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ball/dioxin? help me

updated sat 31 mar 01

 

Dennis E. Tobin on wed 28 mar 01


Help me please

I just saw on the back of a bag of OM4
that it contains dioxin. Can some kind soul fill me in on what that is all
about?

Clueless
Dennis Tobin
Dennis Tobin
Associate Professor
Art Department
Miami University
Oxford, Ohio 45056
(513) 529-1505

Edouard Bastarache on wed 28 mar 01


Hello Dennis ,

According to EPA (David Cleverly, Washington DC),
as published in CM, January issue, page 8, dioxin-containing
ball clays may be used safely:" The good news is that once the
ball clay has been commercially processed in a kiln before it is sold
to potters, all the dioxin is removed. We have verified this in EPA's
laboratories. So you can rest easy and continue making great art out
of ball clay."

So, go figure why they printed this on the bag.
If I learn more later I will send the info. to the list.

Later,

Edouard Bastarache
Irr=E9ductible Qu=E9becois
Sorel-Tracy
Dans / In "La Belle Province"
edouardb@sorel-tracy.qc.ca
http://www.sorel-tracy.qc.ca/~edouardb/
----- Message d'origine -----
De : Dennis E. Tobin
=C0 :
Envoy=E9 : 28 mars, 2001 17:48
Objet : Ball/dioxin? help me


> Help me please
>
> I just saw on the back of a bag of OM4
> that it contains dioxin. Can some kind soul fill me in on what that is =
all
> about?
>
> Clueless
> Dennis Tobin
> Dennis Tobin
> Associate Professor
> Art Department
> Miami University
> Oxford, Ohio 45056
> (513) 529-1505
>
>
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Edouard Bastarache on thu 29 mar 01


Hello all,

we should be most surprised that Mr. Cleverly was misinformed
by fellow EPA scientists and that he did not double-check this
information before passing it on to potters.
Also, we have no reason to doubt his sincerity and knowledge,=20
at least for the moment.


Later,


Edouard Bastarache
Irr=E9ductible Qu=E9becois
Sorel-Tracy
Dans / In "La Belle Province"
edouardb@sorel-tracy.qc.ca
http://www.sorel-tracy.qc.ca/~edouardb/
=20
=20
" The good news is that once the ball clay has been commercially=20
processed in a kiln before it is sold to potters, all the dioxin is =
removed.=20
We have verified this in EPA's laboratories. So you can rest easy and=20
continue making great art out of ball clay."(Cleverly in CM.)

=20
"I was almost certain when that statement was made that he was=20
assuming that the clays were prefired before being sent out to=20
consumers and potters. And before you condemn Cleverly too hard,=20
it just might be that the clay companies wanted him to think this as =
well.
=20
Monona Rossol
ACTS"


=20

Bruce Girrell on thu 29 mar 01


> According to EPA (David Cleverly, Washington DC),
> as published in CM, January issue, page 8, dioxin-containing
> ball clays may be used safely:" The good news is that once the
> ball clay has been commercially processed in a kiln before it is sold
> to potters, all the dioxin is removed. We have verified this in EPA's
> laboratories. So you can rest easy and continue making great art out
> of ball clay."

The above statement is undoubtedly true, because the dioxins will burn off
in the firing. The only problem with this is that dioxins are not really
dangerous _until incinerated_.

Stay away from the kikn exhaust.



> So, go figure why they printed this on the bag.

My guess is that they were required to.


Bruce "burned up" Girrell

Tom Wirt/Betsy Price on thu 29 mar 01


From: "Edouard Bastarache" help me


> According to EPA (David Cleverly, Washington DC),
> as published in CM, January issue, page 8, dioxin-containing
> ball clays may be used safely:" The good news is that once the
> ball clay has been commercially processed in a kiln before it is
sold


Edouard (or others)....this one puzzled me when I read it. To my
knowledge, most ball clays, other than those used as grogs or calcined
products, are never put through a kiln. Crushed, screened, air
floated, but not fired. Firing to the point of dehydrolization (is
that the correct word?) would render them non plastic. So if they are
basing the non-dioxin statement on the firing aspect, then it wouldn't
be until we were done with it.

I'm not looking for dioxins, but government agencies have a way of not
understanding processes and basing their decisions on that
non-understanding.

Tom Wirt