Document 5bynNM9NGZJpKDK2MjdkQEKKe

s 'Machinist njj^l, 1974 Sidney Margo/lut an Baker Blaleckl ( J. Delargey . M. R. Casque at One of the most disturbing ^ aspects of the controversy over the industrial uses of vinyl chlo ride, a cancer-causing gas recent Hanrahan ly implicated In the deaths of . ft. Henderson N* several workers, b that some Pain ft. Ryan R. Wilkinson U.S. and European corporations and the Manufacturing Chemists Association (MCA), knew of the dangers but withheld these facts for at least a year. This information was made public by one of the country's leading professional associations, the American Chemical Society, in the May 20 issue of its Chemical and Engineering News. In August, 1972, an Italian scientist, Cesare Maltoni, found his first angiosarcoma (a rare form of cancer) in the liver of rats he was testing, the article relates. In January, 1973, a team of three U.S. chemical industry scientists visited Professor Mal toni to learn of his results. I I0 First U.S. reports However, U.S. chemical indus try sources say they were bound b> an agreement under which four European firms controlled release of the animal test data, the report reveals. The first pub lic disclosure of the findings came on Feb. 15, 1974. in the U.S., after B. F. Goodrich's announce ment of three deaths due to angiosarcoma of the liver among workers at its Loubvile, Ky., plant Subsequently, the total number of confirmed liver angiosarcoma cases at other plants in the US. and abroad has risen to 19, in cluding 13 in the US. Based largely on Professor Maltooi's findings, the Occupa tional Safety and Health Admin istration (OSHA) has lowered the permissible worker exposure level of vinyl chloride to 50 parts per million from the previous ceiling of 500 ppm. But the AFL-CIO Industrial Union Department has criticized this standard, and the U.S. Labor Department has pro posed a complete ban on worker exposure to vinyl chloride. Vinyl chloride also has bntn widely used as a propa&ant for many aerosol spray products used by consumers. It now has been banned for this purpose even though the risk involved in this use was said to be relatively small, In general, despite their ad mitted convenience, aerosol spray products have come under in creasing attack for their hazards. Vinyl chloride spray had been used in many hair sprays, some brands of medicated vaporizers, athlete's foot sprays, some antiperspirants and deodorants, wig sprays and cleaners, and even antiseptic room sprays. Previously the Food and Drug Administration had banned aero sol spray cough remedies, usually labeled "decongestant sprays," containing trichloroethanc. This solvent is an anesthetic when in haled and disrupts normal heart beat more rapidly even than chloroform. Another frequent problem b flammability of such sprays and, in some products, the danger of fumes. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reported the case of a woman who used a spray varnish in a small room. l' I. w I I I- t oo The Machinist TW offieM weekly hhmmt t Ik* O International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers AMIItotod wllfc AH-CIO eed CLC WeUtoUH MMte*. tlQO Ceeeecttaet Av*., Wmklegtoe, AC. IMS S*rA M. C*i, Editor An*ci*t: Jam SMm, Deee Re* a*b*H J. Kolotki. Jmrry L. jeWem Art Editor: Victor VM PnbUhr<J weekly except tor the weeks of New Tear'a. Independence P*1, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Hailed to every member of the International Aaaoctalion of UarhinUiU Id accordance with convention and referendum action. Subscription price to non>meniberat $4 per pear. Back copies, ft) cent* each- Prl&ttd in the USA " r C .fa While the vapors were sdU in the air, she lit a cigarette and was nearly consumed in flames. Nowadays aerosol cans are labeled `'flammable" and it can be argued that this woman should have known better than to light a cigarette. But Commissioner Barbara Franklin points out that wMe the can was labeled "flam* saAk," the woman "had no way endowing the vapors were also Labels i--deqmte Without doubt, aerosol hazards are multiplied by inadequate labels. None of the products I have examined say what the pro pellant is, for example, whether the product contains vinyl chlo ride. Despite the recalls, many such products may still be in con sumers* homes and some .may even be on store shelves. Some cans display prominent warnings about flammability, fumes and dangers even f high heat. Others provide only obscure statements in small print some times buried in the instructions. Obviously, the quickest action the gov ernment agencies can take b to require that labels state the kind of propellant and set stand ards for the prominence of warn ings. There are additional dangers In the use of aerosol cans to which consumers need to be alert One b that the can will explode if dropped into a trash fire or in cinerator, or if the can b punc tured. Significantly, vent release devices which will reduce this danger have been available for at least four yean at the cost of a couple of pennies. But even more prominent warnings may not be enough. Some products with hidden dan gers, such as the spray varnish, shouldn't be on the market at alL At least some manufacturers use alternative packages. One Is pump-type hair sprays. They are probably as convenient, and may cost no more or even less since they waste less f the product. Moreover, some manufacturers, who make both kinds, say that the pump type also provides bet ter bolding power for hair than aerosol spray products.