The Poisoning of Michigan

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Michigan State University Press, 2009 - Health & Fitness - 363 pages
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The highly toxic PBB poisoning of Michigan remains the most widespread chemical contamination known in U.S. history. The Poisoning of Michigan is an investigative journalist's account of the contamination of Michigan's dairy cattle with the highly toxic chemical PBB (polybrominated biphenyl) in 1973. A near relation of PCB, this now-banned substance, designed as a fire retardant, was mistaken for a nutritional supplement at a chemical plant. It ended up in cattle feed that was distributed to farms throughout the state. By the time the error was discovered, virtually all nine million residents of Michigan had been ingesting contaminated milk and meat for almost a year.
A new introduction by the author and an afterword by three distinguished environmental scientists explain how the legacy of Michigan's poisoning lives on--and how equally toxic substitutes for PBB still invade our homes and lives. This new edition of Egginton's environmental classic--first published in 1980 and long out of print--tells how the tragedy affected both the farm community and the wider populace, and how federal and state authorities failed to respond. "We were mired in a swamp of ignorance," one state official admitted.

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Contents

Acknowledgments
1
List of Abbreviations
3
Foreword
5
Copyright

34 other sections not shown

Common terms and phrases

Albosta Allan Furr animals asked attorneys bags Battle Creek plant bromine calves cancer cattle feed cause clients compound Corbett cows dairy farmers Dale Ball damage Department of Agriculture developed disease Doc Clark environmental experience Farm Bureau Services farm families federal feed company felt fire retardant Firemaster flame retardants Fremont Garry Zuiderveen Gary Schenk George Fries governor Grand Rapids herd human health industry ingredients Irving Selikoff Jim McKean Kalkaska knew laboratory Lansing later levels of PBB low-level magnesium oxide McKean meat Michigan Chemical Corporation Michigan Chemical's Michigan Department Michigan State University months Mullineaux naphthalene never Nutrimaster Paul Greer PBB contamination poisoned polybrominated biphenyl problem Public Health quarantined Rick Halbert sample scientists Selikoff Spaniola state's story symptoms Tacoma taminated Ted Jackson telephone tests thought tion told tolerance level took toxic toxin truck USDA veterinarian weeks

About the author (2009)

Joyce Egginton has taught environmental reporting at New York University.

Bibliographic information

QR code for The Poisoning of Michigan
TitleThe Poisoning of Michigan
AuthorJoyce Egginton
Edition2, revised
PublisherMichigan State University Press, 2009
ISBN0870138677, 9780870138676
Length363 pages
Subjects ›  ›  › 

Health & Fitness / Safety
History / United States / State & Local / Midwest (IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI)
Social Science / Disease & Health Issues
  
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