Document 3eNxmyembN0moQmn4MdexNEnO

Monsanto FROM (name-location-phone) Carl Moskowitz - G4WA - 4-8 664 DATE: SUBJ: REF: TO: July 20, 1993 cc: Willert Home Products Complaint M. W. Winkel C. B. Beckmann K. S. Cahill M. W. McCombs L.' J. O'Neill L. W. Wassell The article in the Sunday St. Louis Post Dispatch on Monsanto's success in reducing air emissions that labeled as toxic the chemical used to make mothballs was unfortunate. However, I don't see it as something that could have been prevented. This whole episode stems from Monsanto chosing to be very open about its program to reduce air emissions. As a result, last Thursday, Bob Steyer, the P-D reporter who wrote Sunday's article, was given a briefing on the air emission reductions at our St. Louis plants. Because the gains at Queeny were from closures and Carondelet is small, the focus turned to those gains made at WGK. We can understand and identify with Brian Warner's concern over the linking of mothballs and a toxic chemical. Both Larry O'Neill and Tom Ferry have talked with Brian. They both commented that that type of coverage is one of the difficulties frequently faced by a public company whose daily business dealings are constantly scrutinized by the media. They also emphasized to Brian that Monsanto doesn't write the newspaper articles that report on its business, nor does it get a chance to review them prior to their appearance. In this case, the reporter was adding his knowledge of our business with public information available about our products to Monsanto's efforts to get coverage for the gains made by our employees in reducing air emissions. While it is of no comfort, it is my understanding that, according to Monsanto ESH, PDCB could be cited as a carcinogen. In the briefing with the editor. Max McCombs insisted that's not so and the EPA only classifies PDCB as toxic. As for what PDCB is used to make, that comes from the booklet "Monsanto's 90 Percent Air Emissions Reduction Program" recently released by corporate environmental communications. The PDCB process gains and use are described on page 4. Given Willert's sensitivity on this matter, perhaps we should persuade all concerned to cite a different end use. I hope this information is useful. DSW 134923 STLCOPCB4034882