European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 3, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday february 1989 the stars and stripes Page 7 growth control chemical faces ban cancer tied to product to improve apples Washington a the government proposed a ban wednesday on a chemical that makes apples appear More appealing and last longer citing an inescapable and direct link to cancer that during a lifetime could cause five deaths for every 100,000 people exposed. While the environmental Protection Agency said the cancer risk is not High enough to warrant an emergency action to remove the chemical from the Market it urged its manufacturer to withdraw the chemical until a final regulation Banning the chemical can be issued. Officials said formal Agency action ordering the chemical withdrawn will not Likely come for 18 months and then is Likely to be challenged a process that could take one year to three years. The object of the Epa s concern is a growth control chemical called Damino Zide which is sold under the Trade name alar. The chemical is absorbed by the fruit and has been used by Apple growers since the Early 1970s to Spur even growth reduce spoilage and help preserve apples so they can be sold All year. Alar s manufacturer uniroyal chemical co. Of Middlebury conn., immediately challenged the Epa findings and promised to contest any government ban. The company said it would not withdraw its product voluntarily. We Don t see any basis for taking alar off the Market uniroyal spokesman Yanis Bibelnieks said. All of the studies that have been done since 1985 have supported our position that alar poses no significant health  he said it was inappropriate to make any judgment based on interim results cited by the Epa. Bibelnieks said alar production has been reduced by about 75 percent since 1985 because of the health controversy which began in 1977 when it was first thought the chemical might cause cancer. The Epa sought to ban the chemical three years ago but held off because of disputes about the Validity of test data. The Epa and Industry estimated that today Only about 5 percent of the country s 200 million Bushel Apple crop is sprayed with alar compared with As much As 35 percent in the Early 1980s. In recent years Many processors and some grocery chains have refused to buy alar treated apples because of the health concerns. Authorities have said the threat is greatest for Chil Dren who consume Large amounts of apples usually in processed form As juice or sauce. The Epa said wednesday that interim results from new studies on test animals show in some cases the development of cancerous tutors after exposure to Damino Zide. There is an inescapable and direct correlation Between exposure to Edmu a form of Damino Zide and the development of life threatening tutors in test mice said John a. Moore the Epa s acting administrator. The Epa estimated the chances of an adult getting cancer As a result of alar exposure from eating apples and Apple products at five in 100,000, but it said the lifetime risk is higher for children because of their greater use of Apple products. The Epa said it will begin the formal Rule making for a ban within 90 Days and anticipates issuing a final regulation taking alar off the Market within 18 months. Officials acknowledged however that the process could take much longer if it is contested. Moore said the Agency could seek an emergency suspension that would order alar off the Market within months but he said the Agency rejected such an action because of the conflicting test data the unfinished studies and the level of risk. He said that during the 18 months until a final ban is expected the risk of an adult getting cancer As a result of alar exposure is at most one in 1 million and the risk for a child nine in 1 million. We Don t think that the added Burden of risk Over the next 18 months is of sufficient magnitude to War rant this kind of emergency action Moore told re porters. Newscast videotape links teen Ager with lawmaker Columbus Ohio a a woman confronted . Rep. Donald Lukens about Why he was Messin around with teen age girls like her daughter and he replied i did t really know she was a teen Ager a to station reported wednesday. Syx to said it secretly videotaped the nov. 11 meeting Between the 57 year old Ohio Republican and Anna coff Man at which he reportedly offered the woman a govern ment Job. The Fri said it has found no Evi Dence that Lukens tried to bribe the woman who said her daughter was 13 when she met the congressman four years ago. I m a curious Lukens Mother and i m concerned you know about my daughter and her you know her welfare Coffman told him. I could t understand a Man in your position you know Why you re Messin around with these teen agers you  Lukens replied Well first of All i did t really know she was a teen Ager. I did t know that no. I do now of  according to Syx the girl was Able to accurately describe the inside of Lukens apartment. At the end of the nov. 11 conversation Syx said Lukens offered to find Coffman a government Job according to the videotape. On tuesday Lukens who is divorced declined to comment. According to Syx the daughter said that in 1985 a Friend brought her to a pent House apartment Lukens rents in Columbus. They took me in this room and she said get undressed and put on this Robe and i told her that you know i was t going to do nothing because i was scared she told the station. And then she said he just want to see your body. And then they started having sex and then he told her to get up. And then he like pulled me on top of him and started having sex with me Syx quoted the girl As say ing. She said Lukens later paid both girls and gave them a business card the station re ported. She also said that three years later she and a Friend went Back to the apartment and that Lukens encouraged the girls to have sex with one another. The girl said she refused but that she then had sex with Lukens and again was Given Money the station reported. Dave Hanna Fri supervisor in Colum bus said the Fri entered the Lukens investigation in november because of a possible Federal crime involving a juvenile. The investigation found no such violation and failed to find evidence of bribery or extor Tion. Lukens was first elected to the 24th District in 1966 and served two terms. His District was redrawn and he lost a bid for Gover nor in the Republican primary in 1970. He was appointed to the state Senate in 1971 and was elected in 1976. In 1974, he fought allegations that he accepted $ 1,000 in Campaign contributions from korean Busi Nessman ton Sun Park during his first stint on Capitol Hill. Lukens returned to Congress in 1986, representing the 8th District and was re elected in 1988. Lots Luck president Bush was presented with a giant Horseshoe wednesday by an association of wholesale distributors but was not Lucky enough to get Over his laryngitis. He cancelled one speech and drastically shortened another. His voiceless condition however was considered Lucky in some quarters it s Nice said wife Barbara. He does t yell around the White  police need 5 shots to drop charging pit Bull Streator 111. A it took five Shotgun blasts from police to drop a 70 Pound pit Bull named Mongo after it terrorized an 11-year-old newspaper Carrier and charged officers. It sounded like world War Iii said Mongo s owner Gale Sneath after police shot and killed his pet. Sneath described the animal As an excellent watchdog and simply mean to strangers. Police said the dog was the neighbourhood bully whose Nasty disposition prompted the City Council to enact a strict Law governing pit bulls. Police chief Ken Sangston ordered officers to destroy the dog Friday after it chased 11-year-old Kara Danko As she delivered newspapers in this town of 15,000 located about 100 Miles South West of Chicago. We d had an ongoing ordeal with the same dog Over the last two years Sangston said tuesday. We d had Sev eral citizens complaints and its owner was arrested on previous occasions for letting the dog run at Large. We had reports of the dog chasing kids pedestrians the mailman and a newspaper Carrier. We knew the dog was vicious and i told my officers that if the dog attacked i wanted the dog de  the showdown came after Danko was trapped on a screened in porch holding the door shut to protect herself from the growling Barking animal Sangston said. The girl called her Mother who summoned police. It had become a menace to Public safety Sangston said. We sent out an officer and it charged my officer who shot the dog with a  four times police shot Mongo in the Torso Only to see it get up and continue to Advance. It finally had to be shot in the head Sangston said. The new City ordinance requires pit bulls be chained and caged with warning signs posted to Alert passers by of the animal s presence. Police have issued no citations against Sneath in Friday s at tack