Document 6BaY1NXxa3nq6YrgKBrZKkxb3

DOW CHEMICAL U.S.A. 2020 DOW CENTER Ma.rch 5, 1973 ' -DON CONFIDENTIAL MIOLANO, MICHIGAN (186AO C. A. Gerstacker Executive Department MCA - VINYL CHLORIDE MONOMER Under a secrecy agreement, certain members of MCA (list attached) have received information from ICI, Montedison, Solvay, Rhone-Progil, concerning the toxicity of vinyl chloride. Dow believes this information should be disclosed to the U. S. Government for the following reasons: - 1. It would be extremely damaging to the chemical industry reputation if someone should discover that we have this information and have not disclosed it to the Government. 2. We must obtain data to refute, or explain the European data. Participation by the Government in designing the tests will commit them to the results. If we proceed with testing solely by the industry, chances are that the Government will recommend that further testing should be done. o co oo I am contacting leadership people in MCA who have the in formation from Europe and who have involvement with monomer, with pve, or with both. Hopefully they will agree with Dow's recommended course of action, in which event we will obtain the concurrence of the other MCA members who have received the European information. We would then go to the European manufacturers and ask or insist upon being re leased from the secrecy obligation. The final step would be the U- S. industry, going to the Government. If you discuss this at your MCA meeting, I would remind you that only those companies on the attached list are entitled to information about this subject. I would strongly recom mend that any discussion be limited to those people. Driver and Best of MCA could be included in this.group. G. u. Williams Attachment AN OPERATING UNIT Of THE OOW CHEMICAL. COMPANY 4w *> - <% 3-5-73 MCA MEMBERS Research Proiect Air Products Allied Chemical Borden Chemical Conoco Diamond Dow Ethyl Exxon Firestone Goodrich Goodyear Monsanto Olin PPG Shell Stauffer Tenneco Union Carbide Uniroyal /'///W/S/Q s. a/r of co y sSAAST z C**>0 RH`*+Ah/ o/t ?VA^ei.L /</? O&Crf/? o>A /So <-v EK oA 23 So CO O CO CD -J, Ol *