Document Gm4XJq8xxJmwez9Gz1GBnroN7

/ By ABEL BANOV FDA Cuts Lead Content to 0.06% Ne w Yo r k , March 16--The Food and Drug Administration took the play away from the Senate last week and issued Title 21, Chapter I, Sub-chapter D, Part 19, dealing with hazardous substances. The FDA'e ruling allows the industry until December 31, 1973, to limit the`lead content of packaged paint to 0.06 per cent. The ruling, which literally sprung out of nowhere, came while a Senate committee, chaired by Senator Edward . Kennedy, was holding hearings on a bill dealing with lead content limitations in .'paint as well as appropriations for detect ing and removing accumulations of lead paint from old slum buildings. The FDA acted only days after key members of its technical staff failed to endorse the poorly-based claim that a limit of 0.06 per cent was necessary. It appears entirely likely that the sudden shift was directed from elsewhere to take the public spotlight on the lead issue away from the Massachusetts Senator. The question now that the FDA moved is how to cope with the extensive refor mulation tbnt will be necessary and the rigid, troublesome and costly testing that will be requires! to avoid violations of the rules. Elsewhere in this issue are presented the fruits of on extensive study of drier reformulation. On important detail in that study rolntes to a family of Rchiff-bns complcxing agents developed in the early 1950's by Dr. Raymond Myers, head of the Point Research Institute. These are likely candidates for overcoming the problems arising from the ban on lead driers, one of the results of the new rule. This material and others with various handicaps reduced the thrust of the prob lem, but time is needed for research and development, possibly a year or more if all goes well. The industry needs to assemble its most imaginative brain power for nn interplay of ideas so that froth can b stirred up on the road to creating substance. This Week's Developments ; Linseed Oil Ne w Yo r k , March 16 -- Seasonal in creases in demand for linseed oil house ported recently. This should mean further pressure on U.S. stocks Inter this yenr. ' paint are reported. Dry Colors The market, as far as sales to retailers Ne w Yo r k , Wlareh 16 -- The consensus are concerned, is expected to grow this of several paint manufacturers queried year. Reports st the Eastern dealers this about the effects of the new limitations ! i - week are that heavy-bodied linseed oil on lead content in packaged paints was . demand is on the uptrend. that the consumer, if ho wants yellow or Fo r e ig n Fl a x s e e d -- A downturn in green shades of the typo once supplied | per-acra production in Canada was re* through use of chrome yellow or green, i i. - March 20, 1972 /' 33 W. TOMC MAR 21 1972 I GLD012422 N17266