Document Gmpn62ZEmg50kmyZ1jwYY9Lkm

TELEPHONE HUDSON 3-6116 , Manufacturing Chemists' Association, Inc. (FOUNDED 18711 1825 Connecticut Avenue, N. W. Washington, D. C. 20009 MINUTES OF MEETING PLASTICS COMMITTEE New York Hilton Hotel New York City November 21, 1966 SENT: ssrs. G. L. Pitzer (Chairman), Union Carbide Corporation G. A. Fowles (for vice Chairman Nantz), B. F. Goodrich Chemical R. G. Askew, Phillips Petroleum Company E. S. Ebers, United.States Rubber company J. W. Ferguson, Hooker Chemical Corporation W. C. Goggin, The Dow Chemical Company G. M. Hale, Shawinigan Chemicals Limited F. M. Norton, Allied Chemical Corporation J. R. Ryan, Hercules Incorporated Harry Sutherland, Shell Chemical Company D. C. Williams, Eastman Chemical Products, Inc. John Brooks (Board Liaison), Celanese Corporation F. H. Carman (Secretary), MCA pf w 'j* , , I1 r and F. J. Pizzitola (Guest), Celanese Corporation On opening the meeting, Chairman Pitzer welcomed Mr. John poks (Celanese), Board of Directors Liaison, Mr. F. J. Pizzitola roup Vice President-Chemicals, Celanese), and Mr. G. A. Fowles F. Goodrich Chemical Co., representing Mr. T. B. Nantz) and it d them to participate in the discussion. For information of those present, Mr. Harry Sutherland ounced that through a decision of the previous day he will take is new assignment in London for the Shell Company and that he st, accordingly, resign from the Committee. All present were rry to lose Mr. Sutherland from the Committee activities and shed him every success in his new post. Following discussion a replacement to serve out his two-year term, motion was made: That Mr. John Kroeger, General Manager, Plastics and Resins Division, Shell Chemical Company, be invited to finish out the unexpired term. being duly seconded, this was voted unanimously. CMA 040174 2 e&therabilitv Project The Secretary reported that Dr. w. F. Bartoe, Chairman Of the Liaison and Steering Committees handling this program, could ot attend this meeting. His report covering general status of the toject was read. (See Appendix A) Additional comments from Steering Committee members, par ticularly those of Messrs. Brown (Dow), Gunst (Union Carbide), and "tranch (Eastman Chemical), reiterated several of the points covered riefly by Dr. Bartoe. These were: (1) There is a new interest on the part of NBS in the program, and the project seems to have "turned the corner"; (2) The Senior Research Associate is believed to be doing work desired by the industry and has a good grasp of the objectives, but it was admitted that he is not providing the type of leader ship required; there is still question as to whether or not sueleadership will be possible from the NBS, and it was stressed that a search should be made for another research associate as rapidly as possible; (3) Another commented he was not enthusiastic the project had "turned the corner" but does have a guarded hope that progress should now be possible in NBS; (4) Several were of the opinion that the industry representa tives may have been too impatient in getting the program under way and that there may have been some overdirection of the work, therefore they may have been overly critical of the project progress. A complete review of the work is planned for a December 8 jeting of all the Technical and Steering Committee representatives Nthe new NBS headquarters at Gaithersburg, Maryland. ~rt to Board of Directors f The Chairman had been invited to report on Plastics Corntee activities to the Board of Directors in its meeting at 4 p.m, ember 21, 1966. A copy of his remarks was distributed to all ent in the Committee meeting and is included as Appendix B. ileal Problem - PVC Manufacture During a review of this problem, particularly for advice Secretary on methods of apportioning ary research expense to CMA 040175 3 _erested members, the Committee was advised that a task grout !the Occupational Health Committee was visiting the University lichigan on November 29 where such research may be conducted. Members having direct knowledge of this problem emphasized t to date the hazards seem to be concentrated in the manufacture "suspension-type" resin. Accordingly, it was suggested that ortiomng of any research costs might well be based on capacity ssifications for this type of material and that participating ers be expected to select the classification applicable to them, was also brought out that several companies have failed to find indication of terminal bone lesions in the fingers of any employi, and were thus not yet sure there is really an industry-wide blem requiring research. Further investigations are under way, d it was again emphasized that X-rays supplied by member companies Id be referred to an expert familiar with this medical problem. Discussion then centered on the over-all responsibility of chemical companies and the MCA to undertake a diligent search for e cause of these effects on employees and necessary steps to elimte or reduce such hazards. Several representatives of companies manufacturing PVC emphasized MCA was duty bound to do something ut this problem and they would be willing to participate m the ding. The extent of research and the probable funding over any "riod is not yet known, and individual companies are still reviewing matter within their own organization. It was the general ion within the Committee that if cooperative research is deemed essary the MCA should take on this project and, if additional ds are required, the Plastics Committee and/or PVC producers will assist in the financing. tics Financial Package The report of the 5-months' operations had been circulated h the agenda. It is expected that costs for the balance of the r will be substantially greater than the 5-months' experience .will still be within the budget for the fiscal year. er Harbors Conference Total costs for this meeting September 7-10, 1966, were ,221, with 136 member representatives participating; the allo- 1 cost per representative for group charges was $34.31. Registraat this meeting was one less than for 1965. The address by Pierre Rinfret on the general economic ure had not been duplicated, although an October 4 story m the CMA 040176 4 York Tines essentially outlined the points giver, ir. this tember speech. Dr. Rmfret was reported to have made a speech ce the November 8 elections, and it was agreed the Washington ice should obtain a copy if possible. feduct Category Activities Tr.e study committee appointed by the Board on this subject, posed of Messrs. Warner (Chairman), Dawson, and T'nouron, has vised the Board of a tentative agreement that "the present plastics tivity relates to a multi-product segment of the chemical industry d should re continued within the Association essentially as it now This Board committee is making studies on several other product tivities of the Association at this time. ********* For general information the Secretary reported that he uld be subject to retirement about December 1, 1967, in keeping ith the Association's pension and insurance plan; further, that he d indicated to General Decker- a willingness to stay on for two or e years, and that this was being taken up with the Executive ittee and/or the Board of Directors. Chairman Pitzer then sked Messrs. Goggin, Norton, and Askew, as an ad hoc group, to vise him on what action, if any, he should take regarding this nding retirement. The meeting adjourned at 2:45 p.m. Respectfully submitted, (FHC/bk ttachments (2) ~c: All Present Plastics Committee -November 29, 1966 F. H. Carman, Secretary Plastics Committee CMA040177 EXHIBIT A REPORT TO PLASTICS COMMITTEE ON STATUS OF WEATHERABILITY PROJECT Following the recommendation made by the Steering Com mittee (copy was sent to Plastics Committee) at their July 28 meeting, the Liaison Committee met with MBS officials to express our dissatisfaction with the Bureau's administration of our project. The previous inadequacy of administration was recognized by both Mr. Stern, of their office of Industrial Service, and Dr. Bates, the head of the Division for Building Research in which our project is located. Dr. Bates agreed to correct the matter. He also insisted that such administration had to be m full-time esidence at the Bureau. On September 30, Dr. Bates designated Mr. V. Eugene Gray the new administrator on a 50 per cent time basis reporting 'rectly to him. Three of our Steering Committee members (Gunst, Brown, d Ingle) have visited the project since Mr. Gray's appointment. 1 have reported favorably on its current status, progress, and irit. The consensus is that the project has been revitalized and at we can expect considerable progress from now on. It also pears that we may be ready for a third, qualified Research Associate, Your Liaison Committee urges planned visitations by your chnical representatives with view of further evaluating the ogram and encouraging our Research Associates. Any suggestions regarding available, experienced man ~er are urgently needed. William F. Bartoe, Chairman CMA 040178 PLASTICS COMMITTEE REPORT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS November 21, 1966 Glenn L. Pitzer, Chairman The Plastics Committee represents 53 member companies ^ving a broad interest in plastic materials. Members serve -year terms (except the chairman); and, in keeping with the ns of Reference, the membership, now 13 in number, is rotated th new appointments each year selected so that at any time the aittee does not represent a dominant position m any given ortant plastic material. Activities that rightfully fall within e scope of regular functional committees are referred to those pective groups, although the Plastics Committee maintains "aison with them to varying degrees. Recent examples are the istics packaging for nitric acid - Chemical Packaging Committee, jew nuclear polymerization process - Nuclear Committee, foreign de matters liaison - International Trade Committee and the thetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association (SOCMA), and e recent medical problem concerned with PVC manufacture cupational Health Committee. Likewise, matters of specific Merest to the plastics industry are often referred to the Society f the Plastics Industry (SPI) which includes many of the mterted MCA member companies and could be more effective m handling dustry-wide matters concerned with plastic end products; examples "e packaging film regulations and building code problems concerned th plastic components. CMA 040179 2 In a report for the Committee to this Board in November 4, Dr. William C. Goggin of Dow, who is still a member of the astics Committee, touched briefly on such matters as fundamental earch at MIT and Case, projects at Underwriters' Laboratories appliances and tests for smoke obscuration, the referral of rtain building problems to SPI which resulted in formation of eir Plastics in Construction Council, and the initiation of a atherability test development program at the National Bureau of andards. The latter has been now under way for about twenty nths; the budget for its current operations amounts to $77,000, us accounting for a major portion of the total plastics budget ,$105,000 for the current year. So much for a review. Since our last report to you, eneral building activities actually handled by the Plastics Com"ttee, other than the NBS project, have been nil. However, the mmittee members and other executives of the interested member ipanies have been participating in and/or keeping abreast of e developments in the SPI Council. I think it is important to sort briefly on this because of the members 1 interest and jtensive study of the building industry's requirements for "astics in 1960-64 which led to the aforementioned Council. 'nee then the Council has established four working groups, namely: (1) Research A program is already under way at Illinois Institute of Technology in an effort to better quantify the burning characteristics of plastics m interior uses. This CMA 040180 3 program is believed to be worthwhile and necessary. First actual tests are now scheduled for December 15. (2) Code Advisory. This is a continuation of a committee that has been active m the SPI for many years concerned with code problems mainly in light transmitting applications. (3) Education. An Opinion Research Corporation survey of architects' attitudes toward plastics has been completed - generally, the findings and steps that were proposed for the industry were similar to those outlined m an MCA study con ducted in 1962 - a brochure somewhat similar to a Sweets Catalog is now being compiled. (4) Standards and Certification. Development of performance standards with certification of plastic components was pin pointed by the MCA study as a must for a real breakthrough for plastics m building. Little progress has been made. The Weatherability Project at NBS, we hope, will develop t procedures which through short-term tests can predict outdoor ther-life with some assurance and so that the industry won11 e to wait twenty years before putting out a standard and certif- tion of a building product. t '.two years m March 1967. This project will have been operating Progress here also has not been all that could be desired, 'to varying degrees has not given the technical and administrative faction of the work as should have been available and provided m ir Research Associates Program. Our technical representatives CMA 040181 4 ;e continued close liaison with the Bureau, and we believe this wation has now been remedied. Part of the problem has been sonnel, the move of the NBS headquarters to Gaithersburg, Maryland :ut 15 miles to the north of Washington), and perhaps just plain less m getting programs under way. The"MCA technical representaes have been requested to visit the NBS operations for an inde cent evaluation of the program and its future prospects. Then, if granted, other locations for this work may be sought. I do not feel it appropriate to take the time for discussion other less important matters considered by the Plastics Committee, 'varying degrees some of us may be disenchanted with the building jram because of the slowness and in some cases little progress in the SPI Council and the NBS project. Perhaps we were not Listic in expecting the fabricating segment of the industry - the ".members - to be interested and qualified to develop good reliable 'formance standards. Perhaps we expected too much from the staff at the NBS in the first twenty months; on this we are searching additional personnel. The technical people and our member com"ies still don't have the answer on weatherability testing - they a joint program is the only way to get the answer - we still 1st that the objective of the work is valid and necessary in the t interests of the industry to provide a real breakthrough for tics in building. CMA040182 5 I assure you we have already done something about the atherability program and hope a more promising report can be se on this during the coming year. If you have any questions, I will be happy to try for e answers. * i. CMA 040183