Document G5EJqK7yDB8d7nqer30MBBnyY

To: Subject: All Employees Calvert City anri Pace Plant* Press Reports Concerning Cr.nrcr Deaths of B.F. Guodi ,i rh Planl Krnp.1 ny ees On January 2 3, 1074 the B.F. Goodrich Company rcltfased the following statement to the news ftgdia: AKHON, Jan. 22- The B.r. Goobiiwii Company today reported that it inforr.ee> Kentucky health officials r.nd the Federal L'at.icnai Institutes of Occupational Safety and Health that the Company is investigating whether the cancer nuatiis oi three employees in the polyvinyl chloride operations at its Louis ville,. Ky. plant were related to eccuparionai rausca, Or. Maurice N. Johnson, the Company's director of environ mental health, said he had recently received medical repurix coneeruing Inc death oi an employee late in December. A review of ir.eaioai records uncovered that fv.ij otlicr '".Tpiovnes hut: apparently died from thu rorr.c cause -- one m Feutemper, .1071 and one in March, 1973. The' report c-a wuser. of death arc mib.-iout to verification. "Av?arcncss of this grouping," said Dr. Johnson, 'h/arranted a thorough investigation a'nu prompt-, notification c tto two governm&nt agencies most directly concerned." Thu B.F. Goodrich Company has been conducting programs to reduce exposures to_hydrocarbons, particularly vinyl chloride, throughout its operations. Whi]e ail plantr. were operating ,-;t levels well below those prescribed by Porieral Government standewds, a successful efforthas been made to reduce lovtais in Ihcr.c plants to approxirr.:;teiy cr.c--tenth those specified. These efforts have included ric:veloj;.'iient. of the most. Sophist: mated monitoring systems no*.: known? str >rr. rules on procedures .'here exposure might be i norc: ;:;ed ? n complete checking of all pipes, valves ana similar equipment to prevent leaks, and extensive improvements in ventilation systems. 11 The cicM.h in December, ere. ; i u relation to the two prcvicim uimilur ensre, h-m caused nr. to initiate intensive i nves t rua t i on s throughout the vinyl products: operations of the Company," Dr. Johnson said. APOOO "To ho sura v.' get the best inriopnndnnt nv.i 1 nation and guidance, the Company has engaged Taborrhav,-Coopc;r Associates, Inc. ol Berkeley, California, Hr, Irving R. Taberenaw, on'? o'" t:i<` count r'y' s i. o r emon r qypf'rts in thr* field of public and oocupncianaI imalth ana safety, is supervising the work of this consultant firm," Dr. Johnson said. The Company has i.r,r, t i tuied a prenrsa of explaining the new information and steps the Company is taking to all employees involved in vinyl products production. Tn addition, flic Company has put into action a program to reduce exposures to vinyl chloride and other hydrocarbons to the minimum possible in all vinyl operations. Operations of the plants are continuing under the program of minimum exposure levels. "We arc providing medical examinations to all employees involved in any phase of vinyl chloride or polyvinyl chloride production and reviewing available medical records of any deceased former or retired employees," Dr, Johnson said. "We have assured officials of MlOtiH and the State of Kentucky that wo will continue to provide them with any significant new information ar> it dove lops ,'f ho said. This information was covered in several newspaper reports on January 24, 1.9V4, An article? ^appearing in The Vfall Street Journal on January 24 is attached for your further information* Air Products is endeavoring to obtain all possible information tcoou.. `Jcaurich-. about-. tiocuLir. .rcparca. and the. factual, background behind them. A meeting of industry representatives? in taking place today (January 25) for this purpose in 'Washington D.C. Dr. A, Tl. Adumn, m*. Mayo r:nt:h and Mr. John Harr art: attending for Air Products. At this moment our knowledge of the Goodrich circuital.annas is limited to the pros? release quoted above and the newspaper accounts we have read. Your company will do everything por.aiblr: to develop a full undo rs hand i no of the situation and to keep you thoroughly informed on a current basis. 7- - AP00031197 a yuu road and think about those reports please boar in faind the following points: 1. The Goodrich statement relates to three cases of cancer of tho liver incurred by employees who worked at its PVC resin and compound plant at Louisville, Ky, Goodrich operates four additional PVC plants in the United States and two in Canada and a large vinyl chloride monomer plant in the United States on which they have not reported similar problems, 2. Goodrich, and now public authorities, are investigating whether the deaths reported arc related to occupational causes. No conclusion han been drawn about this as yet, except that such an investigation seems indicated by the circumstances observed. 3. A comprehensive review of our own personnel and medical records is underway ah Pensacola and is essentially complete at Calvert. City. At this time v/e know of no occurrences of liver cancers among c-mployccs who have worked at either of our plants since those plants started operation. We will definitively determine whether this is tho case as quickly as available information sources permit. This will require tracing retired or otherwise terminated personnel. You will be kept informed of any new findings from this study as they arc developed. 4. We will provide a program of medical examinations for all employees who have had any extensive involvement in PVC operations. This requires the formulation of an appropriate examination procedure and testing program and the arranging for tho. services of a highly skilled medical specialist to prepare and supervise them. The search for such a doctor has been started. -3- AP0003II98 5. The Goodrich repore. f.n the first of which wo arc aware that indicates occupational, exposure o workoi:a ill PVC polymerisation facilities may be related to cancer of the liver. Tho situation of the Hordou, Inc. plant mentioned in The Wall Street Journal article in quite different. The Dorden plant processor rosin into finished products, the ropurtod illnesses arc not the sauwi, and the materials suspected in that situation am non-PVC components used in processing operations. The Borden case is still being studied. G. In common v/ith many other materials, government regulations have sot limits for concentrations of vinyl, chloride monomer in the air of plants handling this material. Like Goodrich, Air Products has bean working to reduce worker exposure* to vinyl chloride vapors for some period of time. We arc attempting to accelerate delivery of equipment that has i been ordered that will permit automatic: analysis'and monitoring of air concentrations and improve ventilation. An extensive* review of additional possible measures will begin immediately, Although much har* already been done, much more can ho. done. This requires the effort and cooperation of each employee involved. Your suggestions as well as your personal dedication to this goal arc expected. 7. It will be clear that vinyl chloride is only one of many chemicals in use in PVC plants. A'o two companies use precisely the tin mo mix of chemicals. Because of this, ve cannot know how the exposure situation at Louisville varies from our own. Wo arc trying to find out, to see if this teaches us anything of importance. -4- AP00031I99 3. The firm of Tabox*shaw**Cuoper Associates has been employed for some time by a group o companies in the vinyl chloride monomer and polymer businesses to study Lho health histories of employees involved in these operations throughout the United States. Air Products has been participating in the sponsorship of these studies. We understand that they arc about 80% complete as of now and that no evidence of any situation similar to that reported by Goodrich has yet come from the Tabcrohaw-Cooper study. This study, and a related study of exposure of laboratory animals to vinyl chloride monomer vapors, have boon arranged through the Manufacturing Chemists Association. A press release from MCA on these studies was released on June 28, 1373. A copy of that prnm; release is attached. This program of studios was reviewed with the National institute for Occupational Safety and Health at that time. 9. There have boon reports in the scientific literature regarding potential toxicity hazards of vinyl chloride, as has been the case for many chemicals. The first report of its potential hazard as a cancer causative came from laboratory experiments with animals and was presented by Italian invest!" gators at the Tench International Cancer Congress held in Uouuton, Texas in May 1970. This was a preliminary report and was first published in May, 1971. since publication many imperfections in the v.ork reported have hocn pointed out -5- AP00031200 and new work to produce information of greater reliability has boen undertaken. The MCA sponsored animal studies are one such effort, but no useful data have yet boon reported from this program which is now scheduled for completion in late 1974. In Summary; 1, The Goodrich report is disturbing. 2. Government and industry will cooperate to thoroughly investigate the situation, 3. Your company has no similar experience as far as we now know. This will bo promptly definitively determined. No other similar occurrences anywhere in the world are known to us. 4, Significant measures are underway to; a) Understand the Goodrich situation. b) Relate it to our own situation and experience utilizing the best expertise obtainable. c) Provide you, and Air Products, with a relevant check on the current state of your health if you have been involved in PVC operations to any significant degree. d) Reduce to the practicable minimum and continuously monitor vinyl chloride monomer content of plant air. e) Continue to support and purrvuo scientific studios of any potential problems related to our operations. f) Continue to invite and obtain cooperation of employees and public officials in assessing and assuring the safety of our operations. Cjkisi.u r i. i;^LueiiL -- i.'hGTTl i.Cfl Is AP0003I201