ENVIRONMENT

French Fry Makers Accused of Polluting Water: Processing plants that turn out french fries for the fast-food restaurants are contaminating water supplies and menacing the public health in Washington and Oregon, a research group reported. “McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s and similar chains have helped create a production process that threatens human health and the environment,” said Bill Bean, president of the Columbia Basin Institute, which sponsored the study. Only about half of each potato is used to make restaurant-quality french fries, and ground water in the Columbia Basin area has been “massively contaminated” by nitrates from decomposing potato waste, the report said.