Document 2vG2eoRaGkdN4wRDXXNqya4r

Washington snJi!assr Chemical companies denounce an oil import tax crosome plate mutation assay--that have "shown Increasing congressional interest in a fee or tax on some promise in preliminary evaluations" and that oil imports is causing a new wave of concern among cost less than $50,000. That cost is well below the chemical companies. Although President Reagan re nearly $1 million for long-term carcinogenicity tests jected a tax increase in his State of the Union mes in two species of rodents. The report was the product sage, a senior administration official says the Presi of a cooperative effort between groups as diverse as dent has an open mind about a possible new tax the Animal Political Action Committee and the Chem within a tax reform package--as long as the result is ical Industry Institute of Toxicology, which served on revenue neutral. Senator Bob Packwood (R., Ore.), OTA's advisory panel. The OTA report suggests a chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, told Rea number of ways in which Congress could promote gan recently that some new revenue source will be alternatives to animal research, including tax policies, needed to make the reform package come into bal research grants, legislative mandates and oversight ance. And with world oil prices plunging, The Presi f"gendes- 6WW dent has seemed receptive to an oil import fee. How ever, in a letter to Reagan, Union Carbide Chairman FDA reverses itself on polyvinyl chloride packaging Warren M. Anderson warns that any tax on imported The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is with oil would lead to an increase in domestic energy drawing a proposed regulation that would have prices. Anderson contends that a new tax would lead banned the use of polyvinyl chloride in articles, such to more chemical plant shutdowns in the U. S., and as bottles and sheet, that come in contact with food. more plants being opened in other countries, "An FDA says manufacturers have reduced the carcino import tax would place a double burden on the U. S. genic vinyl chloride monomer residue in the plastic by petrochemical industry," Anderson maintains. "The a factor of nearly 1 million. Also, FDA has changed industry would pay once for the higher-priced oil and its previously rigid interpretation of the Delaney other hydrocarbon fuels it uses as raw materials for Clause of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, making chemicals and plastics, and pay again for which forbids the addition of any cancer-causing sub process fuel for its plants." stance at any level to food. It is now permitting between 5 parts per billion (ppb) and 10 ppb of the EPA is urged to step up biotech research residue, depending on the plastic's use. FDA's action A scientific advisory panel to the Environmental Pro follows a similar one announced Dec. 16, 1985, under tection Agency has recommended that the agency which the agency will continue to allow methylene establish a biotechnology research program "larger chloride to be used in the extraction of caffeine from and broader" than its current $5.7 million/year ef coffee, even though the present 10 parts per million ! fort, The panel believes that would enable the agency (ppm) residue level would result in about 0.1 ppm of to make more accurate predictions about a genetical the carcinogenic chemical in each 5-oz cup of decaf ly engineered organism's survivability, growth, ge feinated coffee, FDA's new reading of the Delaney netic transfer, dispersal, and likely environmental Clause, which it says allows a de minimis interpreta and health effects, and to find ways to contain and tion of risk, has been challenged by Representative possibly destroy harmful organisms. Ted Weiss (D., N. Y.), who says that Congress intend ed no exceptions to its "absolute prohibition" of carci OTA finds ways to reduce animal testing nogenic food additives. Animal-rights groups and their adversaries in science and industry have long been polarized over the use The sale of Conrail may be derailed in the House and treatment of animals during research and test The Senate overwhelmingly approved, 54-39, the sale ing. However, they are now finding common ground of Conrail to Norfolk Southern (NS) Corp. But get in developing alternatives to expensive, animal-based ting House approval of the deal won't be easy. Repre toxicity testing. A recent study by Congress's Office sentative James J. Florio (D., N.J.), who heads the of Technology Assessment (OTA), entitled "Alterna House Energy & Commerce Committee's transporta tives to Animal Use in Research, Testing and Educa tion subcommittee, is dissatisfied with both the $1.2 tion," says that by performing tests that are "more billion NS offer and a competing, higher offer by an predictive of carcinogenicity than testing with ani investment group put together by Morgan Stanley. A mals, the savings could be enormous." In particular, deadlock would leave the railroad, formed in 1976 the report mentions a battery of tests--including the from several bankrupt Eastern railroads, in the Ames test, which is a Salmonella typhimurium/mi- hands of the government. 70 Chemical Week/Febaiary 12. 1986 R&S 029240