Document 9Jkbz8V5GYabaEbQ213daJkYR

f santo from (name * location) p ,, STORDEUR, LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE May 6th, 1974, REFERENCE TO VCM - GERMANY WAN i-4 Mr LEVINSKAS, ST LOUIS R. KUP, RUABON ['Jj As agreed, please find enclosed copies of articles from German newspapers on DYNAMIT NOBEL Ts problem with VCM. Best regards. PS :ms P. STORDEUR RSV 0006841 HILL AND KNuWLTON GMBH OFFICE-: Frankfort PUBLICATION: Frankfurter ru.ir.dseH.au DATEh^ ;. }!r.\ }?JJ PERIODICITY: dally CIRCULATION: MEDIA DESCRIPTION:............................. Regional paper SOURCE: Our press release: lSb -lOo Summary '.raosla4: ioh Horrible Occupational Disease Under trio headline the paper reports on the 1 pvc disease'. It is mentioned that Farbwerke Hoechst and BA OF have stated that they nave not yet found such disease in their area. The Cerman ministry of labor was approached to legally acknowledge this disease as occupational disease. No negotiations toou pi^-e so l`ar with regard to compensations for the workers. VJorkers of the chemical plant at Troisdorf say that they feel to nave Ice:, used as 'test persons' by the employer.The spokesman of the plant a Troisdorf stated that 'nobody did die'so far, and all care have t-'-en given ~o the workers. The plant's spokesman pronounced doubts v.' I -h regard to other atemerTs h.v thir pvc disease should not -ccured at other pvc produc` I -. :.Lar:ts Grauenhafte Berufskrankheit 40 Cbcmie-Arbeitcrn droht Invalidity und Siechtum Von unterem Mitorbeiler jhw BONN. 17. Dezember. Eine grauenhafte neue Berufskrankheit bedroht die Arbeiter an den unmittelbar PVC-produzierenden Autoklavcn in Hen groden Chemievverken. Wahrend die Farbwcrke Hoechst und BASF am Wochencnde betonten, Erkrankungen scicn bisher aber nicht fcstgestcllt worden, solUn mindestens 40 Beschaftigte der Dynamit Nobc! AG in Trots- dorf durch gef.ihrliche Vinylchlorid-Gase gcschadjgt worden scin. Den Be- trorfenen strike jedenfalls der Bonner Hautarzt Professor Gunu r Veltmann i eine ..ornste Prognose**. Die Sterblidikeit mfolge PVC-Gasvcrgiftungcn set I .relativ hoch'* und treffe vor allem junge Manner. | RSV 0006842 Die furchtharen Wirkungen ausstrd- menden G.ispi: Die Knochen in den Handtn wrichen auf, Leber und MHz vecgroQcrn .-uch. Djs blutbiidende System uni d- Blulgerinnung werden schwer bpeintraihtigt, die Lunge erheb- lich in Milkidi-nschaft eezogen. Das Atirien dent Gasvergifu-ten immer schwerer. in der Speisrrohre kormen sich Kr.-tmp:.iiJern bilHen. n.. ......... . / Nscb den ilarmierenden Meldun&en I der Arzte hat nundei.iro-dt.-nuni.iter Arcndt enen Sondrraus.crtuH gebildet, . der den Fall unlersuchen soil. Dip Vctgiftung soil ats Berufskrankheit schnellMena anerkarmiwcrricn, ilnmit dieOplur zunachst dip Invalidcnrente erh;ilten keinnm. OUef EnlschadiRuncen werden j noch keme Verhandlunct n Evfuhri. 3S)'thnger Arbeiter. sen eineinhalb Jah- ' ren krank. leidct an jufxrdunscnen i JIanden und Fuflen, a us denen jedps Gc- i luhl govmhcn st. Besonders unter den ; Angehdrigen der IfiO an din Troisdorfer Autoklaven beschalttglen Arbeiter macht sich groOcUnruhe bomerkbgr.Dii Dynamit Nobpl AG erkliirtr, bis jetzt sel .nirniand gestorbrn" M.r h:ihi' nllc HILL AND KNOUT-TON GMBH OFFICEe Fronkfurt PUBLICATION: Die Welt DATE .W$ PERIODICITY: #|> # .daily....... MEDIA DESCRIPTION:............................. National paper SOURCE: Our press releose: ..... CIRCULATION: 286 .2QQ Sumrr.ary rrails 1 ation (unauthorized) Research on PYS.Disease The up to now unknown reason for a certain disease which occurs in connection with the pvc production process will be investigated under a research contract of the German ministry of labor. According to what is known so far, workers in the pvc departments of the plastics industry suffer from swollen fingers, atrophy of bones, reduced blood coagulation, chronic liver damages, giddiness, and headache. It is reported that in December 1973, ^0 workers of a chemical plant at Troisdorf, Federal Republic of Germany, who had contact with vinyl chloride gas, had suffered serious damages. PVC-Krankheit wird erforscht Bonn <dpa) -- D.e bisher noch rticht bekennte Ursache finer Kranlcheit, die offenbar mil der Herstellung des Kunetitofls PVC mummenhangt, soli jetzt In einem Forschungsauitrag des Buodesarbeiteministenunu ermittclt weiden. Nadi bishorigen Unterauchungen in . Betriebcn der Kunitstonioduitne wur- den bel Beschiiltigten in PVC-Abtei- lungen geschwollcne Finder. Knochen- achwund, vermirvderte Blutgerinmmgsf&higkeit, chronische L*berschadiungeo bowle Schwindelgcfuhi und Kopfschmerxen feslgestellt. PVC eotsteht durcjh die Vcrfluangun* das farblosen, aus Erdbl gewonruTtcn Vinylrhioridga- 5Ci und die anschlieCende Komprimie- rung xu Pulver. Aua dem Pulver wird dann der zfihe Kunststoff gewonncn.der praklisch schon in alien Lebe-nuberei- ctien xu einer Allerweltaplastlk gewor- dcn ist. ...........* Erst Anfatig der Woche hatten 40 Besch;ift!rte i-'n-'-j Tr^ivlnrfer Be- RSV 0006B43 HILL AND KNOWLTON GMBH Frankfurter Rundschau OFFICE* Frankfurt PUBLICATION:................................................................................... DATE :,DA" A97"5PERIODICITY:/, ffA1/...................... CIRCULATION18.^ AA. MEDIA DESCRIPTION:........... ?.e.SA.^i. ?f.p.e,r...................................................... ............. SOURCE: Our press release: ..................................... .. Summary translation (unauthorized) Under the headline Causes (PVC Disease still unknown, German ministry of labor initiates resea~rch~~work'~^ this article deals with facts concerning the 'pvc disease' and mentions that the German ministry of labor initiates research on this disease. The 'Committee for dangerous Materials' of the ministry of labor proposes regular medical check ups of all workers in the plastics production field. Additionally, guidelines on technical measures against dangers to health are set up. i Ursache ist noch unbekanut i Arbeitsmxnisteriuzn liflt Kunstatoff-Krankheit erforschen BONK, 1*. December (dpa). Die bisher noch alcht Jsekatmt* Urtache elner Kruikhen, tfteoffenbar mtt der Hnrtellutif voo. KimafColfen CPVC) . tusammenbingt, toll Jetzt In einem Forschungsauflrag dea Bundesarbeluminiileriujn erfonchi werden. Wie das Mlnisterium .are Mlttwoch rnittellte, ut in Ktirxe ein Sachvemlndigeogesprich vorgesehan. , v;.. Nach bishertgen Uatmuehungen In Betrieben drr Kuaatstoftindustrle nn<> den boi BeschJIXUgten in PVC-Ableilungen geachwoUene Finger, Knochenchwund, vermlnderta BlutgerionungaUhlgkaiW chroniacb* Lcberschadtgungen aovrfa Schwigdcigeldhl uad Kopftdupermi lettgestellt Der Kunststoff PVC entsteht durch die Verflussigurvg des farbltsaen, aus Erdei gewonncnen Vinyiehlcrlderws tn ttoOen Kewein und die.gpJcbueajrKj* rComprimierung zu Pulver. Aus dem Pulver wird dann der zahe Kunststoff gewonsen, der praktisch scKoo In alien Lebensbereichen zu elner Allerweitsplatlk gewordcn 1st. Der helm BundesarbeitsmialrtAriua bestehende AusschuO fflr ' getafcilidig Arbeltaatoffe Mlt regebnlfllpt IrztllcAo Untersuchungen von Arbeltnebmem fur erforderlich. die Im Berelch der Kunitstoffherstellung besch&ftlgt sind. Pemer wird eine Richtlinie uber tecbauacba MoDnahmen zur Abwebr von Gesundheitsgefahren aufgestellL, RSV 000684* Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, January 2, 1974 Summary translation (unauthorized) Liver Damages_f'aused_bY_PVC Production^Process A1though_many_hints_were_given,_no_adequate_sugervision_took glace Similar to many other occupational diseases, one has realized only by now, 30 years after the beginning of industrial production of pvc, all dangers of the production process to the workers. In 'Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift' (Vol. 98* page 2311)# H.J. Marsteller and Susanne JUhe reported on a medical check up of-chemical workers of 'Dynamit Nobel AG', Troisdorf. 45 workers of 120 employed at the pvc plant suffered from either pathologic changes of the finger ends and toe ends, or liver and milt damages. Additionally to liver enlargements, most of the 45 workers suffered from biochemical functional liver disturbances, too. Finally, pathological tissue changes were found by the physicians. Although pathological liver changes varied widely, all patients worked between 1.5 and 21 years in the pvc production. Therefore, this disease must be considered an occupational disease. First reports appeared 1963 in Rumania. Only after publishing the same paper again in 197 similar observations were published in Germany, France, Great Britain, and the U.S,, too. First liver damages from pvc production process were observed in 1949 in the Soviet Union. Scientists can make no prognosis with regard to the liver damages so far. It is not known how often this disease occurs in other pvc production plants. Maybe, the degree of danger depends on local working conditions. However, it appears that such damages were not unforeseeable, and one can raise the question why no control of the vinyl chkride concentration or the workers' health took place in such plants. R5V 0006645 HILL AND KNOWLTON GMBH OFFICE* Frankfurt PUBLICATION:, f.r. .1P.e. Ze. **???.......... DATE AW:, A9JA PERIODICITY:. Aa.U?..................CIRCULATION:. ??& 8o. MEDIA DESCRIPTION:,..P?P.e.r,......................................................................... SOURCE: Our press release: .......................................... .................... This article deals with another pvc phenomenon which occurs with finished pvc foils. Translation (unauthorized) PVC vagor_causes_Asthnia PVC vapor resulting from heat treatment and decompensation of poly vinyl chloride leads to asthma and pathologic changes of the lungs. Such damages were first reported by W.N. Sokol of the Medical Clinic of the Harbor General Hospital, Torrance (California). In the 'Journal' of the American Medical Asso ciation (pages 226/635)* Sokol reports on the poisonings of three women who worked as packers in the meat department of a supermarket. They suffered from such diseases, after the supermarket started to use pvcpackaging material. PVC foils were cut with a hot wire. Gases resulting from this heat treat ment are quite dangerous, as it was found. While the pvc produ cer says that such gases are not dangerous, Sokol expects that such poisonings happen quite often. Asthma durch PVC-Dampfe Die bei der Hltzezertetrung von Polyvinyicjilorid (PVC) au/tretenden Dimple fUhren ru Asthma und Lunfenveranderunuen. Uber dcrartiee Scbidea hat jetzt errtmali W.N. Sokol von der Mcdlzinisehea Kltnlk des Har bor General Hospital In Torrance/Kalifomieo hingewicsen. Sokol berichtet lm .Journal*' der Amertkantschen Ifledlzinlschen Ceaellscboft J228/S. 635) liber Vcrglftungen bei 3Packerinncn ale m der Flelsehabteilung clnes Superznaxktcs beschftftlgt warm. Die B^ebwerden tralen auA nachdem auf PVC ala Verpadtungamaterial iibergefaagaa worden war. Die Pollen werdrn tnlt einem hciDen Druht zurcchteeKboltten. pie dabei enUtehcnden Case dOnffoen, Hwrhie*MdpiHesc Untorsuchunaen zrinr-n *SV 0006846