Document GK41a1p4GKo2o4yM0qM1XQbmv

JL A* LIED CHEMICAL CORPORATION i MEMORANDUM February 21, 1979 J. Plaut Preliminary Epidemiology linking Vinyl _______ Chloride with Brain Cancer Attention is drawn to the attached press coverage regarding Union Carbide's Texas City plant. In brief, it has been announced that workers formerly exposed to high levels of vinyl chloride at that location'appear to have incurred an excess of a relatively uncommon brain tumor presumably as a result of exposure to vinyl chloride. You may recall that the industry-wide study conducted by MCA showed a suggestive# but not significant excess of the same sort of tumor. This is brought to your attention for information purposes only since Allied Chemical is no longer involved in the manufacturing or use of vinyl chloride. We should, however, consider this finding in our medical surveillance of active personnel and retirees known to have been exposed to vinyl chloride in prior years. s' cc/E. W. Callahan CEAD Directors W. S. Ferguson ASI 000011564 y aH^tar 0. 3 It . / it * oD U jLJLOL&TLnl/'UL . How the scare tlarttd/pagt ISA By BILL INMAN . Teal Reporter The llmloa Pnt; Wl An unusually Mgh number of worker* *> Union Carbide's Tews City plant died of a type of brain tumor that has been linked to the cancer-causing agent, vtny) chloride, federal health authorities con firmed Thursday. the rubelaace was once manufactured and ta now processed at the largo chemi cal and pbatlcs plant. A top Labor Department official said scientists asroclate the chemical with a cancerous tumor known as glioblastoma multiform. The Houston Post has teamed medical certliicAtts tram at least nine Texas City workers who died between 1963 and 1913 listed that type of tumor u the cause of death. About 4 death certiflcatea have been examined thus far by health authorities. in addition, federal author!tin tay, * 10th obnt emntnvM -- attU IMntr -- has been diagnosed ea'"probably" having credltfor ttcognlxfnf wards ait-this the same form of tumor. stage. Health records of current end former "Our plant has been La compliance Texas City plant workers -- 9,000 to 10.- and remains In compliance" with con-, COO people -- are being reconstructed for test chemical safety standards, be said. ' study by scientists working lor the Cent* The Joint 03HA-N10SH Invest!gallon patkmal Safety and lhalth Administra urns prompted by a waiter complaint, tion and tits National Institute for Occu said Eula Bingham, .assistant secretary pational Safety and Health. of labor for occupational safety and Those records, which company health In Washington, officials describe as "sketchy*'and **<W(kult to piece together," go back to 190. "The company feels thb la not a crisis that puces any Immediate exposure haz ards for current employees," said plant manager Da mob Engle Thursday, "Practically all uf the affected employ ees worked for substantial periods of The complaint was received at a local OSHA office Nov, 71 of laftt year and an Investigation launched Dec. 13. Bingham said. A-team of three scientists from NIMH; two Iron OSHA and OSHA area technical personnel made the prelimi nary slody. ' time from the ml<3-`40s through the, , ' "The company haiproved to be very present In A period In which neither tbs cooperative thus' farIn our Joint study of government oct the company had any this sUuatloa," Bingham noted. reason to suspect vtnyt chloride." The total number of brain tumors The company; he ssld, ti "kk yet found so far "woold appear to be higher ready" to assume vinyl chloride is re-, than expected" at a plant like that at sponsible for the death*, as OSHA sug-1 Texas CIV, .which currently employs' geste. about 2,(00 wethers;-tod teprtsmta an "W do think that If vinyl chloride "unutually blgh Incldswcs'f of such ahould ultimately be Implicated that OSHA and the Industry ahould take sm Deatha/papta IfA ASI 000011565 f I P(h ISA Deaths at plant probed ( From pagel 3 warns to p*y a major role bi tbe study." aid y>g^, noting the company's "own destine staff* would also be made *f*>>* sta|yi) **m_ available. Tt is loo early and there an too nuy Union Carbide ibis month sent lla to MM at the pUlU tO md Texas City wnrtoi letters detalltog the aay definitive comlatfeo," Bingham hrftUl UnAi^Y* bC Ml& oil TV study wockJ driertniae "toe da- "Wt told them pot to be alarmed. T*e to rtA workers may face" and toe The*'* a peat deal ot work yet to be spparrot "aw and causes to these dcoe," Engle mid. tSXnon." Bterbotn said. Vinyl chloride to manufactured by The *)* reprcmi euly preiimt airy data, a company spctawntn noted. Aim* fti ftwniwt diati around the na tion. another Union CarUd* Btody remte will not be available. tor . plant to West VJrgtala. Company offldato said records al that plant are being US* test aa todfeattm that KIOSK examtoed ter a afanUaroBDOr patten. . -* 1 v :*%**,. * " >. 'a #*. r*m - . fltflh PS>I3A Illnesses |spurred * 1 -*** - . ' ' - |regulations Vinyl'chloride, kac thieved to be at*, iairly temyn eternal, tost burst' into J ``ride headlines to W4 vbes it was to trigger a rare term at to*r cto-, SA'rSf called angfcmrcotaa. * gdiscovery erf three angiosarcoma at a BTCoodrich chemical 1 plant,: teviUe, Ky., set toTa widespread that turned vp aevtral doses mgiosarcoma eases among India- Chlal vrorttRs to toe U.S., Canada and fsSvpe. '. - MThis to tom spurred broader research t lndcaled vinyl chloride may be a tor to cancer* of toe tang, bladder, to and pancreas. There is tentative iSdenco H may'aho cute btrih defects. " '.Vinyl chloride it a wtaries*. sweetish- yjaefflttg gas at ram temper*tarn tut may be cooled toto a colorksa liquid, Ji ji Is toe basic feedstock for manufac turing polyvinyl chloride, a plastic used top bewildering array of products rang-, tog fram'bboWer ctettto* to phonograph rtterde to auto parts.. .. * *. :.!lhe'great,JP74 vinyl.chloride scar* come to the midst-of major expsaatoh- if ^Houston area pbnts that mate or ose. fbl chemical. *' *. <^Bhe Houstoo'arte to one of tbe naikm's hiding centera. for the yrwtoeikm and. pbe of vtnrl chloride. - ^`Dttcovery of the chemical's rawerproperties resulted In new feder- dKegdaUoos to protect both plant work- rf and sumundiag pophiaUxs. * .. Worker exposure wm halted by. tod: ocicvpoUflnil &iety and Health' Xdmtato- " trltocfl lo 1 pari per miHicn over ail eight-bow.period- The pmiuu* penniaai- bto exposure bad been as high as 00 ~p__p__r_o_ * *.,* *...../.%..*.............. In late 15?^;'.|fbe 'Environmental. JhoteeUoo JigCniy' atoo aet rigid toads- On rmtoons irom vinyl chloride and . polyvinyl cildrkie plant* to a ttry> to pro-, tact the pufeht... ASI 000011566