Document 2jLD8bj2RR4MrVpRjG8O0ON2L
292 Madison Avenue
SJ~ ir y! p' $
New York, N.Y. 10017 Telephone: (2I 12) 679-6020
July 3# 1968
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COJTFTDEHTIAL
Bs: Ambient Air Standard for Lead
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For the last several years, there has been increasing interest on the problem of air pollution. Hie question of lead in the atmosphere'has received a great deal of attention. The Lead Industries Association has participated in many meetings including Senate hearings during this time, and has consis tently taken the position that insufficient evidence vas at hand to Justify the creation of anbient air standards for lead.
. In spite of our efforts - and in spite of on-the-spot testimony for
the lead position (except in Dallas), the States of Pennsylvania and Montana
and the city of Dallas have seen fit to establish a standard for lead in the
atmosphere at 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air averaged over a 3-day
period. The adoption of the same standard for Albuquerque, Hew Mexico and its
county seems Inminent.
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, In more recent months, scientists and others interested in air pollu- .
tlon have taken a new and definite stand on this matter and as of this date,
it is fact that there is general agreement among a large majority of those _
concerned, that a properly conservative standard for lead in the atmosphere -
should - on the basis of today's knowledge - be established at 10 micrograms
per cubic meter of air averaged over 30 days, rather than the 20 micrograms
per cubic meter averaged 30 days for which LIA has been most recently pressing
as with the American industrial Hygiene Association.^
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A supervisory committee appointed by the Board of Directors has met
with the LIA staff and, on hearing all of the facts as presently exist, has %
agreed that the LIA should accede to the Judgment of others outside of the in
dustry, though stressing that any standard should be considered "tentative"
until more data Is available from programs now underway - as through XLZBD and
others.
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Die purpose of this letter is to report the present status of this y situation, and that LIA will continue its work in the field, though now in a y position where it must accept the majority position, at least for the presenti
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LIA02349
Attached hereto la a chronological Hating of recent and pertinent
eventa. Pleaae feel free to vrite me on thia queation.
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Sincerely,
Aubrey M. Callia Prealdent
NO OTHER COPY TO YOUR COMPANY UNLESS INDICATED.
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CONFITOENTIAL
July. 3, 1968
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LISTING OF SIGNIFICANT DEVELOHENTS SINCE 1963 AS KEIATED TO IZAD IN THE AHOSPEBRE
1. . December 10, 1963
LIA established Health and Safety Information Service - $*0,000 in budget for 1964. Primary purposes to distribute Information on lead toxi cology and to counteract misleading statements in professional as veil as popular press. Kettering Abstracts and first of the "Facts Bulletins" vere prepared as a result.
2. December 15, 1964
Directors budgeted $35*000 for conduct Information Service during 1965.
of Health and Safety
3. September, 1965
C. C. Patterson published in the Archives of Environmental Health his paper "Contaminated and Natural Lead Environments of Man." This vas picked up by the New York Times, among others, and has caused much concern. (The story of" lead in recent vs. ancient polar snow and ice.)
4. December 7, 1965 .
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LIA Board of Directors approved $111,000 for 1966 expenditures in Health and Safety Public Relations Program and engaged public relations' firm of Hill and Knovlton to advise and act. Also approved $31,500 additional for continuance of Health and Safety Information Service.
5. December 13/15* 1965
Symposium on Environmental Lead Contamination sponsored by U. 8. Public Health Service. Papers and discussion on lead contamination of air, vater and food. Ho nev data presented but recommendations made on all aspects of lead's use. LIA attended. : .
.6 January 13, 1966
At Georgia Tech, V. G. MacKenrie, Chief of Division of Air Pollu
tion, USHE stated that December, 1965 symposium vas first step In needed re
examination by government, industry, and scientific community of total problem
of environmental lead contamination. Question of lead in'gasoline Introduced,
Entire subject receiving attention at highest levels of government as indicated
by November, 1965 report of Environmental -Pollution Panel of the President's
Science Advisory Ccemlttee vhlch included a proposal for registration of fuel
additives not consumed during combustion.
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July 3, 1968
7* April 6, 1966
Dr. R. I. Larsen, U5FHS presented a paper "Air Pollution from
Motor Vehicles" at a meeting of the Rev York Academy of Sciences citing
Russian action in establishing standard of 0.7 microgrsms per cubic meter of
air for a 2k-hour period - astandard not accepted by any other country.
LIA attended.
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8. May 17/19, 1966
Paper by Dr. Harriet Hardy, MIT "Problems Posed by Environmental Contamination with Lead" at meeting of Massachusetts Medical Society, Boston. Dr. Hardy has expounded, on many occasions, on her concern for the effects of lead on segments of the population such as the ill, pregnant women, etc. LIA attended.
9. June 7 through 15 1966
U. S. Senate Subcommittee Hearings on air and water pollution (Muskie Consnittee) emphasis on lead. Several solid days of testimony before Senator Muskie and his associates - C. C. Patterson appeared and repeated his earlier fears. Felix Woraser testified on behalf of LIA (copy of Wormser's testimony to all members at that time). LIA attended.
10. July 27. 1966
Representatives of the lead industry, American Petroleum Institute
and USHIS met and agreed to fora a committee to be known as the U8HIS Lead
Liaison Committee to monitor all lead studies, plan future ones and act as
clearing house for information on subject. Subsequently, January 12, 1967
this conmlttee was Instrumental in initiation of studies similar to tbe
Three City Study and that involving human exposure at Kettering Laboratory,
University of Cincinnati.
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11. October 18/19, 1966
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Paper "Lead Research: Current Medical Developments" presented
by Dr. Stoppe of Du Pont at annual meeting of Industrial Hygiene Foundation.
This paper reported "no adverse effect on health of workers in TEL industry."
LIA has distributed copies.
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12. Hovember 1, 1966
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Paper covering World Health Organization Study cm blood and urine measurements presented by Doctors Qoldvater and Hoover of Columbia University at AHIA Annual Meeting. This paper emphasized that body lead in remote areas of the world as Hew Guinea are as high as in many highly industrialized areas.
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July 3, 1968
12. Wovember 1, 1966 (continued)
Also, that there lias been no significant change In blood and urine lead levels during the past three decades. LIA has reprinted this paper and distributed it videly.
13. December 7, 1966
LIA* s Board of Directors approved the raising of $200,000 for 1967 expenditures as total to cover Health and Safety Information Service Program along vlth the Public Relations Program.
14. December, 1966
LIA made broad distribution of paper "Lead In the Environment" by Dr. J. C. Calandra. ibis paper had been presented at the Annual Meeting of LIA March 30/April 1, 1966. The author concluded "Amounts of Lead from all sources to vhich the general population is exposed do not constitute a health
hazard."
- 15. January 30 > ~1967
President Johnson spoke to Congress on air pollution calling for registration of all fuel additives vith the Secretary of HEW.
16. Early 1967
A survey on "Public Knowledge and Attitudes on Lead" conducted through Hill and Knovlton for LIA during Hoveaber, 1966 indicated that a far larger segment of the population believes lead is "harmful to health" than has knowledge of any of lead's major and beneficial uses.
1J. January, 1967
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API background paper "Lead in the Environment" as developed by
Ccemlttee on Public Affairs of API was prepared and distributed. Oils paper
is intended as a ready reference source in answering questions on lead from
automotive engines.
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18. January 19. 1967
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Public Hearing, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania by Pennsylvania Air
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Pollution Coanl88lon. Proa this meeting came. (April 25, 1967) Pennsylvania
Tentative Ambient Air Quality Standard for Lead at 5 micxograma per cubic meter . '
of air averaged over 30 days. Ur. Kehoe, as an individual in connection vlth
lead, testified at the January meeting, pointing out that the Pennsylvania
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Commission's calculations should have yielded l8 micrograms instead of 8.3 In his opinion, the Commission bad used his data Incorrectly. LIA attended the Harrisburg hearings and assisted in the preparation of Dr. Kehoe's statement.
19. May 27, 1967
Hie State of Montana adopted the same standard as Pennsylvania for lead in the atmosphere. Testimony assisted by LIA vas instrumental in raising the standard from an originally proposed 1 microgram to the 5 micrograms adopted. Note: It is believed on good evidence that the influence of the USPHS was substantially involved in both the Pennsylvania and Montana situations
20. March, 1967 (Released June, 1967)
State of California report "Lead in the Environment and Its Effects on Humans." This report made recommendations that steps be taken to prevent an increase of emissions of lead from gasoline and that studies be undertaken on the feasibility of reducing and/or eliminating lead additives. It stated also that an ambient air standard for California is needed as soon as possible.
21. May 16, 1967
An excellent paper "A Look at the Economics of Manufacturing Unleaded Gasoline" as presented at a meeting of the API.
22. Spring 1967
Mobil Oil Corporation published a primer on air pollution including a section on the need for lead in gasoline. LIA has distributed copies to the members.
23. Spring 1967
National Society for Clean Air, London, England, published "Air Pollution from Motor Vehicles." Factual and excellent summary includes several sections on lead additives and repeats "there is no evidence yet that lead additives in petrol give rise to toxic lead emissions in motor vehicle exhaust."
2k. October, 1967
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USA Standards Institute Z-37 Ccnsaittee met to consider proposed
change in Threshold Limit Value for Lead in Air. LIA proposed standard for in
dustrial exposures at 200 micrograms. However, two government representatives
suggested that the standard should be reduced from 200 to 100 micrograms per
cubic meter. Presently, the 200 figure is being readied for a comprehensive
letter ballot.
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JUly 3, 1968
25 October, 1967
. U. S. Department of Commerce Issued a report "Hie Automobile and Air Pollution." Of particular Interest Is the recommendation that the Federal Government establish standards for lead in gasoline vhich will prevent any further increase in the total quantity of lead emitted to the atmosphere.'
26. December 5 > 1961
LIA Budget Meeting for 1968. The Directors approved the expenditure
of ^75,000 raised in 1967 and not expended for the continuation of the Health and Safety Public Relations Program during 1968.
27. January, 1968
LIA published and initiated what is developing into a wide dis tribution of "Facts About Lead and the Atmosphere."
28. Winter and Spring 1968
Ambient Air Quality Guide for Lead under preparation by Ccmnittee of American Industrial Hygiene Association. Fowler of LIA has been commissioned to prepare an ambient air quality guide for lead and on April 16, 1968 reviewed the matter with the LIA Health and Safety Committee who recommended the sub mission of the standard based on 20 micrograms per cubic meter of air averaged over 30 days.
Discussion at this April l6th meeting suggested some dlssatlsfac- . tlon vlth the figure 20 but the recommendation held for submission to AIHA.
29. May 14t 1968
AIHA Subcommittee on Ambient Air Quality Standards net and strong ;
opposition to the submission of 20 developed. It becaae apparent that the *raT.
Industry felt strongly that 20 was too high and that 10 should be the number
included in the air quality guide.
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30. June 5, 1968
New York meeting arranged by API, Air Pollution Control Association,
and AIHA. At this meeting it became apparent that LIA was alone in Its support
of 20 for the ambient air standard for lead.
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31. June 13, 1968
Advisory Committee appointed by the LIA Board met vlth LIA staff to consider the situation in Its entirety. It vas agreed that Fowler should maintain his position with the AIHA Committee and discharge his obligation to prepare an ambient air standard for lead, using the number 10, but emphasizing that this should be considered as a tentative standard and that the matter should be re-examined when the results of continuing and expanded research are more clearly defined and conclusive, and that his reservations on this matter should be made a part of the permanent record of the AIHA deliberations.
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