PIP: In November 1990, a survey team from the Ok Tedi Mining Medical Department collected 50-100 ml samples of breast milk from 41 lactating mothers living in 4 remote villages (altitude, 600-1500 m) in the Star Mountains of the Western Province of Papua New Guinea. Almost all of the woman had lived their entire lives in total isolation, except for an occasional visit to Tabubil, a town between 5-5 days walking distance. The people in these villages grow their own food and practice primitive agricultural techniques (i.e., hunter gatherer/slash and burn). Gas chromatography tests were used to detect levels of organochlorine residues. DDT was present in all breast milk samples. In fact, the breast milk of 10 women had DDT levels higher than the allowable limit of 1.25/mg/kg fat for cow's milk (1.43-300 mg/kg). Mean total DDT levels were considerably higher in the breast milk of mothers feeding their first child than it was in mothers feeding their second or higher birth order child (1.33 mg/kg vs. .6 mg/kg; p .001). Younger mothers ( 30 years) had higher mean total DDT/levels than did older mothers (.96 mg/kg vs. .63;l p .05). 6 mothers had Heptachlor epoxide in their breast milk (.01-.02 mg/kg), but the levels were below the maximum residual concentration of .15 mg/kg fat. These same mothers all had higher than average DDT levels. They did not come from the same village. It is important to note that no spraying of DDT had occurred in or near any of the villages. 11 women had higher DDT levels than DDE levels, suggesting recent and/or direct exposure, but the researchers could not explain why these women had higher DDT levels. These results show that organochlorines are ubiquitous. The researchers recommend that, since the levels were relatively small and breast milk provides many benefits, the women continue to breast feed.