Document LzJO0V7BX8nQw4OZyz1yEdgq
23566001
THE CLEVELAND PRESS, Thursday, August 22, 1974
;k ) Spray can mystery:
are
r1
BvTOMSKOCII
: list, vinyl chloride among
o n e slopped using it at and pesticides. The U.S,
,i. Federal
Government
agencies have been issuing
dire warnings and bans on
5 aerosol spray products
using vinyl chloride gas to
the ingredients, a govern ment researcher said. And , , ' ' not all use it.
The U.S. Consumer Prod uct Safely Commission last
least a few months ago.
So the ban is like cap ping the nozzle aftermil the spray got out.
Environmental Protection. Agency banned those.
But the EPA office here says It only handles water
power the spray.
week added to the banned
To find out what specific pollution, and spray cans
.i. They say the vinyl chlo.j.ridc is linked to a form of -liver cancer.
list some spray cans of paints, finishes, protective and decorative coatings, paint removers, adhesives
food products, drugs and cosmetics are on the ban ned list, you would check with the Food and Drug
are air pollution. You are told to try calling the Chicago EPA office, or the Ohio EPA in Twinsburg. '
You can get your money and solvents. The ban will
Administration here. Theo Maybe they know which
cback on the spray cans, be effective in about a
retically.
ones.
they say.
'.v 'But trying to find which cans are unhealthy is
a enough to give you a [stroke.
Forget about cashing, in on refunds.
The cans don't usually
month.
They can give you a cou
Which brands? Which ington, you'll find out that say they can't recall ever ple of product names out of
specific products?
they will try to get out a getting vinyl chloride warn more than 30 once listed in
list-- if the manufacturers ings from anyone about any . news clippings -- cosmetics
The commission office ' tell them which products products.
and drugs, that is. The FDA
here can't tell you, a spokesman said, until a list comes in from Washington.
If you care to call Wash
use vinyl chloride. But the manufacturers don't have to tell. They can notify stores directly.
To top it off, a commiss i o n researcher. in Washington says that most 'firms stopped using vinyl
says it knows of no food products ever using the banned spray. But it is ban ned anyway.
But the Ohio EPA says to try the Ohio Health Depart ment. Forget another long distance call to Chicago, you've dropped enough telephone change already. 1.
About this time, you're ready fora stiff drink.
Managers for two major chloride in spray cans in The' last banned items Even if it comes from, a
discount chain stores here ' the late 1960's, .and every- are some spray insecticides spray can.
Until detecT rote .nigh ray vinyl plants
The Ohio Health Depart ment is investigating what appear t6 be abnormally high birth defect rates in Painesville, Avon Lake and Ashtabula, where plants using vinyl chloride are located.
Dr. Peter F. Infante of the department's chronic disease division said today the information gathered thus far is very prelimi nary.
"I don't want anyone to
get the false impression ,t'hat we believe t'he birth defect rate is related to vinyl chloride. At this point we do not know what it is related to,'' said Dr. In fante.
The higher rates, he said, were recorded from 1970 through 1973. The three communities bad a total of 77 `birt'hs m which congenit a 1 -malformations were present in the four years.
Dr. Infante said other
agencies are looking at nyle chloride in Avon Lake,
whether-there may be high issued a statement today..
er rates of cancer incidence which said:
in the areas around vinyl
chloride plants.
"In our opinion, this re
port plays on the emotional
Last week The Press re ported the U. S. Environ mental Protection Agency, had delected presence of vinyl chloride up to three miles from two Painesville
area plants.
fears . of people. Govern ment medical ofticials have told us they are highly skeptical of Die scientific validity of the information. . . . The fact is there is no medical or scientific evidcnce establishing a rela-
.
B. F. Goodrich Chemical tionship between vinyl chlo
Co., which produces polyvi- ride and birth defects."