http://www.mediaisland.org/email/3-15-00-pga.html
(WTO) Chemical warfare in Seattle N30
PGA Action at WTO Seattle - http://members.aol.com/pgacaravan
Here finally seems to be some solid information on the toxic elements
of the tear gas used in Seattle. It is OUTRAGEOUS, but not surprising,
given the early symptoms that were coming in from the medical staff at the
time. While the police had admitted to OC and CS gas before, this was not the
case with the CN gas, containing methylene chloride.
Appended is the technical information on methylene chloride. Note
under the last point in the second message, under point #5: "PERMISSIBLE
EXPOSURE LIMIT (PEL): MG/M3 (500 PPM)" means that the permissible limit is 0.
This should keep a bunch of them doing a whole mess of damage control
for a while.
But it also means a whole whack of us got hit with massive amounts of
deadly toxins in the chemical warfare that the state unleashed on us in
Seattle. And we will have to live with that posioning for the rest of
our lives. It was chemical warfare against internal dissent using chemicals
of mass destruction. Is this not a crime against humanity? Was that not
why the governments said they bombed (and continue to silently bomb) Iraq?
Cuz Iraq allegedly had weapons of mass destruction (ie nerve gas). Well, not
only does the USA government have such weapons but it uses them AGAINST
THEIR PEOPLE. And it does so when its people are engaged in non-violent
civil disobedience.
Any lawyers out there who want to take this one as far as it'll go? It'll
go quite a ways! How about human rights organizations? Surely we get to at
least complain about them killing us! Never mind dreaming about making them
actually ACCOUNTABLE for these crimes.
- Bob
From: Paul Cienfuegos
Subject: Tear Gas additives identified by WA Toxics Coalition
This was just forwarded to me by the WA Toxics Coalition office in
Seattle. Please share it widely with your lists. Thanks!
Paul Cienfuegos
The Washington Toxics Coalition recently requested and received
Material Safety Data Sheets from the Seattle Police Department for all
chemicals used in crowd control during WTO protests the week of November 29.
The Department reported the use of an OC gas (active ingredient is
oleoresin of capsicum), Pyrotechnic CS agent (o-chlorobenzalmalononitrile)
and Liquid Agent CN (chlorolactetophenone).
One disturbing find was the solvent used in the CN agent. The MSDS
indicated that the agent is 50% active ingredient and 50% methylene
chloride as a solvent. Methylene chloride is a possible/anticipated
carcinogen as reported by the National Toxicology Program and the
International Agency for Research on Cancer. The National Library of
Medicine's Toxnet website reports it to be an experimental carcinogen,
tumorigen, teratogen (causes birth defects when it reaches egg or
sperm cells of the parents, or the developing fetus) with experimental
reproductive effects. The site also indicates that human mutagen
(causes mutations in cells) data exists.
In addition to these serious effects, central nervous system
depression is reported. Many of the nervous system effects given on the Toxnet
site are similar to those experienced by protesters. Some of the symptoms
listed by Toxnet are lethargy, mental confusion, headache, tingling of the
limbs, acoustical and optical delusions, liver and kidney damage, increased
risk of spontaneous abortion, coma, and death.
Another dangerous effect of methylene chloride is described in Gosselin's Clinical
Toxicology of Commercial Products. The compound is metabolized to carbon monoxide
in humans, which could be dangerous to persons with asthma
or cardiovascular problems.
In short, methylene chloride is a dangerous solvent suspected of causing
causing cancer, tumor growth, birth defects, reproductive system effects, cell
mutations and central nervous system depression.
*********************************
forwarded by
The Edmonds Institute
beb@igc.org
*******************************
From: Will Offley
Subject: Methylene Chloride MSDS
http://ehs.clemson.edu/msds/Methyl.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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MSDS for METHYLENE CHLORIDE
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1 - PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION
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PRODUCT NAME: METHYLENE CHLORIDE
FORMULA: CH2CL2F
ORMULA WT: 84.93
CAS NO.: 75-09-2
NIOSH/RTECS NO.: PA8050000
COMMON SYNONYMS: DICHLOROMETHANE; METHYLENE DICHLORIDE;
METHANE DICHLORIDE
PRODUCT CODES: 9324,9341,Q480,9330,5378,5531,9315,9329,9264
EFFECTIVE: 10/24/86
REVISION #03
PRECAUTIONARY LABELLING
BAKER SAF-T-DATA(TM) SYSTEM
HEALTH - 3 SEVERE (CANCER CAUSING)
FLAMMABILITY - 1 SLIGHT
REACTIVITY - 1 SLIGHT
CONTACT - 2 MODERATE
HAZARD RATINGS ARE 0 TO 4 (0 = NO HAZARD; 4 = EXTREME HAZARD).
LABORATORY PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
GOGGLES & SHIELD; LAB COAT & APRON; VENT HOOD; PROPER GLOVES
PRECAUTIONARY LABEL STATEMENTS
POISON DANGER
CAUSES IRRITATION
HARMFUL IF ABSORBED THROUGH SKIN
* * MAY BE FATAL IF SWALLOWED OR INHALED
NOTE: REPORTED AS CAUSING CANCER IN LABORATORY ANIMALS. EXERCISE DUE
CARE.
AVOID CONTACT WITH EYES, SKIN, CLOTHING.
KEEP IN TIGHTLY CLOSED CONTAINER. WASH THOROUGHLY AFTER HANDLING.
SAF-T-DATA(TM) STORAGE COLOR CODE: BLUE (HEALTH)
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2 - HAZARDOUS COMPONENTS
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COMPONENT % CAS
NO.
METHYLENE CHLORIDE 90-100
75-09-2
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3 - PHYSICAL DATA
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BOILING POINT: 40 C ( 104 F) VAPOR PRESSURE(MM HG): 350
MELTING POINT: -95 C ( -139 F) VAPOR DENSITY(AIR=1): 2.9
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 1.32 EVAPORATION RATE: 27.5
(H2O=1) (BUTYL ACETATE=1)
SOLUBILITY(H2O): MODERATE (1 TO 10 %) % VOLATILES BY VOLUME: 100
APPEARANCE & ODOR: COLORLESS,VOLATILE LIQUID WITH
PENETRATING, ETHER-LIKE ODOR.
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4 - FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARD DATA
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FLASH POINT (CLOSED CUP N/A NFPA 704M RATING: 2-1-0
FLAMMABLE LIMITS: UPPER - 19 % LOWER - 12 %
FIRE EXTINGUISHING MEDIA
USE EXTINGUISHING MEDIA APPROPRIATE FOR SURROUNDING FIRE.
SPECIAL FIRE-FIGHTING PROCEDURES
FIREFIGHTERS SHOULD WEAR PROPER PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND
SELF-CONTAINED
BREATHING APPARATUS WITH FULL FACEPIECE OPERATED IN POSITIVE
PRESSURE MODE.
MOVE CONTAINERS FROM FIRE AREA IF IT CAN BE DONE WITHOUT RISK. USE
WATER
TO KEEP FIRE-EXPOSED CONTAINERS COOL.
UNUSUAL FIRE & EXPLOSION HAZARDS
CLOSED CONTAINERS EXPOSED TO HEAT MAY EXPLODE.
TOXIC GASES PRODUCED HYDROGEN CHLORIDE, PHOSGENE, CARBON
MONOXIDE, CARBON DIOXIDE
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5 - HEALTH HAZARD DATA
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ACGIH DENOTES THAT THIS SUBSTANCE IS SUSPECT OF CARCINOGENIC
POTENTIAL FOR MAN.
THRESHOLD LIMIT VALUE (TLV/TWA): 350 MG/M3 ( 100 PPM)
SHORT-TERM EXPOSURE LIMIT (STEL): 1740 MG/M3 ( 500 PPM)
PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE LIMIT (PEL): MG/M3 ( 500 PPM)
EFFECTS OF OVEREXPOSURE
INHALATION AND INGESTION ARE HARMFUL AND MAY BE FATAL.
INHALATION MAY CAUSE HEADACHE, NAUSEA, VOMITING, DIZZINESS, NARCOSIS,
SUFFOCATION, LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE, CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSION.
INHALATION OF VAPORS MAY CAUSE SEVERE IRRITATION OF THE RESPIRATORY
SYSTEM. LIQUID MAY BE IRRITATING TO SKIN AND EYES. PROLONGED SKIN
CONTACT
MAY RESULT IN DERMATITIS. EYE CONTACT MAY RESULT IN TEMPORARY CORNEAL
DAMAGE.
INGESTION MAY CAUSE NAUSEA, VOMITING, GASTROINTESTINAL IRRITATION, AND
BURNS TO MOUTH AND THROAT.
TARGET ORGANS
SKIN, CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM, CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, EYES
MEDICAL CONDITIONS GENERALLY AGGRAVATED BY EXPOSURE
NONE IDENTIFIED
ROUTES OF ENTRY
INHALATION, INGESTION, SKIN CONTACT, EYE CONTACT
EMERGENCY AND FIRST AID PROCEDURES
CALL A PHYSICIAN.
IF SWALLOWED, DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING.
IF INHALED, REMOVE TO FRESH AIR. IF NOT BREATHING, GIVE ARTIFICIAL
RESPIRATION. IF BREATHING IS DIFFICULT, GIVE OXYGEN.
IN CASE OF CONTACT, IMMEDIATELY FLUSH EYES WITH PLENTY OF WATER
FOR AT LEAST 15 MINUTES. FLUSH SKIN WITH WATER.