health problems: 
falling sperm counts, increased rates of
reproductive cancers and immune system disorders.
 
Editor's Note:  The City Services Committee and Toronto Board
of Health will be holding their meeting on PVC on Monday,
March 25th at 7 p.m in City Council Chambers.  Representatives
and experts from a broad range of environmental groups will be
speaking.       
 
 Contact:  Morag Simpson or Mary MacNutt Greenpeace
Canada-416-597-8408
Lois  Corbett--Toronto Environmental Alliance 416-596-0660
                                    

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