The Student Newspaper of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Volume XVI, Number 22
Charlotte, North Carolina
Monday October 20, 1980
Chemical Spill Evacuates Atkins
By David E. Griffith
Carolina Journal Campus Affairs Editor
A chemical spill in a first floor
photography lab forced the evacua
tion of Atkins building from 9:15 to
11:45 a.m. Friday.
Diann Pallman, Graphics director
at the Learning Resources Center
(first floor Atkins,) said a five-gallon
container of concentrated formal
dehyde (HCHO) apparently leaked
overnight.
“I noticed the spill when my eyes
became irritated,” Pallman said. “It
just seemed to be purely accidental.”
Formaldehyde is used in the pro
cessing of color slides. Rebecca
Whitener, UNCC Safety Coordinator,
said formaldehyde is a fixing agent
and exposure to it can cause damage
to the mucous membranes of the eyes.
Charlotte Poison Control Central
pharmacist Gary McGraw quoted the
Poison Index, saying concentrated
formaldehyde can, after lengthy ex
posure and ingestion by breathing,
cause gastro-intestinal upset, vom
iting, diarrhea, coma, anuria (failure
to urinate) and abdominal pain.
The spill was contained in the
photo-lab and it did not spread in the
ventilation system. The Newell Vol
unteer Rescue Squad was summoned
shortly after the spill was detected.
Pallman said “the dark room does not
have ventilation so they (Newell
Volunteer Rescue Squad) are ven
tilating it around the corner.”
Darel Torrence, a North Carolina
. Photo By Bob Henderson
Newell Volunteer Firefighters use air masks and high-speed exhaust fans borrowed from the Charlotte Fire Department to
remove dangerous formaldehyde fumes from the Learning Resources Center Friday morning.
Emergency Medical Technician, said
“Nobody was affected by the spill.”
The Health Center did not treat
anyone complaining of adverse ef
fects from the spill.
Joan McCullough, Health Center
Secretary, said anyone affected by
the formaldehyde would have been
taken to the Health Center, and if
their condition had been severe
enough, they would have been trans
ferred to a Charlotte hospital.
Charlotte city Fireman S.B. Metts
said the procedure for removing the
spill involved high speed fans and
Newell did not have the equipment so
they asked for assistance from the ci
ty. Metts said the fumes were pulled
off by using the fans, the spill would
be diluted with water and then it
could be mopped up.
The spill disrupted the daily routine
of the architecture department and
forced the cancellation of classes held
at the time.
Barbara Harkins, junior, architec
ture major, said, “The Campus Police
came in with gas masks on, I didn’t
know if it was real or not.”
Several architecture students ex
pressed feelings of confusion over
how a chemical spill could have occur
red in the architecture department.
Jeff Gibbons, a senior, said, “The
architecture secretary came into the
studio and said, “Get out, there’s
been a chemical spill.” The students
left the building, but Jeff said he still
did not know how a chemical spill had
happened in the architecture depart
ment.
Food Day Emphasizes Hunger, Nutrition
By David E. Griffith
Carolina Journal Campus Affairs Editor
The International Studies Depart
ment sponsored Food Day, an annual
exhibition of hunger awareness and
personal nutrition from 11 a.m. to 2
P in. Thursday.
Marian Beane, Foreign Students
Advisor said, “(The International
Studies Department) sponsors Food
Day because part of our philosophy is
to help raise awareness of interna
tional issues like World Hunger.”
Six years ago Food Day was just a
World Hunger awareness day, but it
has since broadened its focus to in
clude basic exhibits of healthy foods.
Beane said, “Usually people begin
to take better care of themselves”
after becoming aware of World
Hunger.
Food Day featured exhibits from
UNCC’s Venture program, The Com-
® u nity Hunger Appeal of Church
World Service (CROP), Bread For
ine World, The Seven-day Adventist
Church, and Nova (a commercial
V1 taniin product.)
Richard Hart of CROP, said his
organization was a development
assistance program to teach hungry
people how to develop their own food
resources and nutritional awareness.
“We don’t just ship food,” Hart said.
“We are a Christian Organization,”
Hart said; “but our effort is not
evangelizing, so much as meeting the
nutritional needs of the people.”
According to Hart, CROP has rais
ed $20,000 locally. Of that sum, 25
percent will be given to help hungry
people in the area, and the remaining
75 percent will help people in other
countries and in other areas of the
United States.
The Seven Day Adventist Church
exhibit specialized in vegetarian cook
ing, offering samples of vegetarian
meat substitutes to anyone who
wanted them. Renee Jenkins said the
Seven Dy Adventist Church did not
require its members to be vegeta
rians, but they do see vegetarian diets
as healthier than a meat protein diet.
After distributing samples of a Soy
Bean Luncheon Loaf flavored like
Corn Beef, Jenkins said the luncheon
food cost less than $1.50 and contain
ed enough food for 16 sandwiches.
Many connoisuers of this food said it
was tasty and had a similar texture to
that of Corn Beef. (Actually the stuff
has a texture something like that of
Corn Beef that’s been in a blender.)
L.C. Brewster at the Venture table
said, “The main reason Venture is
participating in Food Day is, we try
to show people the more nutritional
and the most healthy ways to prepare
them.” Another Venture participant,
Dee Edelman added that it is impor
tant to have healthy food out on the
trail so that nothing goes to waste.
Nova was the only commercial or
ganization at Food Day. Donna Gar
rison a distributor for Nova said,
Nova is the name of a group of nutri
tional products. Nova I consists of
seven vitamins taken daily. The seven
vitamins are sealed in a cellophone
wrapper, and a 30 day supply of them
cost $30. Garrison said “Nova is ideal
for college students due to the stu-
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