Document 6JvXNJ966xdRQ3KRpmqGGdj9

CHEMICAL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION (hie.- 2l.i March 20, 1991 Thomas 6. Grumbles Manager, Environmental Affairs Vista Chemical Company P.0. Box 19029 Houston, TX 77224 Dear Mr. Grumbles: In mid-January, I joined CMA's CHEMSTAR Division. One of my responsibilities in the Division will be the management of the OECD Existing Chemicals Voluntary Testing Program. Thank you for expressing interest in becoming a member of aCMA consortium consisting of co-producers of 1-tetradecanol (CAS No. 112721). To bring you up to date on the program: At an OECD meeting in November 1990, fifty-two (52) Phase I chemical dossiers, including existing data and proposed testing plans, were reviewed by representatives of the participating countries. Despite some disagreement concerning exposure criteria, agreement was reached on 45 of the chemical dossiers. Of these, testing decisions were made on 30 chemicals, 10 were deferred, and it was determined that there is no need for Screening Information Data Set (SIDS) testing on the remaining 5. A total of 252 SIDS tests have been proposed. An OECD Exposure Experts meeting is being convened in March 1991 to resolve the disagreements. The January 1991 OECD Extended Steering Group Meeting was postponed because of foreign travel restrictions imposed following the outbreak of the war in the Persian Gulf. The meeting has been rescheduled for March 21-22, 1991, immediately preceding the Experts Meeting on Exposure scheduled for March 25-27,1991, in Paris. As a result both of the postponement and the cited November disagreement, there has been a slight slowing of the program pending resolution of the exposure criteria issue. In the interim, a high level OECD ministerial meeting was held in January. At the latter, member country environmental representatives at the highest level in their respective countries agreed that they remain committed to this OECD program. William Reilly, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, was the U.S. representative. ''''v oooiai 99 2501 M Street, NW, Washington. DC 20037 202-887-1100 Telex 89617 (CMAWSH) Twelve CMA member companies have indicated a willingness to accept lead responsibility for 19 chemicals in Phase II of the OECD HPV Program- Allocation of Phase II chemicals within OECD is to be completed by July 1, 1991, provided there are no further delays. To prepare for the initiation of Phase II, a CHEMSTAR exploratory meeting of representatives from the companies that expressed interest in participating in the Phase II Voluntary Testing Program will be convened between April and June. At this meeting, potential strategies will be developed and avenues for establishing appropriate panels/task groups for the Phase II program will be explored. A definite date for the exploratory session will be set after we learn what transpired at the March OECD meetings. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me. I can be reached at (202) 887-1305. Sincerely, cc: Kathryn A. Rosica Sandra L. Tirey Langley A. Spurlock Carol R. Stack Cecilia W. Spearing Manager OECD Existing Chemicals Voluntary Testing Program 00028200