Between 1973-1975, nine out of 10 of our state’s residents were more than likely consuming contaminated meat, dairy, and poultry during the two years it took to discover this tragic human error that has impacted so many lives.
This is just one important fact illustrated in Tainted Michigan: 40 Years of PBB Contamination, a new short-form documentary by Val Lego of WZZM’s Healthy You premiering at a special public reception at Cygnus 27.
The path to this documentary began when a co-worker of Lego shared a personal story of the 1970s PBB contamination. The contamination resulted in the destruction 30,000 cows, 1.5 million chickens, and hundreds of thousands of pigs in Michigan. It also heaped ruin upon our farming community, and caused cancer in many Michiganders -- all a result of what would come to be labeled “human error” by the legal community.
This documentary revisits the largest consortium for human contamination in the world that happened here in our state, as well as Lego's shock in learning that so many do not remember it.
As a result of her proposal to revisit this tragedy in a documentary format, she was awarded a fellowship by the California Endowment Health Journalism Fellowships, a program of University of Southern California’s Annenberg School of Journalism.
Sadly, Lego would learn along this journey that after decades of some of the most exhaustive research, the Michigan Department of Community Health had to cease their internationally recognized study.
Lucky for us, Emory University has been able to continue this important study, which Lego will illustrate the ups and downs of at the reception and in her documentary.
The new study will move beyond ailments like breast cancer (caused by PBB) and expand into other disorders linked to the effects of consumption of PBB contaminated food.
Lego’s documentary provides a vital link in an era of HIPAA regulations, which prohibit the researchers at Emory University from contacting any of the members previously studied over the four decades.
This documentary, as it seeks to connect and reach a wider audience, will ensure that this important research continues in the new areas of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and infertility in males born to mothers with PBB contamination, providing insight into this travesty.
PBB has a half life of 15 years in our system and was most commonly transferred via the mother who nursed her children, thus ensuring the impacts would continue to plague generations long after the exposure stopped. Lego requests that even if you cannot attend that you will help spread the word about this project and their needs.
Admission: Free
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