Document 3N7yg799pYq0MzGQrEn74EpB3

Mran Beacon ioi.MuI H 5 24M 1001 ew Rules Stir Dispule: tow TBP. J1 l(lHAS C4^'sr By DAVID HESS1 **<ea Journal YJsuunj'*' WASHINGTON - The first dear warning lhat vinyl chloride -- a basic building block in countless household items -- was dangerous to factory workers came last Winter. standard could be developed. In the meantime, Bio-Test Laboratories of Northbrook, HI., released the findings of its preliminary research on the impact of VC on mice. Some laboratory mice, Bio plants and 36 plants which polymerize the monomer into polyvinyl chloride." IN ADDITION, said Good rich's Philip J. Weaver, "there are at least 3,000 and possibly 4,000 . . . ownermanaged small businesses" engaged in various phases of the PVC processing industry. dustry lawyers cast doubt on assertions that the technology exists and questioned the va lidity of laboratory research on mice and other small mammals. "We all must be aware of `We have both cal and medical aspects of the problem. A FIRESTONE public rela tions man, asked about the company's strategy, issued a three-sentence press release, stating in .part: "We believe that statements with those ac curacy or relevance we dis agree should be challenged." - That, of course, is what a firmed cases, he went on. were reported in the United States, with the remainder in Europe. In addition to the seven cases at Goodrich's. Louisville plant, Dr. Key said, there have been three cases at Goodyear's plant in Niagara Falls, N. Y., two cases at the Union Carbide plant in South Alarmed officials of the Na tional Institute of Occupation al Safety and Health (NIOSH) "These typically small com panies," Weaver added, "do not generally have tlie highly our jobs and public'fact-finding hearing is Charleston, W. Va., and one all about. case at Firestone's plant in But one NIOSH official was . Pottstown, Pa. notified the U. S. Labor De partment that seven B. P. t scientific capabilities required for detection of vinyl chlor lives at stake' overheard remarking, "They One of the major difficulties (industry lawyers) Seem to be in diagnosing the disease and Goodrich Chemical Co. work- . ide" at the level proposed by trying to build a case that vi tracing its cause, Dr. Key ers in Louisville, Ky., had died of a rare liver fcancer, called angiosarcoma. The death, NIOSH told offi cials of the Federal Occupa tional Safety and Health Ad ministration (OSHAl, were al most certainly licked to pro longed exposure to vinyl chloride gas.\ VINYL CflLOEIDE gas is tlie basic ingredient in polyvi nyl chloride (PVC), a plastic Peter Bommarito Test reported, exposed over several months to 130 ppm of VC had developed liver can cer. the government. Beyond that, other officials said, there are scores of spin off companies, engaged in the distribution and merchan dising of plastic products, that also would collapse if the manufacturers shut down- In response to this testimo ny, Peter I. Bommarito, pres ident of United Rubber Work ers International, accused the industry oi trying to "black- -- Peter Bommarito the inherent uncertainties of extrapolating from animals to humans." Vittone said. Though FiresUr.e Plastics Co. has net yet made its for mal presentation to OSHA, or.e of its lawyer ,' `Vaker B. Conn repeatedly ad vaiio. -don and gcve.-_.isnt nyl chloride is just harmless said, is its long period of la- stuff." . tency. Most of the afflicted World-wide, NIOSH director plastic workers, he said, had Marcus M. Key told the hear been on the job for 23 years. ing examiners, 19 cases of liver cancer among PVC and VC workers have been con firmed. The incidence of the disease is many-fold higher among plastics workers than among the general population, MEDICAL researchers, de spite doubts raised by seme industry figures, are certain of one tiling: that long expose to VC causes angiosarcoma or lesser live.- ailments. where only 20 or 30 cases a Dr. Irving J. Sebkotf, of year are detected. Dr. Key Mt. Sinai Medical # School said. New York City, helped set up used in making everything from baby bottles to automo bile dashboards. The finished plastic products are not sus ON MAY 10, OSHA propoMsAeHd aa nneeww rpeemrmaanneenntt vviinnyvll chloride standard, to be effec tive Oct. 5, reducing the al mail" government into backing away from the stand witnesses' on bod; the techni ard with threats of dire ec- nomic consequences. ; Thirteen of the 19 con clinical examinations or 354 pected of causing any dis ease, unless they are heated, or sawed, in which case they lowable amount to a "no de tectable" level. In practical terms, this means about 1 or "If PVC cannot be made ! jand used safely," Bommarito jsaid, "then the proposed could release VC gas or PVC 2 parts per million of VC in standard must be replaced by j ... resins, thought to be hazard the air. an orderly-procedure to phase i ous. Within three weeks after OSHA's proposal was greet ed with howls ` of protest in out vinyl chloride production and find substitutes ... We have both our jobs ar.d our I learning of the hazard. OSHA convened public hearings, in mid-February, to examine the mounting evidence and study the recommendations of Fede r a l researchers, industry chemists and labor onion offi- the plastic, chemical and rub ber industries. For the past several days, OSHA has been conducting hearings on the proposed "no detectable level" standard. Anton Vittone, president of lives at stake -. The vital i organs of 'oar bodies are not j for sale." i. But Bommarito's argument j was not pegged solely to the } contention that the PVC in- j jdustry should be scrapped. In March. OSKA teams in spected several pleats making a id processing VC and PVC. Ts.T'. Loobricr. unemicaT anci chairman of the Society of the Plastics Industry vinyl chloride commutes, told hear HE ALSO argued that the technical ability to comply with the standard already ex ists in most instances. Ar.d By earl)' April, C'HSA issued ing examiners: where it doesn't, he said, the an emergency temporary "Tiie committee is unani industry could readily develop standard, lowering the per- mous in its position that the the capability if it. quit com nilsVb'.e level of VC from 5G5 proposed permanent standard plaining and got to work on to 50 parts per million in the is not technologically feasible, it. ar of factories. and. if adopted, would shut "The ruhber workers of down the industry." America," Bommarito told TV 53 ppm standard was a Officials from different reporters later, "are willing sWr-gv.p, designed to reduce companies estimated that to help solve this problem if t;ie risk uniil a nsrmar.ent . from 1.6 to 2.2 million work the companies.will let us." ers would be put out of work f But the testimony of indus of the government standard try spokesmen, at this point, i were imposed. . does not signal a condUazory "In the' United States." said Ralph Tj. Harding, Jr., presi- dent of ^ie Society of Plastics mood. Both ia commeats..submit-, ted ft*" the record arid iii Qies- r "thc'r* workers exposed to vinyl chloride. "These workers," he said, "demonstrated a significant prevalence of liver abnormal!t i e s l peripheral vascular (vein) changes, and lung ab- over a period of 17 years, 24 had died -- including th. se who had liver cancer and a fourth who died of complica tions stemming from liver disease. The issue confronting ;he government is how much ex posure to tiie. gas is hazard ous? t Anton VTffCue normalities. The latter reflect exposure to poly chloride dust, rather the the monomer gas." A saarch of the recor; former workers at the . pi a jit. Dr. SaUkojr turret up the finding TUB COMPANIES say that no evidence exists to show that prolonged exposure to 50 parrs per million is harmful to human beings. But government ar.d private researchers are not so sure about that. "It man responds to low level exposure ... as has the rodent. Dr. ri. F. Krayr.il; of me Naitcntu Can cer Institute said, coi-iinurus exposure to oprr. :or man would have h tiur :::z-jr-;n" ;mv cancer. ' T e *> e S:'3 h r t T n- BFG29451