Story Outline

Why Were Chemicals Leaked into Willits? From a news story by San Francisco KPIX CBS 5 News Reporter Roz Plater February 2004

I. Dr. Sterngold was a doctor in Willits, CA

A. He worked in the emergency room
B. The hospital was near Remco, a chrome-plating plant
C. He could see a fog of smoke coming out of the plant
D. Dr. Sterngold got asthma and had to leave the medical field

II. Remco Was Spewing Chromium VI Into The Air

A. 30 years ago Chromium VI was known to cause cancer and respiratory problems in humans
B. 20 years ago scientists found there was no safe level of exposure to Chromium VI
C. The company operated from 1964 – 1995
D. Many people who lived in Willits during that time have become ill

III. The government regulates many chemicals and drugs

A. Prescription drugs are tested for many years before people can use them
B. 1000 new chemicals are sold each year for business and industry
C. Only 6 % of those chemicals are tested
D. The government does not regulate industry chemicals until many people become ill

IV. There is a battle between public health and a healthy economy

A. Jobs often win the battle
B. Dangers from chemicals may seem abstract
C. Dr. Sterngold says the unregulated chemical industry is playing Russian roulette with people’s health