Document 6Byg032V5oxw3Km7aayEXEX8o

HILL AND KNOWLTON, Inc. Producers vow to fight OSHA proposal; SPI urges_hearing of industry viewpoint / By Bob Benchley,'E Associate Editor New York--The response of the plastics industry to the Department of Labor's pro posed "no detectable level" vinyl chloride standard is one of dismay. Calling the standard "ex cessively and unrealistically restrictive," theJSociety of the Plastics Industry (SPI) is urging fEe Department to hold hearings to allow indus try to present plans both to insure worker safety and to continue operating. The first flush of comments from in dustry makes such hearings appear inevitable. The initial reaction of many producers has been heated, with some seeing the proposed standard as a threat to the future of PVC. "We would be unable to operate under this level, and we doubt anyone else could," says a spokesman for Good year Tire & Rubber Co. Whatever the initial reaction, however, / the. prod*ucers' co n- cem is twofold: technologi cal compliance and economic compliance. "No detectable level" is the standard's requirement, but as one industrial lab man points out: "It depends on how the level is being meas- FOOD AND DRUG PACKAGING NEW YORK, N. Y. W. 35,000 JUIJ 6 1974 ured. `No detectable level' is not necessarily zero." And in deed, the Department of La bor notes that levels up to IJj parts per million will be per U)mitted. (See related story, p. "The technology for meas uring these levels is availa ble," says Dr. Donald Lassi- - ter of the Department's Oc cupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). "Several methods can be used to obtain an accurate sampling. Companies can use any one they choose and even send samples out for analysis. We're not trying to break anyone by forcing him to buy expensive equipment." Even so, say industry spokesmen, the age of a plant can be a major factor in com pliance. The newer plants, which have better ventila tion, will have less trouble complying than older plants that may need extensive-- and expensive -- renovations. 23217022 BFG24309 j ,\ND KNOWLTON, Inc. "I don't think any plant can comply," says Harry Con nors, general -manager of Di amond Shamrock Chemical Co.'s Plastics Div. "We can build new plants, but how. long will that take? The pro posed standard is unneces sary, anyway. The data just doesn't indicate toxicity at low levels. Besides being ex pensive, compliance could also pose new problems. Even if we could get our workers to wear respirators and protective clothing, they might make them clumsy and cause accidents." The expenses involved in compliance worry everyone, partly because of the in creased manufacturing costs, partly because passing these costs along to the customer- may result m lost business. "A standard this strict would definitely raise the price of PVC," says Wallace Howells, national sales manager, Poly mer Group, Ruco Div., Hook er Chemical Co. "With cur rent supply problems, we're already getting close to the price of glass. It's a basic problem of protecting your livelihood." The costs of compliance may separate those who are committed to sticking with PVC from those who are not, viys A1 Keller, market man<crr, M&T Chemicals Co., a major supplier of stabilizers. Hie big resin producers are 'motional right now," he tells l'xm & Dnuc Packaging, Tut compliance is not im|x>'sihle. They can do it if thry have to. It's a matter of l^tiding money and taking t>'-<-anlions. Vinvl chloride is rut too big a business to shut <Wn over an OSHA rule.' Mr. Keller adds, as dc others, that the immeresult may be a tempo- **'. `apaeity problem a< '* "<frs either begin com or drop out of tin trAr*' Ibis shortage couk rm,"m<'rs scurrying t< 4< turers of alternativi U admit the> n.aior sh0rtage prob 'twinsclves "We've had an unusual number of inquiries," says Don Hall, product manager for Vistron Corp.'s Barex high-barrier resin. "Many companies are concerned about PVC and rightfully so. Other materials will have to take up the slack if the PVC producers start losing busi ness, but everyone has a sup ply problem." Jim Alberts, vice president, marketing, Rexene Polymers says inquiries about polypro pylene have also been heavy. "It's a question of production and availability," he says. "There's just no volume." The plastics industry, meanwhile, is taking steps of its own. An economic impact survey is now being prepared for SPI by the Arthur D. Lit tle, Inc. consulting firm and is expected to be completed in mid-July. The PVC pro ducers have also formed an ad hoc committee to repre sent them, and the Depart ment of Labor says that the storm of protest over the pro posed standard has been so fast and furious that there is "no way" hearings this sum mer can be avoided. The pro ducers are said to be hoping to obtaii a compromise level of 20 to 30 parts per million. The outcome now remains to be seen, but some produc ers expect the excitement will die down. "It's blown way out of proportion," says one. "We found one part per mil lion in the air 20 miles from j our plant. The levels of lethal 1 hydrocarbons and lead were . much higher. Where's the ' logic?" BFG24310 w O CJ