Document 85vg349pLL9x0yXkKmavG0Ngk

Benefits Options Just a reminder that we are currently in the open 'Option Election Period' during which you may elect, change or cancel optional forms of pension pay ments without being subject to the usual one-year waiting period or Corporation consent usually required. This special option election period ends August 31, 1971. These options are explained in detail in your MONSANTO AND YOU booklet. It is probably most important for those employes born prior to 1918 to study these plans carefully, since it may be to their advantage to elect one of these options. You will probably also note that no one option is the best and that each employe must look closely at his total per sonal circumstances and make the best judgment possible. If you have additional questions, contact Sally Smith, Bill Kunes, or Bob Muehlbach in the Benefits Office, 1st Floor, BK. Quiz Question No. 1 The Maintenance Department came up with a safety quiz for their departmental safety meetings which seemed so applic able to the rest of the plant that we thought the questions and answers would be worthwhile to reprint for the benefit of others. Give them a shot -- every person here should be able to answer them. Answer on back page. 1) To turn in a fire alarm dial: A) 200 and report zone B) 201 and report zone C) 2000 and report zone d) 2010 and report zone WUMM STOCK Considerable cloudiness, warm and humid, with several periods of thundershowers today and tonight. Showers ending tomorrow, decreasing cloudiness, and only a few degrees cooler. High today around 90. Low tonight in the 70's. High tomorrow 85-90. Monsanto stock opened: 44-7/8 Market down 4.67 DATES TO REMEMBER... | ...FRIDAY, JULY 16, housekeep ing inspection for D8S group. ...WEEK OF JULY 19, housekeep ing inspection for other plant areas. MONS 032252 ClUHtlt I am angered by both the Disaster Lobby and industry because it often seems to me all either side can do is yell accusations and quote ambiguous statistics. While precious time is wasted on rhetoric, problems remain, and in some instances, get worse. If both sides were truly inter ested in bettering the world in which we live, as well as pre venting the extinction of the species, then they should both get under the same yoke and pull toward a common goal. I believe that goal should be a decent, clean world in which to raise our children, as well as one that insures them the highest standard of living possible. Ed. Comment: Unfortunately, nobody is "Lily White" -- neither the Disaster Lobby nor industry. We know we still have problems and we are working on many of them. As money, time, and technology are available, we will be after others. The editorial at the right, reprinted from the May 3, 1971 issue of Chemical g Engi neering News, points out one problem area that Monsanto has already started to take care of. MCCLAIN'S CONDITION.. Oliver McClain, the disabling injury victim, will probably be discharged from the hospital about the end of this week. He is reported to be progressing well...is reported to have a fractured vertebra, but not to be in too much pain. Mr. McClain will probably then spend a couple more weeks recuperating at home. ANSWER: C) 2000 and report zone. fa- fcv c/tt Editorial I A white hat for industry Industry has so often been pictured a black-hatted villain (sometimes rightly, often unfairly) that it's pleasant to take note of a white hat tor a change. We take this opportunity to doff our hat to Monsanto and sym bolically to all those other members of the chemical industry that have moved to set their environmental house in order before being forced to do eo. What we're talking about is Monsanto's voluntary curb of sale of poiychlorinaled biphenyl compounds (PCB's). both in the U S. and, more recently, in the U.K., for noncontrollable uses. A bit of background might be in order. PCB's, discovered late in the last century, have proved useful as plasticizers in adhesives and paints and as components in electrical and hydraulic Ituids. where they lend fire resistance. In Britain and North America. Monsanto has been sole pro ducer. Several years ago the company became aware that these com pounds are toxic and quite persistent. PCB residues have been found in British fresh-water, tlsh-eating birds, and in feathers collected as long ago as 1940. Confronted with initial evidence and gathering data of its own. Mon santo became convinced of the ecological danger end accordingly banned sales for noncontrollable uses (plasticizer) white continuing sale tor con trollable uses (heat-transfer medium in closed systems). Total sales involved could be on the order o! $25 million. Our basic information, which we have confirmed, comes from an article by Jon Tinker in the April 1 issue of Now Scientist and Science. He notes: "Such action, taken without any overt government pressure, is almost certainty unique. In one sense, Monsanto's move may be seen as e desperate throw to retain at least part of a lucrative market which might otherwise be entirely lost. Indeed, the company makes no short to deny that it believes the partial PCB ben to be in its own long-term interests. But this cannot be allowed lo obscure the unprecedented nature of (acceptance of charges before guilt has bean actentltlcaHy proved] ' We think Tinker puts it very nicely. According to Tinker, Monsanto admits that altruism Is not the sole basis for its decision, that other rea sons also cams into play. Thus, better voluntary action now than torca later on; a partial ban on noncontrollabia uses may preserve the market for controllable applicationt; for Monsanto, which wants lo sell pollution control technology, better to have clean skirls; and finally. Monsanto, sola producer in the two largest PCB markets, needn't worry overmuch about loss of sales to competitors. Like Tinker, though, we see no reason to downgrade Monsanto s over all motives. All in all. we'd say that the company has acted in an alto gether enlightened way, nlcefy balancing questions of public and private (Hs own) good. And we think other firms would do well to study thia cate history. Too often, when accused of environmental wrongdoing, Industry has dug its heals in, stubbornly denying any sin end then only belatedly to make amends. From either altruistic or cynical standpoint. It would saem better to take the high road, admit tp any problems, and make corrections. Will other PCB makers--Bayer in Germany, Prodelec in France. Fltx in Spain, others elsewhere--follow suit? Patrick P. McCurdy HONS 032253