Document LpeNRNQwQD6GRDkaqYk6qKOoQ

01 ~ OSH 11522 PROPOSED RULES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR and Health Administration, 1126 M Fonce de Leon Avenue. Saoturce. Puerto Occupational Safety and Health . Administration [ 29 era Part 1999 ] Street. NW, Room 500, Washington. D.C. Rico, and one copy at the Offlce of the 20210 by May 17, 1914. All information Administrator of the Wage and Hour Teceivcd will be available for public In- ' Division, United Slates Department of sper.tlon at the Office of Standards Labor, Washington. D.C. 20210. If such STANDARD FOR OCCUPATIONAL Development. EXPOSURE TO VINYL CHLORIDE When the draft environmental Impact Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement______ statement on vinyl chloride is completed, copies will be available to any member of the public who requests it. A 45-day statements are sent by air mail from Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands to the mainland, or from the mainland to Washington, such filing shall be deemed timely if postmarked within the time The National Environmental Policy period will be allowed for the public to provided. The number of copies of such Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. section 102) re submit their comments. * Statements and the time and places for quires each Federal agency to consider the environmental effects of proposed ac tions and to prepare environmental Im pact statements on major actions affect ing the quality of the human environ ment. Accordingly, the Occupational Signed at Washington, D.C., this 18th day of April 1974. John Stehder, Assistant Secretary of Labor. [Fa Doc.74-9300 Filed 4-23-74:8:45 ami filing them will be specified in notices of hearings to determine minimum wages for American Samoa. The prehearing statement shall describe the person's In terest in the proceeding and shall con tain (1) the prepared statement he pro Safety and Health Administration, U.S. poses to give, if any: (2) a statement of Department of Labor, in conformance with Its procedures for environmental Wage and Hour Division the Individual classifications and mini mum wage rates, if any, he proposes to Impact statements <29 CFR Part 1999). [ 29 CFR Part 511 ] support: (3) the written data he pro announces Its Intention to prepare an environmental statement assessing the impact of a proposed standard for occu pational exposure to vinyl chloride to be published in the Federal Register in the near future. The Office of Standards Development, Occupational Safety and Health Admin istration. Is currently collecting infor mation and .data on possible environ mental impacts of the proposed stand ard. such as any adverse environmental effects which cannot be avoided should the standard be adopted: alternatives to such a standard: the relationship be tween local short-term uses of roan's en vironment and the maintenance and en hancement of long-term productivity; WAFE ORDER PROCEDURE FOR PUERTO RICO, THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, AND AMERICAN SAMOA Changes in Procedures as the Result of the Fair Labor Amendments of 1974 Under authority provided in the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (52 Stat. 1062, 1064. as amended: 29 U.S.C. 205, 206. 208) and Reorganization Plan No. 6 Of 1950 <3 CFR 1949--53 Comp., p. 1004) and Secretary's Orders Nos. 13-71 and 15-71 (39 FR 8755 and 8756), it is hereby proposed to revise 29 CFR Part 511 to adapt the procedures set forth therein to the Fair Labor Standards Amend ments of 1974, Pub. L. No. 93-259. The proposed revisions of $ 511.10 and poses to introduce In evidence. Includ ing all tangible objective data to be sub mitted pursuant to S 511.13; (4) the names and addresses of the witnesses he proposes-to call and a summary of the evidence he proposes to develop; (5) the name and address of the Individual who will present his case; and (6> a state ment of the approximate length of time his case will take. If the prehearing state ment is in conformity with the above requirements, the person shall have the right to participate as a party. In ac cordance with section 6(c) of the Ad ministrative Procedure Act, industry committee shall, after considering the advice of committee counsel, issue sub poenas authorized by section 9 of the and any irreversible commitments of re 511.13 would prescribe the greater re Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, to sources which would be involved If the sponsibility of the employers or of the parties who make a request therefor ac standard be Implemented. Those issues industry in establishing its inability to companied by a clear showing of general of particular interest arc: pay the rates comparable to the ones relevance and reasonable scope of the a. Any medical or toxicological evi in the various States. The amendment to evidence sought. dence which indicates that exposure tq. 511.8 would show the current title of vinyl chloride or its polymers produces adverse effects to living organisms, es pecially primates. b. Current and historical levels of oc cupational exposure. c. Combustible characteristics asso ciated with vinyl chloride or its polymers, especially Information correlating acci dent experience: damage to facilities, in terruption of plant activities, and/or storage and shipment difficulties. d. Identification of the uses of vinyl chloride or Its polymers, through finished products, and determination of the quan the Director of the Caribbean Office. Interested persons may submit writ ten data, views, and arguments concern ing the proposed revision on or before May 9, 1974. Such submissions may be filed with the Administrator. Wage and Hour Division. U.S. Department of Labor. 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW. Washington, D.C. 20210. 2. As amended paragraph (b) of $ 511.8 would read as follows: 511.8 Prehearing statements. 2. As revised, $ 511.10 would read as follows: S11.10 Subjects and issues. (a) Hie declared policy of the Act with respect to industries or enterprises In Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for com merce is to reach as rapidly as is econom ically feasible without substantially cur tailing employment the object of the minimum wage rate which would apply in each such Industry under paragraph tity of use. (b) Any interested person who wishes (1) or (5) of section 6(a) but for sec e. Any information suggesting substi to participate on his own behalf or by tion 6(c). Each industry committee shall tutes for vinyl chloride or Its polymers, counsel shall file a written prehearing recommend to the Administrator the to include estimates of the extent to statement. Not later than ten days be highest minimum wage rates for the in which substitution is feasible. fore the first hearing date set for any dustry which it determines, having due f. Any suggested actions which will control the health hazards associated with production, storage, or shipment of vinyl chloride or its polymers through finished products. committee in a notice of hearing con cerning minimum wages for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands, or such other pe riod of time as may be prescribed in a notice of hearing, 'or other notice pub regard to economic and competitive con ditions, will not substantially curtail em ployment In the Industry and will not give any industry In Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, or American Samoa a competi g. Any other pertinent information. . Any person having information or data ou this subject which is not readily avail able in the open literature Is Invited to submit it. with accompanying documen tation. to the Director. Office of Stand ards Development, Occupational Safety lished in the Federal Register, the original and 11 copies of the prehear ing statement shall be filed at the Offlce of the Director of the Caribbean Offlce of the Wage and Hour Division. United States Department of Labor. 7th Floor, Condominio San Alberto Building, 1200 tive advantage oveT any Industry in tho United States outside of Puerto Rico, tho Virgin Islands and American Samoa; ex cept that the committee shall recom mend to the Secretary the minimum wage rato prescribed in section 6(a) or G(b), FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL 30. NO. 60--WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 1074 see 3-0979 i i -< 34 HI LX AND KNOWLTOK, Inc. 10XIC0L0G7 NOV 2 G 1973 s/fg, . SPm /ft/C. November 20, 1978 //;, MEMORANDUM TO: PVC Communications Committee The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. FROM: Matthew M. Swetonic SUBJECT: Revision of Q&A Booklet Attached for your information is revised copy for the PVC and health question-and-answer booklet. As you know, it was decided earlier this year that an updated version of this booklet would be useful to the overall communications effort. The copy has been reviewed and approved by SPI staff, the PVC Health Committee and by legal counsel. We will be discussing the printing and distribution of the book let at the meeting next week (November 29) in Washington, so I thought it would be useful if each member of the committee had a copy in advance. M.M.S. MMS:sdd Attachment cc: Messrs. Collins, Lawrence, Hearle Blizin, Bochat, Venedam / / see 3-0980 November 20, 1978 Approved Copy for Re vised SPI-PVC Q&A Folder Title: Sub-Title: PVC, HEALTH AND SAFETY Answers to ten questions most often asked about polyvinyl chloride Since early 1974 vinyl chloride, the gaseous industrial chemical from which polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic is made, has been the subject of widespread misinformation and mis understanding regarding questions of occupational, community and consumer health and safety. Although a variety of erroneous and misleading impressions concerning vinyl chloride and PVC have been created in the public mind, the known facts, supported by extensive medical and tech nical research, are that: The development of angiosarcoma of the liver, a rare form of cancer, from long-term, high-level exposure to vinyl chloride has been confined exclusively to the occupational setting. There is no credible evidence linking vir.yl chloride emissions with an excess number of angiosarcoma cases or an excess of birth defects among people living in communities surrounding vinyl chloride plants. There is no reasonable likelihood today of vinyl chloride getting into a consumer's diet from PVC food packaging materials and no hazard to the public from the use of finished PVC products. Following are ten questions most commonly asked about vinyl chloride and health. Answers are based on known scientific evidence and industry experience. SCC 3-0981 What is PVC and for what is it used? Polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, is the second most widely used plastic resin in the United States. It is produced from vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), a gaseous industrial chemical, by a process called polymerization. The resin is, in turn, fabricated into a wide variety of consumer and industrial products, including floor tile, curtains, shoes, electrical insulation, telephone equipment, medical-surgical devices, phonograph records, food packaging, upholstery, umbrellas \ and raincoats, luggage and sporting goods. Approximately 2.2 million American jobs are directly or indirectly dependent on the PVC industry. How serious an occupational hazard is vinyl chloride? Over the past 16 years there have been a total of 23 deaths from angiosarcoma in six U.S. plants and approximately 48 in other countries. In the U.S. all of the deaths were among workers heavily exposed to vinyl chloride monomer. The workers' jobs involved cleaning residue of PVC resin from the reactor in which it was produced. Their work thus re sulted in high exposure to VCM over a period of many years. While some additional deaths can be expected to occur in ' the future as a result of these heavy past exposures, with the strict control measures instituted during the last few years there is every reason to-believe that vinyl chloriderelated disease has already been eliminated as an occupational problem. SCC 3-0982 Do current government vinyl chloride standards adequately protect industry workers? Yes. The results of numerous epidemiological studies show that the current standard set by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of one part per million averaged over an 8-hour period provides more than an ample margin of safety for industry- employees. Vinyl chloride has been in use in industry for almost 40 years, and a sufficient number of 'workers have been exposed long enough to make epidemiological studies reliable indicators of the effects of VCM at various levels of exposure. In general, these studies show no excess of cancer nor any cases of angiosarcoma among workers exposed to low or intermediate levels (below 250 ppm) of vinyl chloride even if the exposure was extended over a long period of time. Is vinyl chloride a major air pollutant? No. Measurements taken by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1974 showed no scientific evidence that emissions from vinyl chloride facilities posed an imminent hazard to people living near the plants. EPA estimated that the average yearly concentration of vinyl chloride within five, miles of uncontrolled PVC plants was only 17 parts per billion (17ppb). However, the EPA in 1976, as a precautionary step, promulgated regulations which would reduce even this insignificant level of community exposure to vinyl chloride by approximately 95 percent. Studies conducted for The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. (SPI) showed that the new regulations would theoretically reduce exposure see 3-098 * -4- levels within five miles of vinyl chloride plants to approximately two-tenths of a part per billion (0.2 ppb) as a yearly average. All existing medical and technological data indicate that the standards promulgated in 1976 provide more than an ample margin of safety for people living in the vicinity of PVC plants. Q. Is there any special risk of getting angiosarcoma for people living in communities surrounding vinyl chloride plants? A. No. A government survey of all angiosarcoma deaths in the United States between 1964 and 1974 found no excess of deaths from this disease among people living within five miles of vinyl chloride gas and PVC resin plants. The report con cluded: "This survey has produced no evidence that living around vinyl chloride plants is a risk factor in the occur rence of liver angiosarcoma." Additional studies by industry, universities and research organizations confirmed this low risk. A professor at Harvard University, for example, has calculated that the risk of living within five miles of a PVC plant for one year is equivalent to the risk of con tracting cancer from eating one-half of a tablespoon of peanut butter or to the hazards of smoking one-fifteenth of a cigarette. Q. Does vinyl chloride increase the risk of stillbirths and mis carriages among the wives of heavily exposed industry workers? A. While one 1976 research project at a single plant in Pennsyl vania purported to show that such a risk may exist, serious scientific questions have been raised concerning the manner see 3-0984 -5- in which the study was conducted and the sweeping conclusions reached. Eminent scientists from Harvard University Graduate School of Public Health and the University of Texas Health Science Center, after reviewing the study on behalf of SPI, were highly critical of the analytical methods used. One termed the conclusions as "misleading"'while the other called the data "worthless," the analysis "naive" and the test "inadequate and misleading." In addition, since the original research was conducted, vinyl chloride exposure levels through out the industry have been reduced a hundredfold or more. So even if a problem did exist, it has already been eliminated. Q.- Does vinyl chloride cause birth defects in communities with PVC facilities? A. Because of a report from Ohio of excess birth defects in three widely separated communities with PVC facilities, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare conducted three separate studies in 1975 and 1976 to examine the validity of the Ohio report. CDC concluded, on the basis of these investigations and a thorough analysis of the existing research data, that "no relationship between infants with malformations and parents' exposure to vinyl chloride could be established." In addition, a review conducted for SPI of the Ohio study by a noted Harvard scientist concluded that "the finding results from a combination of chance, reporting differentials and epidemiological gerry mandering." A recent Canadian study conducted in a manner see 3-0985 similar to the Ohio report suffers from many of the same deficiencies. In short, there is no credible evidence that vinyl chloride causes birth defects in communities adjacent to PVC plants. Q. Is it safe to consume foods or beverages packaged in PVC? A- Yes. As a result of strenuous industry efforts over the past few years, the residual vinyl chloride content has been reduced dramatically in packaging products made from foodgrade PVC resins. Therefore, there is no reasonable like lihood of vinyl chloride migration into foods from present packaging materials and no scientific evidence that vinyl chloride monomer can be found at any level in food products now packaged in PVC. Q- Is it true that PVC, if burned, can release toxic fumes? A. Yes. Like all organic materials such as wood, paper, wool or cotton, PVC will burn in the presence of high heat or fire and will release fumes. Being a compound of hydrogen, carbon and chlorine, PVC can release both hydrogen chloride and carbon monoxide in a fire. However, PVC cannot burn on its own. Some outside source of heat is necessary. Fire is a problem of all organic materials. What is needed is a comprehensive approach to the problem, including increased use of fire detection and warning systems, installation of automatic sprinklers in commercial buildings, appropriate building codes and better education of the American public concerning action to take in case of fire. see 3-0986 Q. Should the manufacture and use of PVC products be banned? A. Vinyl chloride concentrations in the workplace, in community air and in finished PVC products are being rigidly con trolled, and there is, therefore, no reason to ban the manu facture or use of any polyvinyl chloride product. From a public health standpoint such bans are 'completely unnecessary and would serve no meaningful purpose. If you would like more detailed information on any of the v material in this folder, or have additional questions you would like to have answered, please contact: (SPI logo) The Society of the Plastics 355 Lexington Avenue New York, NY 10017 Phone: (212) 573-940.0 Industry, Inc. see 3-0987 ! A sV 1 \