Document 7M8adpNOyzKrLEdrVGd7L0j8e

WOE CHEMICAL MwAnR.rK.EhTIoNGtAETORTER FEB 2 1976 PCB's Problem Fuels Drive For Toxic Substances Laws Problems resulting from contaml- nation of the environment by polychlo* rinated biphenels (PCB'i) were the fuel used last week by Administration spokesmen to stoke the fires under Congress to act favorably-and soonon a broad toxic substances control bill still smoldering In Senate and House committees. Although UnMiBto Company. olt pro ducer of PCB's In this country intends to phase out production as soon as an ade quate substitute Is available, arguments presented to the House Merchant Marine Committee by top officials of the Interior Department and Environmental Protection Agency were that this Is not enough-au thorities need to curb ell chemical hasards to health and the environment. Whether the Senate end House commit tees considering the toxic substances bills will take early action is not cloar at this time, but talk among members of tho Mer chant Marine Committee following its hear ings last week was that it might grab tha ball and bring in a bill of its own, limited to Continued on Page tt MOMS 032010 Although there li sufficient end perexylene capacity to m pated demand, the big question b panics competing in the | DMT/PTA arena la the ultimate availabil ity of the mixed xylenes, raw materiel (or perexylene production. Gasoline demand is expected to resume strong growth in the US as well as Western Europe. This will have the effect of lncreasInf the demand for mixed xylenes ee blend ing stock. West Germany's new law limit ing lead levals In gasoline is already res tricting aromatic bloodstock availability In the Common Market* The US demand Coattnuad on Page II CD A 1/11>!#**! ftsfcMt K. Mmt, who ha, mm aMdlnfc .. MMirttvt alnelw Ik* pi**M*M'i flea far SAW Wyendette Corporation. Gov. Carey Eases Stand HONS 031011 PCB's Problem Osuftaied from 9 restricting PCB's us* In this country bemum of their throat to fisheries and wild life which com* undor thin committee's ju risdiction. Administration spokesmen, how ever. argued against this piecemeal appraoch to the problem. Office of Management k Budget, mean while, has prepared a series of amend ments to the McCollister bill, HR 7664, which were to be forwarded to the House Interstate Commerce Committee by the end of last week. The Administration has endorsed the McCollister bill In principal over the Eckhardt bill, 10318, and the Tunney bill In the Senate. S 776. EPA Administrator Russell Train In tes tifying on the PCB situation and detailing the steps the agency has taken to curb PCB usee, explained that all of the toxic sub stance control bills pending contain essen tial authority which would greatly strength en the government's hand in controlling the problem of toxic substances entering the environment. They would require EPA to keep track of chemical substances being manufactur ed processed or Imported. They would re quire the testing of chemicals which appear to pose a risk to health or the environment and are not covered adequately by other laws. Immediate aotion could be taken against particularly hasardous chemicals. Pood It Drug Administration, which is expected to be called for testimony later by the committee, will be asked what it is doing to meet the problem of food supplies contaminated by the chemical, particularly fish. At the present time the PDA tolerance for PCB's in food is five parts per million,. Recently, Canada reduced its tolerance to two ppm. PDA Is reported to be considering a reduction in Us tolerance level and will be asked about this by the committee. Monsanto's plans to get out of the PCB business were announced to the House com mittee by the firm's representative William B. Papageorge. After reciting the steps the company has taken voluntarily to curb salsa and uses of the chemicals, he said Monsanto has informed the U8 capacitor and transformer industries of Its intentions, but gave no timetable. These Industries are the only ones Monsanto has boon selling PCB's to since 1973. "Monsanto has no doslre to remain in the PCB manufacturing business any long er than Is necessary," Mr. Papageorge said. "By this we moan that as soon as we are satisfied that the electrical power sup ply Industry's needs for usable, acceptable alternate dielectric fluids have been met by whomever. Monsanto will vetuntarUy shut down Its PCB manufacturing unit Nathaniel P. Reed, assistant Interior secretary for fish and wildlife, made a vig orous plea before the committee for legisla tion to place a "national ban on all domest ic and Imported PCB's." Citing figures of PCB contamination of fish In waters in the districts of a number of the committee members, Mr. Reed said that "we must have as our goal the elimina tion of PCB's from the environment as rap idly ae possible. 1 recommend that the criti cal or essential use of PCB's in transform ers and capacitors be immediately and crit ically reviewed In the light of current po tential replacement products." He was strongly supported during the following two days of the hearings by testi mony from a number of environmental pro tection groups reciting the effects of PCB's on important species of food fish and birds. Mr. Reed said, however, that If the FDA should lower the permissible contamination level to the two ppm established by Canada it win mean the end of commercial fishery in the Great Lakes. . MONS Q3ZQH PERFUME & FLAVORING MATERIALS Cloveleaf, Sandalwood Hiked; Dealers Skeptical of Increases Both domestic and overseas produc the oil. On* source believes it would not be ers of essential oils are attempting to raise the price of some oils, in the hope < that the market haa become strong enough to bear it. In the US. producers surprising to see the oil st $4 per pound soon. He odds that derivatives, primarily eugenol. will also increase as the oil con* tinues to become more expensive. Some sources show price Increases for of dlllweed oil have raised their prices, while the independent sandalwood oil producers in. India have also increased prices, and the government of Domini ca Is trying to establish a higher floor Ceylon cinnamon leaf oil. but according to another source, "the supply is adequate for the demand." and he expects no increases. Current prices range from 12.30 to $2.05 per pound, spot. The only spot reduction reported last price for bay oil. week was for bergamot oil. Current quotes The current price for dlllweed is $0. f o b., and spot prices are up to $0.60 per pound. Last year, prices ranged up to $12 PERFUME PRICE CHANOII per pound, and some New York dealers felt that the producers are willing to hold on to Week Bndlnp January 00, 1070 the oil until their price Is met. They did not overplant, these sources continue, in spite of the higher prices received last year, and AOVAMCID Ample*, NenStirtn. 1. per n. they are expected to keep the market fijrm. There seems to be slight firmness in ced- arwood oils. Both Texas and Virginia oils are about 10c. higher. One source sayb "there's always a certain amount of inter est in the oils, because of the cedroi derived .from It." Current prices for Texas cedar , wood oil range from $1 to $1.00, and Virgin ; la falls between $2.16 and 02.26 per pound. Both quotes represent the spot market. In contrast, local sources are far from unanimous In their appraisals of India's lat est quotes for sandalwood. One source says "the independent producers are trying to raise the price, because they think they can get more money for the oil,*' but he doesn'i believe the increases will hold. Anothot source, however says the rising demand will help keep the market Arm, and the In creases are here to slay. Currently, prices for sandalwood ell range from $00 to $06 per kilo for shipment. As yet, spot prices do not reflect the higher levels, but they are ex pected to follow. Myaore government sand alwood ell has been at the higher price for several weeks now. Sources estimate that the government stocks account for about 16 to 00 percent of the ell, with the remainder supplied by the Independents. One broker suggests the price of bay oil will be going up, as the government of Dominica established a new floor price for the oil. Another Is skeptical of such efforts: "There's no floor price that could hold. There are too many Independent dealers and it's not a Mg enough item." Currently spot prices range from $0.26 to $0.71 per pound, depending on quantity. HONS 032013