Document K66jnX8rgzOJRD3qMkZq08nz0

4 THE OW CHEMICAL COMPANY .TEC!!!'/ AUG 14 1978 BENNETT BUILDING 2030 DOW CENTER MIDLAND. MICHIGAN 48640 August 8, 1978 MEDICAL DEPARTMENT Dr. John Stafford cc: R. Hinderer, BFG Division Manager J. Lawrence, SPI Health and Environment Protection David Duffield, MD, ICI Imperial Chemicals Industries, Ltd. J. T. Seawell, MCA Plastics Division MCA Vinyl Chloride Research Welwyn Garden City Coordinators: Hertfordshire AL7 IHD England Z. G. Bell ..M. N. Johnson W, D. Harris*''^ C. D. Kary R. N. Wheeler G. TerHaar W. M. Smith Dear John: Your correspondence dated July 20 on PVC dust inhalation illustrates the complexity of this issue. Selection of which resins to study and which, additives to include is a real problem. How to study the resins is also complex, but simple compared to planning an epidemiological study. I'm enclosing a recent paper in which you may be interested (Agarwal, D. K. et al Environmental Research 16: 333-341 (1978). I've also become aware of a study now being completed at NIOSH in Cincinnati, Ohio; copies of pages 27 and 28 of TOX TIPS which describe the study, are attached. I'm trying to get more information on the NIOSH study from Dr. Trent Lewis and Mr. Bill Wagner at NIOSH. As you are aware, Nick Wheeler (Union Carbide) and Robert Hinderer (BF Goodrich) are both very interested in inhalation of PVC. They are attempting to re-kindle interest in a PVC inhalation study either through the MCA or SPI. If either of these groups take on this project (and I assume it could be through existing committees which I chair) there should be close cooperation with your studies at ICI. Furthermore, we have the work of Frongia in Cagliari, Italy to consider since it should be com pleted soon. I agree with your suggestion of a meeting of interested parties to discuss the available data and to plan and coordinate future research. Obviously, we need a bibliographic search of published literature and if possible, all unpublished reports. Has ICI or have any of the groups mentioned in the paper for the EMAS meeting of May 5, 1978 made such a literature URL 14709 Dr. John Stafford Page 2 August 8, 1978 search? Is there a coordinated PVC dust project in Europe or is ICI carrying the load alone? Do you still feel a meeting is appropriate and if so when do you feel it wold be best to get together? It might be desirable to work through Mr. J. T. Seawell of the MCA who has provided excellent service on our past projects on vinyl chloride. Seawell can provide the facilities and organization we need to get the discussion started. However, since a plastic is involved it may be desirable to use the SPI organization since it embraces a broader group of potential financial supporters. The details can be worked out later. Sincerely, T. R. Torkelson Corporate Medical Dept. Enclosures mh URL 14710