Document Dv6ENMVnV3wrYe6R8Z0QggO5o

(ZfSiMZs / ft (7 7j" CHEMICAL MARKETING REPORTER -r.r-4 Br47^VW7OTT*Wt'*tT9t'Ttftr *-r~r-("wr^;4 ^03 Fit t L L RCS2A/1CW & OFyl fe U Evelopmen^ r:'?'1 '' i3;'5 ....... ~: r.:'^ :i I ;375 W. M. SMITH JV/0Stf Man Scores 10/7 Exposure Standard A sharp disagreement apparently exists among the lop scientists in the government over whether threshhold levels of safety exist for chemical car cinogens and vinyl chloride monomer in particular. Thii was indicated in a \w York Tima article last week on a letter Dr Herbert E. Stockinger. chief of the Toxicology Branch of the National Institute lor Occupation Safety & Health, sent to Dr. Marcus M. Kay. former director of KtGSH. Dr. Stockingcr was quoted as describing the VCM standard which calls for virtually no worker exposure to the chemical as "ir rational*' and characterizing the scientists of the National Cancer Institute as a "lot of old fogies." Dr. Stockingcr. tvho is also chairman of the Committee on Threshhold Limits of the American Conference of Governmental Hy gienists which has dominated health stan dard* making here and abroad for years, was critical of Dr. Key's apparent support of the VCM standard. The article quoted Dr. Stockinger as saying in his letter: "l was consternated, as were members of my threshhold limits committee, when wo noted your name associated with the es sentially zero tolerance far exposure to vinyl chloride. 'In making the irrational decision, it it clear to us that you have fallen Into the fal lacious trap of believing that because a sub stance produces dire consequences at mas sive concentrations (and in this case proba bly aided by promoters!, such consequenc es will result from exposure at all concen trations. Wrong!" The article then quoted an interview the Times reporter had with Dr. Stockinger on the letter in which Dr. Stockinger stood by his criticism of the VCM standard which he said was made for "political and other rea sons." He was quoted as saying that the deci sion was "unfortunate" and that there was "ample and increasing evidence that there Zantinued cn Page 32 ire threshhold levels for carcinogens below which there is little risk," Frank J. Ryuscher. director of the National "anccr Program f the National Cancer tnititutc (hat tile safety of vinyl chloride has lot been demonstrated at any level; there a no practical scientific method to prove jxperirnemall.v the safety of any level of ;xpo&urc to a carcinogen. Dr. Stockinger was quoted us replying: "Oh, there arc a lot of old fogies over there at the National Cancer Institute." The issue of ihe locality of the VCM stan dard is presently being challenged in the L'S Supreme Court on an appeal by FireRone Tire f* Rubber Company and Society af the Plastics Industry from a decision of :he Second Circuit Court of Appeals that jphrld the standard- The Supreme Court is expected to decide ihortly whether it will accept the appeal. Last fortnight it turned down a request that t stay the effectiveness of the standard while it considered the appeal. The Stan ford became effective April l. The National Association of Manufactur ers has also joined in the suit, announcing ast week that it has filed a brief as amicus ruriae. asking the court to grant certeriori md hear the case. It was argued that Occupational Safety - k Health Administration tOSltAi failed to . rousicter economic and technological fcasi >ility factors in promulgating the standard. MAM said that this is contrary tothrpruviiionS of the Occupational Safety St Health Vet, NAM said that if the safety standard, es tablished <'f I part per milium, i" allowed to stand ii would mean that all of the industry 'would t>c in danger of closing due to the fact Hint it is mil now technically feasible 10 ichievc a 1 ppm exposure level." k?R 2 ;97b n. r.::.:.' *. .*. ?. \P000t0855 THE NEW YORK TIMES ^MONDAY, APRIL 7, 1975 Page 5 A CANCER insthdte! ; Scientist CaUt Strong Cuifc ' on Exposure to Vfnyt Chlorkh `Irrational ' Sr DAVID IVSNOW ,, ^MaiMnunviMM ` - WASHINGTON, April - fey Federal official baa d* Bounced til* scientists of the National Cancer Institnt* a "a lot of old fogies'* and has da* . icribed as "an irrational decf#*ioit" a Government require* mcnt that workers be --posed to virtually no vinyl chloride. The criticism was naked by Dr. Herbert E. tockin*er, who occupies prominent positions in ..both the Federal agency now * responsible for establishing in* ^dustrial exposure levels and the Srofessioruil association that as recommended these stand* l ard* for many yean. The position of the cancer institute and other Federal agencies Is that exposure to even the smallest amounts of vinyl chloride--the chemical base of a widely used plastic-- should be avoided by workers because it has been shown to cause cancer at very low level* of exposure and beeMM&Jti' safety has not1- bren~qBfeti itraied at any JeveL Dr. Stoddnger toxiecolegy brute; tlonal InjtHnttrfor Safety and Mcy develop levels. He - _______________ the committeeman t&MsMifcf limits of tte Americw GMp' enee of Governmental rfr'gt-- tats, so oraedzatloMiviiin recommended sti dominated heelft the United States . of other countries ' fbr aunty yeers. Crfcfctibd InstHnte The official. arttkfcad the dancer institute dote & tale* jhoot interview wifie asked about e letter in m|ci said the Government's vinyl chloride requirement mi wrong: The letter, a copy of which ha* been obtained by The New York Time*, was addressed to Dr. Marcus M. Key, the nWNirtx retired dkeetorof the Institute for Occupational Safedr- and Health and Dr. S superior. members odd Ha comariie4c.whan see your name___ _____________ weenHally jere toIenaNajft* expoenre to vinyl cMoridtjFM Stoddager** letter began, "In making the irrational daclion it Is clear to us thst-you have failsp^gto the fiilgwuia trap of beofving that because the substance produces- dire consequenriMr'et massive 'con centration* (non la thle case probably aided by promoters); such consequences will result from exposure at all concentra tions. Wrong!" In the Interview last week, Dr. Stocldnger stood by his criticism of the Government's position on vinyl ehleride. which he charged had been made for "petfcleal and. ether reasons." He said that the decision wa* "unfortunate" and that there was "ampin ahd increarioapevi dence that there an threenhotd level* for carcinogen*. b'sfcmr which titer* It Utile rist* Ca iiejpiilr State. Dr, liked el Dr. Frank of the Ha' of the cancer pasted txpoehres to plr iMflion'*nf vis; should lie rafUifed dnogeritcxitiL "The safety of has not bee* denv any level: tftm is scientific menod to. perimetitally the Ieye', of exposure to a gen." Dr. Rauscher sate*-' - "Oh, there a fogies over tba * l Cancer Instate*, inger replied. Dr. Key, who received StoeWngert letter,'now professor of oectgMtlonal cine at the UnfvamityofTs _ School of Pubtie Health Houston. ! Aiked skiririaD* letter, Ety said thatimaigh h ft* "utmost- irapeck fbt ftocktoger, I think I The threshold Hod*, mittsa that Dr. -- feed* has . tiocura levels for more 900 individual cbemi ' ihmilles of chemical* was forafed in the lat thirties. These-tfandard accepted as a package Federal Government in under the law creating^ tbt National Institute for Oceope* tionai Health and Safety, pend tag the slow process eg a complete review. U.S.SJL an Exeeptkps The standards of Dr. 9mefclBger*s committee also ^feem the basis for the expttto*1 level* permitted In almost alt other countries of the war except the Soviet Uafcm and the Eastern European socialistj countries. In another Gove______ hbaith deveopment -the, InjrtfJ tut* for occupational ~halth] has begun proceedings. tec charge one of its in--mat*, tdr he accused the qfjtiftt needlessly exposing AMm workaep to the risk of caacag. The effegarion was made ej little more than two mantis ago by Dr. Stanley C. Mazefeskf, in an Wfktavit fifed Is] Federal cowt AP00010856