Document BRB5EY5Kq431QgMLxqmmV4vB4

TELEPHONE HUDSON U1M Manufacturing Chemists, Association, Inc. (FOUNDED ln) 1825 Connecticut Avenue, N. W. Washington 9, D. C, MINUTES OP MEETING THE PLASTICS COMMITTEE The Manhattan Club, New York City March 21, 1961 PRESENT Messrs. Walter H. Salzenberg, E, I. du Pont de Nemours Sc Co. Martin Buck, Shell Chemical Company Earle S. Ebers, U. S. Rubber Company W. C, Goggin, The Dow Chemical Company W. P. Marsh, U. S. Industrial Chemicals Company T. T. Miller, W. R. Grace & Co. K. J. Nelson, Enjay Chemical Company G. Murray Scott, Dow Chemical of Canada, Limited J. C. Searer, Hooker Chemical Corporation R. K. Turner, Union Carbide Plastics Company Harry B. Warner, B. F. Goodrich Chemical Company David C. Williams, Eastman Chemical Products, Inc. P. H. Carman, MCA W. Demarest, MCA Also: James G. Stranch, Tennessee Eastman Company R. B. Akin, E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. C. Howard Adams, Monsanto Chemical Company J, L. Brannon, Union Carbide Plastics Company 0, L. Pierson, Rohm Sc Haas Company W. J. Sauber, The Dow Chemical Company R. K. Mueller, Monsanto Chemical Company The meeting was called to order at 1:15 P. M. by Walter H. Salzenberg, Vice Chairman of the Committee. The Secretary ex plained that Chairman T. J. KInsella had been,delayed returning from an extensive business trip. Members of the MCA Advisory Com mittee on the U/L Project and R, K. Mueller, chairman of a spe cial committee to review the building program, were welcomed and invited to participate in the agenda discussions. MERWRITERS' LABORATORIES PROJECT The aforementioned committee, all members being present, had *** the morning to consider accomplishments to date, and recom mendations for the future work. Comments by Chairman J. G. Stranch summarized as follows: In general, the Committee is well pleased with the progress the improved attitude or "climate" In the U/L laboratories perning to plastics In appliances. It was the sense of this Corntee that: CMA 078432 2 1) The original objective to retain markets for plastics in appliances has been achieved. 2) As a result of this project, U/L's attitude towards plastics in appliances is much more objective. 3) The U/L laboratory representatives, in public statements, have indicated that plastics do not present as much a hazard in appliances as they had originally assumed two years ago when this project was started. 4) The U/L now consults with appliance manu facturers in a more reasonable manner during the de sign stages. 5) As a result of sponsoring this work, the U/L now recognizes the sincerity of the material manufac turers in its promotion of plastic materials for maximum value, performance and safety to the public. 6) It would be a grave error to cut off the U/L program as of June 1 or when present budgeted funds have been expended, and the Committee urged that the work be continued (perhaps at a reduced expenditure) during the next fiscal year -- possibly at a rate totaling $15,000. In discussion it was brought out that It is very difficult to make better estimates than the above as to budget funds for the next fiscal year. The cost of this work at U/L Is now running at the highest rate since start of the program, and the Committee was confident that expenditures should begin to taper off. Work in the future will be directed toward evaluation of certain types of ma terials in mock-up air conditioners, analysis of test results, and general education of other divisions of the U/L organization. Discussion also brought out: 1) The U/L appraisal of plastics, reflecting a more sophisticated and cooperative attitude, carries favorable implications for the industry's markets In building generally, and a realistic attitude on insur ance rating problems pertaining to buildings for processing or storing plastics; 2) It is Important to maintain good communica tions between the U/L and the industry on these prob lems, and particularly important that the presently Improved attitude be sustained; 3) There Is a need in the minds of some member engineers for further U/L analysis of what constitutes a suitably flame-retardant material; CMA 078433 -3- 4) It Is decidedly to the best interests of the plastics industry that V/L continue the present execu tive staff on this project. On motion duly seconded, the Committee voted unanimously that a figure of $15*000 for next year's operations for the U/L project should be Included in the budget to be recommended to the member ship. MCA-SPI JOINT COMMITTEE ON BUILDING Mr. Mueller in starting his report submitted a four-page memorandum. (Copy supplied the only absentee, T. J. Kinsella.) He prefaced his remarks by the statement that the SPI representa tives had withdrawn from any discussion of activities broader than building-code negotiations. Following a review of the report, it was stated that generally the SPI Code Advisory Committee plans to confine its activity to "putting out fires" wherever code problems happen to arise and are of sufficient significance to warrant prompt action. Little attention is planned to be given by SPI to long-range plastics-in-building considerations, due In part to lack of funds. Chairman R. K. Mueller and his committee were complimented on the thoroughness and prompt attention given this assignment and the clear-cut recommendations submitted. The report was accepted for further study and consideration on action by the Committee in its next meeting. As to the financing of the West Coast Consultant, it now ap pears that the costs during the current year will be a maximum of $2,500, In the absence of more reliable estimates of future costs, a figure of $2,500 will be included for the West Coast Consultant in the Plastics Budget for 1961-1962. CASE RESEARCH PROJECT The special committee charged with following this work met fetch 17 with the Director at Case Institute, reviewing progress to date and future program. A summary of their report read to the Committee Is: Considering all courses of action, this Sub committee recommended that the Case Project be con tinued at the present level of financing. This con clusion was based, in part, on the pending completion and operation of a substantial Materials Research Center and the chance of an ARPA grant, both of which would greatly multiply the benefits from MCA financing. Also, there is now reasonable evidence that the present Director and staff will become more effective, and with new emphasis on cooperative effort of their engineering and chemical groups, possibly new funds from ARPA, and he Materials Research Center, fruitful results should s possible in this program. CMA 078434 - 4- The recommendations of this special committee will he re ferred to the Plastics Technical Subcommittee. The tentative bud get will include expenditures for this and the MIT project at the current levels. PLASTICS FINANCIAL PACKAGE Estimated costs for I96O-I96I operations are $72,139 as against a budget of $71,450. Actual payments to the U/L (estimated at $25,000) may not all be made during the current year. Funds available for this year were: Surplus at start of year $ 8,127 Income from Assessments 61,150 Total Funds $69,277 The Plastics Technical Subcommittee has recommended publica tion of a technical data or engineering handbook, using a format that would provide useful design data on plastic materials to fill the gap in the field of engineering data no authoritative publica tion is taking care of. They recognized this would involve some expense for a competent editor; accordingly, the Secretary proposed that a figure of $2,000 be Included in the next year's budget. In addition to the above, the Plastics Committee had already voted to recommend support of ASA ISO/TC 61 group to the extent of $6,500. These additions, including $15,000 for the U/L project, and the fact that there Is little prospect of a surplus for the current year, indicate that approximately $74,700 will be required for next year's operations, a 20 to 22$ increase In assessment. The Secretary was authorized to prepare a tentative budget and to poll the Committee on this prior to the May meeting. SPRING OUTING Tentative reservations have been made for this to be held at the Baltusrol Golf Club, Springfield, New Jersey, on May 4, It was agreed that notices should be sent to the Executive Representa tives and Alternates, as In the past, and that W. Stuart Landes, " G. Millikan, Gordon Brown, A. E. Pitcher, R. C. Weigel and T. Cruse be Invited as special guests. , General Hull is planning to meet with us all day and U1 have a few remarks on MCA's future plans immediately follow*ng dinner. IgXT MEETING 'p1 next meeting of the Plastics Committee is scheduled for ?:30 A. M. at the Baltusrol Golf Club. F. H. Carman CMA 078435 March 18, 1961 TO: FROM: The MCA Plastics Committee MCA Sub-Committee on Plastics-in-Building In November of last year, the MCA Plastics Committee appointed a sub-committee on plastics-in-building -with two assignments: 1. Appraise the MCA Plastics-in-Building program (MCA-PIB); 2, Review and consider the opportunity for the MCA and the SPI to work together with respect to plastics-in-building. Ihe following is a brief report by your MCA sub-committee as a result of our study of the MCA program, and discussions with the Appraisal of MCA Plastics-in-Building Program .. There is a definite industry need for the MCA Plastics-lnBuilding program and activity, and we believe this calls for a full-time staff member providing aggressive attention to this activity. The MCA-PIB program lacks direction,which is basically MCA`3 responsibility to provide. Therefore - it is believed that the MCA Plastics Committee should provide more supervision of the MCA staff engaged in this PIB activity...one suggestion would be to assign a ''steering group" which could provide such advice, guidance, and direction on a regular and continuing basis. Our appraisal of the MCA-PIB program Is that It is "everybody's job but no one's responsibility" as far as direction of it is concerned. As a result of relative lack of direction of the MCA-PIB program, there Is a lack of effectiveness which can be improved If better overall supervision is provided. ' Tne^present MCA staff is considered competent and Is endorsed by this Sub-Committee for the Plastics-in-Building program. "hat 13 suggested is better supervision, and more constant attention to these activities by the MCA Plastics Committee. y"* MCA-pib budget is probably Inadequate and should be studied =r sizing and direction of emphasis in connection with appropriations ^quested for the next fiscal year. This will involve budget quired to collaborate with the SPI Code activities. CMA 078436 MCA Plastics-in-Building Program Page 2 potential Joint MCA-SPI Activity in the Plastics-in-Building Overall Program 1, SPI appears to be the best qualified association to work on code regulatory and insurance-standards problem areas. Their present committee is effective in these areas. MCA`s role here should be subordinate to the SPI, and the financial support of the SPI code activities by MCA should be continued but kept at a level in balance with the broader MCA program and its budget requirements. We believe that MCA shou Id participate in financial support of the SPI code work, as It permits MCA to have a voice in this important work. 2. The current SPI Building Code Committee is confined to regulatory code and insurance-standards work only. This SPI Code Committee considers that the broader aspects of the MCA-PIB interests are outside the scope of their activity. : The SPI is generally concerned with plastics products, as distinct from plastics materials, and therein lies some of the cause for past misunderstandings of objectives and approach by MCA and SPI to the common problems facing the industry In properly utilizing plastics in building and construction. The joint meeting of your MCA Sub-Committee and the SPI Code Committee on March 17th went a long way to clarify this distinction. ;*-onmendat ions -3-r Sub-Committee recommends the following four actions: Adoption by the MCA Plastics Committee of the attached Statement -- MCA Statement of Objectives with Respect to Plastics Materials : for the Building Industry." It is recommended that MCA emphasize work, and budgetary allotment j /\on items (l) and (2) of the MCA Statement of Objectives (.attached), and it Is hoped that major emphasis by SPI will tor.tinue to be predominantly on Items (3) and (4). ..it should be noted here that the MCA Technical Data Book is considered by the MCA sub-committee, and the SPI Code Committee, to be an invaluable document, and a fine example of worthwhile industry information on plastics materials for building. This type of data should be expanded in scope and distribution, with emphasis on, and interpretation of,plastics materials data for building and construction purposes. recolnmended that some formal continuing MCA liaison with the maintained with respect to plastics materials in the building * astry* The possibility of the SPI Board appointing a sub-group CMA 078437 MCA Plastics-in-Building Program I Page.......... 3 for this liaison purpose should be explored. This perhaps would provide MCA with a contact group in SPI which has scope of assignment broader than that which exists for the present SPI Building Code Committee. 4. It is recommended that the budget for the next MCA fiscal year include a portion alloted to the plastics-in-building program. Further - it is recommended that this be sized after a study of the resources available to the Plastics Committee, and consideration of acceptance of responsible, aggressive, and continual direction of the plastics-in-building program by the Plastics Committee. ***** With this report from your Sub-Committee, we consider our assignment completed. We will be glad to elaborate on any of the above conclusions or recommendations. i-tachment: *HCA Statement of Objectives with Respect to Plastics Materials for the Building Industry" E.S.Ebers D.L.Eynon G.A.Fowles R.K.Mueller CMA 078438 MCA STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES WITH RESPECT TO PLASTICS MATERIALS FOR THE BUILDING INDUSTRY he beneficial use of plastics to serve human needs in buildings,manufactured cods, and other articles of commerce, requires comprehensive engineering at a and an understanding of basis design principles as a prerequisite 3 the proper regulation of plastics applications from the public-safety Lewpoint. This has been, and will continue to be the objective of MCA its plastics-in-building program. Only on the basis of such data ;.d such principles can sound engineering rules be promulgated for the oidance of the designer and the regulatory official In the discharge | their responsibilities to their employers and the general public. cognizing this need, and in keeping with the spirit of research and ) io. ligcenseerravticneg nideeednetdifieendgiwneitehrinthgedPatlaasotnicsplaInsdtiucsstrym, atheeriaMlsC,A minembers I; .iiiccaotoepethreamtiosnelvweisthtoo:ther professional and trade organizations; educating engineers, designers, and specifiers of all kinds, including public-safety officials, as to the characteristics of these materials, in order to bring about a complete understanding ji of what plastics materials can do and where they can be used -i.e. plastics "materials engineering"; cooperating with the regulatory bodies, and other trade associations, in establishing guiding rules for the safe use of plastics products; educating those concerned as to the policies, procedures, and guiding principles applied in the public interest by the regulatory bodies, so that an effective working-level relationship with the plastics industry, the regulatory officials, and the public, can be maintained therewith. ****** CMA 078439