Document 3NaMZ0kDjqK8yLy4L38mKKY1a
emulsifies the gas and water with a .proprietary chemical emulsifying agent. Dr. Ewbank, who has been working on the process since 1965, says that as much as 13% water can be used with no engine modifica tions ether than minor carburetor adjustments and disconnection of pollution control equipment.
SCI ties together business in Americas
A big hew chemical enterprise spanning North and South America emerges today. Britain's Imperial Chemical Industries is pooling all its operations in those areas into a single company. ICI . Americas, whose sales exceed $1 billion. So that it will not be confused with the new firm. Id's major wholly owned U.S. subsidiary meanwhile has changed its name from ICI .America to iCI United States.
The new structure for ICI's ac tivities in the Western Hemisphere, according to YVilliam B. Duncan, chairman of ICI Americas, will "bring about a closer degree of coordination'4 within the region. "This v-'iit ensure, above all, that management resources of our major companies are available in a mutu ally supportive way to our smaller companies throughout the Ameri cas, paiticularly the developing companies in Latin America,'' he adds.
1CT Americas will tie together five companies operating in North America and six in Latin America. The largest units are Canadian In dustries' Ltd.. Canada's largest chemical company with sales of $385 million last year; ICI United States, with sales of $250 million: and Dupcria! in Argentina, with sales close to $100 million. A Latin American division will look ufter five smaller subsidiaries in Brazil, Mexico, and other Latin American countries, where sales totaled about
Duncan: closer degree of coordination
$100 million. quarters will
ICI be
Americas' headadjacent to ICI
j
Hearings
under
way
United States' facilities in Wilming on vinyl chloride miss
ton. Del.
Mr. Duncan, who had been I The Occupational Safety and
chairman of the former ICI America Health Administration opened
since 1969 and is also a director of public hearings last week on the
parent ICI in England, notes that agency's proposed permanent stan
the new regional organization will dard to reduce worker exposure to
have considerable autonomy. An vinyl chloride to a "no detectable
unusual feature is that its board of level." The hearings promise to be
directors, made up of 15 members long and acrimonious. There are 89
drawn ftom the U.K., the U.S., scheduled panels of witnesses, and
Canada, and Latin America, in questioning is permitted.
cludes nine outsiders who are not A lead-off witness lot the Society
officials of ICI or its affiliates. Presi cf the Plastics Industry, Anton Vit-
dent and chief executive of ICI tone, president of B. F. Goodrich
Americas is Edward J. Goett. who Chemical, argued that there are
had been president of the former "no data showing that exposure
ICI America.
levels as provided under the emer
gency standard [50 p.p.m.j are not
safe and of a low degree of risk."
Airco late entry into
He said that "the proposed perma
02 sewage treatment
nent standard is not technologically feasible and, if adopted, would slt.it
down the industry." 3PI estimates
Although well behind competition that this could result in the loss of
by Union Carbide anu Air Prod 1.7 million to 2.2 million jobs and a
ucts, Airco is entering the poten loss of domestic production vain? of
tially huge new market for oxygen 365 million to StK) million annually.
and oxygen technology in wastewa In place of OSHA's proposed per
ter treatment with a new system it manent standard. Mr. Vktone pro
calls F30 {forced free-fall oxygen poses a stepped reduction for-work
ation). Like its competitors, Airco er exposure in polyvinyl chloride
initially is aiming at new and resin plants tha would lower the
upgraded municipal wastewater ceiling to 40 p.p.m. this year and to
treatment plants. However, the 25 p.p.m. by iate 1976. His pro
company aiso is designing the F30 posed standards for monomer
system for use in chemical, pulp plants are a ceiling exposure of 25
and paper, hydrocarbon, and food p.p.m. for 1974 and of 10 p.p.m. for
processing wastewater plants.
late 1975.
Recognizing the handicap of However, United Rubber Work
being third into the business be ers president Peter Boramarito to'd
hind the four-vear-old Ur,ox system the hearing that the "Government's
of Union Carbide and the two-year- goal of `no detectable level' for
old Oases system of Air Products, vinyl chloride is both necessary and
Airco vice president Warren Fran feasible." Characterizing the Indus
cis says, "We wanted to bring try prediction of economic doom as
something [new) to the party.'' Mr. blackmail, ?lr. Bomniarito con,
Francis' points to four distin tends that although some of the
guishing characteristics of the F3Q eider plants might have difiku'ily
system; compact modular design justifying major alterations, "newer
(the system can sit like a box in the plants nave a different problem
corner of an existing aeration tank), characterized by the will, not the
lower capital cost and less plant al ability, to do the job." The labor
teration, increased safety front oxy position drew support from a draft
gen-triggered explosions, and im environmental impact statement
mediacy of operation.
prepared by the Department of
These points make F=G particu Labor, which concludes that 1 no
larly suited for upgrading existing evidence to date indicates that pro
city sewage plants. Airco will push mulgation of the proposed standard
hard on the system's quick installa will stop vinyl production and use."
tion at relatively low cost (8! <`0.000 What effect testimony at the
per million gallons a 'day of plant hearing will have on OSHA's final
capacity), its favorable energy use permanent standard remains to be
(the same as or less than an exist seen. But Daniel P. Boyd, direct or
ing treatment plant), and irsabiliiv )/ the office of standards develop-
to rfautsie or triple the rapacity of -rnent for OSHA. stud that in pre
existing plants. The first municipal paring the final -standard, which
lest of the Airr-o system will be a must be set by Oct. 5, OSHA
two module installation at Wayne, would consider the uvo;!;:Hl)iy arid
N.J., that will start up in August.
cost of appropriate technology.
T006ET6-2
July 1. isv.t osen