SUPPORT OUR
SPONSORS

Organic Valley

Dr. Bronner's
Magic Soaps

Botani Organic

Aloha Bay

Eden Foods

Ode Magazine

Mountain
Rose Herbs

The Green Guide

back to Organic Consumers Assn. Stop Food Irradiation page Irradiated Mail Causes Illness Friday January 11, 2002 By CHRISTOPHER NEWTON WASHINGTON (AP) - A package irradiated as part of the government's anti-anthrax screening gave off a noxious gas Thursday when it was opened at the Commerce Department, sickening at least 11 workers, a fire official said. The workers complained of nausea, breathing problems and throat irritation, and two were admitted to a hospital in undetermined condition, D.C. Fire Department spokesman Alan Etter said. The FBI and hazardous-materials workers were dispatched to the scene and blocked off 14th Street in front of the Commerce Department during the evening rush hour. The building is situated at 14th and Constitution Avenue, a block from the Ellipse. Etter said a package of copy paper tightly wrapped in plastic gave off a noxious gas when it was opened. He said health officials believe the irradiation process can cause paper to give off hydrocarbons that are harmful when concentrated. Gas was held inside the package at the Commerce Department because it was tightly wrapped, Etter said. Two women who work on the fifth floor of the building called 911 at about 3:45 p.m., after they began to have trouble breathing. The women, who were not identified, were taken to the hospital. As an investigation was under way, other workers began to call emergency officials to report that they had some of the same symptoms. Etter said irradiated mail has made people sick at least five times in Washington over the past several weeks. ``People respond differently to this based on their current health condition,'' he said. ``We don't know how serious it can get.'' Thursday's incident was the first indication that the screening for anthrax spores or other biological agents in mail could cause health problems. Postal officials have said only that the process could damage such perishables as film and medication. Officials have been irradiating mail to all federal buildings in the aftermath of the anthrax scare in which two letters tainted with the bacteria were sent to Capitol Hill. Etter said Commerce officials would have to decide whether to allow workers into the room Friday. A department spokeswoman did not return a message left on her answering machine late Thursday night.

Home | News | Organics | GE Food | Health | Environment | Food Safety | Fair Trade | Peace | Farm Issues | Politics | Español | Campaigns | Buying Guide | Press | Search | Volunteer | Donate | About | Email This Page

Organic Consumers Association - 6771 South Silver Hill Drive, Finland MN 55603
E-mail: Staff · Activist or Media Inquiries: 218-226-4164 · Fax: 218-353-7652
Please support our work. Send a tax-deductible donation to the OCA

Fair Use Notice:The material on this site is provided for educational and informational purposes. It may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. It is being made available in an effort to advance the understanding of scientific, environmental, economic, social justice and human rights issues etc. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have an interest in using the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. The information on this site does not constitute legal or technical advice.