Document MGzzR38eVay5qrqaey5XJEerM

Monsanto FROM (NAME LOCATION) P, STORDEUR, LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE DATE May 6th, 1974. UBJCCT MCFCNENCC TO VCM - GERMANY yitf i 4 ^14 Mr LEVINSKAS, ST LOUIS s' cc r. KUP, RUABON As agreed, please find enclosed copies of articles from German newspapers on.D.YNAMIT NOBEL.* s problem with VCM. Beat regards. PS :ms P. STORDEUR gsv 0006132 Frankfurter Allgemelne Zeitung, January 2, 1974 Summary translation (unauthorized) Liver Damages caused b^r PVC Production Process Although many^hints were given, G S'32T22-2-21222Yi2i2Q..!;22iS,2i?;22 Similar to many other occupational diseases, one has realized only by now, JO years after the beginning of industrial production of pvc, all dangers of the production process to the workers. In 'Deutsche Medlzinische Wochenschrift' (Vol. 98 page 2311), H.J. Marsteller and Susanne JUhe reported on a medical check up of-chemical workers of 'Dynamit Nobel AG', Troisdorf. 43 workers of 120 employed at the pvc plant suffered from either pathologic changes of the finger ends and toe ends, or liver and milt damages. Additionally to liver enlargements, most of the 4-3 workers suffered from biochemical functional liver disturbances, too. Finally, pathological tissue changes were found by the physicians. Although pathological liver changes varied widely, all patients worked between 1.5 and 21 years in the pvc production. Therefore, this disease must be considered an occupational disease. First reports appeared 1963 in Rumania. Only after publishing the same paper again in 1967, similar observations were published in Germany, France, Great Britain, and' the U.S., too. First liver damages from pvc production process were observed in 1949 in the Soviet Union. Scientists can make no prognosis with regard to the liver damages so far. It is not known how often this disease occurs in other pvc production plants. Maybe, the degree of danger depends on local working conditions. However, it appears that such damages were not unforeseeable, and one can raise the question why no control of the vinyl chikride concentration or the workers' health took place in such plants* RSV 0006733 HILL AND KNOWLTON GMBH OFFICE Frankfurt Frankfurter Rundschau PUBLICATION:................................ DATE ;.??/. A973PERIODICITY:f?.1.1.7........... CIRCULAT ION1:85 400 MEDIA DESCRIPTION:............... ??.P.e.r..................................... SOURCE: Our press releose: ........................ Summary translation (unauthorized) Under the headline Causes (PVC DiseasQ still unknown, German ministry of labor initiates research work1 , tnis article deals with" I'acts concerning the ' pvc disease-1 and mentions that the German ministry of labor initiates research on this disease. The 'Committee for dangerous Materials' of the ministry of labor' proposes regular medical check ups of all workers in the plastics production field. Additionally, guidelines on technical measures against dangers to health are set up. Ursocbe ist noch unbehmmt Arbeitsministerium laBt Kurutatoff-Krankheit erforschen BONN. 1. December (dpa). Die bisher noch elcht -kckma&Le Uriache einer KrmalcbeTt, die offenbar mil der Hemellung voo. lturv^oj/ca tPXO . uiMrnoieattfingt, toll Jetat In elnem Forchungsauilrag dits BuodesarbeUsmirjttterium erforscht \erden. Wie das Minlsterium .mm MHlwoch mitteille, ist la Ktlrze cin Sacbverit#ndigeogespr4cb vorgesehmn. Net* b'ahertrm Uotareuehungen !n Betrieben der Kunsfcitoffindiuitrle wr den bei Beh&/Ugtcn la PVC-Abteilungen gcachwoUrne Finger, Knochenmchwund, vrmindert*v UluUcrinnunoXihlgiroM. chrQnir/M.o Leberxchidlgungen Sctowl:;d?leiilhl und Kop(fdupenen fcitgestellt. Der Kunststoff PVC entsteht durch die VerIJiissigung des farblnsen. mva trdbt sewonncnen Vlnylchlorldff^rps tn pollen Keseeln und die .gpJKhlieB^TKU Komprlmlerung zu Pulver. Aus dem Pulver wird dann der zShe KunsUtoll gewonnen, der praktisch schoo la alien Lcbensbereichen zu einer Allerweltspla*Uk geworden ist. Der belrn BundesarbeiUmiolirWium bestebrnde AusfchuU fflr ' ssi./hlche ArbeiUatolfe halt regelmg3lrre fintllche Untersuchunf.cn von Arbeltnchmem fur erforderlich. die 1m Berelch der Kurutstoffherrteltuni: bcschfiftlgt tLnd. Ferner wird cine Hichtlimc ij&er tecbzuscbm MaOnahmen zur Abwcbr von Gesund* heitsgefahrcn aufgestellt.. RSV 0006734 HILL AND KNOWLTON GMBH Frankfurter Allgeroeine Zeitung OFFICE* Fronkfurt PUBLICATION: DATE 'I'lV:. .WP PERIODICITY:. .d.aAAY ?.SiCIRCULATION:. ??.6. MEDIA DESCRIPTION:.,. PfPAr. SOURCE: Our press release: ............... This article deals with another pvc phenomenon which occurs with finished pvc foils. Translation (unauthorized) PVC Vagor_causes_Astoma FVC vapor resulting from heat treatment and decompensation of poly vinyl chloride leads to asthma and pathologic changes of the lungs. Such damages were first reported by W.N. Sokol of the Medical Clinic of the Harbor General Hospital, Torrance (California). In the 'Journal' of the American Medical Asso ciation (pages 226/635)/ Sokol reports on the poisonings of three women who worked as packers in the meat department of a supermarket. They suffered from such diseases, after the supermarket started to use pvc packaging material.. PVC foils were cut with a hot wire. Gases resulting from this heat treat ment are quite dangerous, as it was found. While the pvc produ cer says that such gases are not dangerous, Sokol expects that such poisonings happen quite often. Asthma durch PVC-Dampfe Die bcl der Hltzeieraetxun* von Poly- vtoylchlortd (PVO auftretenden Dimple *Uhr>n nj Asthma und Lun- fenvcrandminKcn. Ubcr dcrartige Sehfiden hat jetrt errimali W.N. Sokol von der MciSlzIniscncn KllnjJc dcs Hnrbor General Hospital In Tonrance/Knll- foralen hlngcwlcsen. Sokol berichtet lm .Journal- der Araerikani-xhcn Medlzlnlsch^n GejeUschaft (22ms. C3S) flbtr VcrslfUmrm bri 3 rackerlnnon, ale In der Flelschabtellunc clnes Supcrmarklc* beschflttljt varen. Die Beschwcrdcn traten aut. nachdem auf rVC ala VcrpHdtuofr/mnterlal iiberRC- aatn wordin war. Die FoUen werdrn nut dnem hriflm Drht ziirrchtjy*sctuilUen. Die dabel enlstehonrien rl* RSV 0006735 HILL AND KNOWLTON CMtfH OFFICE': Fronkfurt :. Ji'V. PUBLICATION:. PERIODICITY Frank fu r ter I'antiiGc!iau .......................... CIRCULATION :... MEDIA DESCRIPTION:.............................................. V.............................................................................................. SOURCE: Our press release: ....................................................................................... .. Su?:i;i;arv ' V'l.-.cla' ion Horrible `'.icuuat ional Disease Under l:.is headline the paper report:; un tr.e 1 pvc disease' . It :s mentioned that F&rbwerke Hoechst and HAbF have stated that they nave not yet found such disease in their area. The te t";::an ministry of labor was approached :.o legally acknowledgcthis disease as occupational disease. No ne/j-;,: .iatious tooii' pin-e so far with regard to compensations for the workers. V/oricers utne chemical plant at Troisdorf say that they feu' to nave tee;, used as 'test persons' by the employer.The spokesman of the- plant :h ir^lsdorf stated tiiat 'nobody did die'so far, and a.Ll cure have i c*n given -'o the workers. The plant's spokesman pronounced doubts u h regard to other atemer/: r `.hr./ this pvc disease should non enured at other /vo urcduc dinner.. Grauenhaite Berufskrankheit 40 Chemie-Arbeitcrn drohe Invaliditat uad Sicchtum Von unicrem Milarbciter jhw BONN, 17. Dczcmbcr. Eine gram-nhaUo neue Bcru/skrnnkheit bedroht die Arbeitr- jn den unmittelbar PVC-prr>duzicrcndcn Autnklavcn in don groflen CheniioM-crkcn. Wahrend die Furbwerke Hocchsl und BASF am Wocheniude beinnten, Erkrankungcn scim bsher aber mcht frstgcstellt W'ordon. snil.n mindostem 40 Bescha/ligte dor Dynarmt Nobel AG in Trois- dorf durch cf.*hrliJic VmyJclilorid-Gasc gCMchudigt wordr-n <nn. Den Be- tmffcnen sti-IItn jedrnfalls dor Bonner Hautarzt Pi "lessor Guntrr Vcltmann i eine ..rrnste Frognnsct Die Sterblidikeit mfolge IJVC-Casvcrgiftun*en sei l *rcJativ hoch" und treffe vor allem junge Manner. 1 oe 0006736 Die furebtharen Wirkungrn ausstrt*- L mendon n.*s->: Die Knoehcn in den Nch den larmierend-n Meldungen I JSjiVhriger Arbelter. soil rineinhalb Jah Hand*n weichen auf, Leber und MUz der Arflff hut Bund^.irt-^i.-niimOer ren krftnk. Imdct an lu'ncdunsenen vergrdOcm sich. Djs blutbildcnde Arendl einrn SondorauN-ciiuH ^rhildet, H.indvn und FuUen. aus d'*nen Gr. System im-t di* Blutgerinnung werden der den Fail urrtrrsuchcn soil. Die V<t- {uhl gtwirhen ist I'-c-omler; unter d. n schwer b<*eintr^i.MicL die l.uti*e erheb- mlninp; soil nls Uerulskmnkticit .`chnell- Angenormen der l^n an o> r. Tr'inlorrc;' licli m p/ouen. Das su-ns anerknnnVweriii-n unniit ihvOoter Autukla vrn bt'scliufliKien Arbeiirr Atmrn fallt .1.01) CasviMniflrtrn irnmcr xunuchst die Invaliilc-rir.'nie rrhaltrn madil sicli ?ro(lc Llnruhe benuTkijar. D:e tchwercr, m di*r Spei.scrolire konnen kdnnen. Ul>er Knischiidniuugen wcriicn | Dynuniit Nohe! All i-rhllirie. ijts jetzt sicb Krarnpi.iiirin bilrj-n. notti keine Vcrdnndlungvn m'fubri. sef ..nieniarul i!-*l<,t bi->" Man li.ih* ailr- Ris vor kitizein war },, H.-niMtr;.r>k- Unt'-riiesaen erliohen ArLeiier d-< Fur. or re <ur ,1.' ' > h.-1 > i., HILL AND KNOWLTON GMBH OFFICEe Frankfurt PUBLICATION: Die Welt DATE:999.'..2.fU.\^ PERIODICITY: #daily............... National paper MEDIA DESCRIPTION:.................................. SOURCE: Our press release: ........... CIRCULATION:. F&6. 2,Q<? Summary Translation (unauthorized) Research on PVC Disease The up to now unknown reason for a certain disease which occurs in connection with the pvc production process will be investigated under a research contract of the German ministry of labor. According to what is known so far, workers in the pvc departments of the plastics industry suffer from swollen fingers, atrophy of bones, reduced blood coagulation, chronic liver damages, giddiness, and headache. It is reported that in December 1973, ^0 workers of a chemical plant at Troisdorf, Federal Republic of Germany, who had contact with vinyl chloride gas, had suffered serious damages. PVC-Krankheit wird erforscht v Bobu (dpa) -- Die bisher noch rricht bekennte Urwche finer Krankheit, die offenbar mit der Herstellunjt dcs KuwiUtoIti PVC zusanwnenhanflt. soil jetzt In einem Forjehuriuilrag des BiuwJcaarbeltfimlnistenunu ermiltclt werden. Nacfa blshcrigen Unterruchungen m Betrietx der Kun4tstof!u>duitric wur- den bet BeschiilUglen In PVC-Abtei- lungen gesehwollene Finger. Knocbenactiwund, vermirxJerte BlutReririnurwcs- fahigkeit, chronische Lcborschddisungcn Bowie SchwindeLgafOhl und Kopf- scbmerren ttgestellt. PVC catsfceht durah die Verfliissigung dcs farblosen, bus fclrd&l Rewonnencn Vicvylchlondga*ea und die anschllcOende Komprirmr- njrsg zu PuIvct. Au* drm Pulwr w-rrt dnnn der ztihe KixnjtJdoff gewonncn, der praktiseh schon in alien Lcbenherel- chen zu einvr AUerwelUplasltk gewur- dcn Wt. .. . Frft Anfuug der Woebe hatten 40 Be- schiifUfttc rim*s Troisdor(i?r Be- RSV 0006737 iit*n Hill and ICnS$i)4t&3 international 3elgiur.i Office Publication(s) Country Date Circulation Brussels Industry and Society /**i*^ .p/erV'4'^, Belgium April .50, 197-1 *+#vtKj Media description : "`'fkly i>J Eu r t *i ><'a n ('< nimiii i l i i- ^ ( imliel r i ,t I inf i >rina 1 inn) ** 3*.'/oral years ago the European Commission recommended that, in ord^r to improve the prevention of OC UPATIOHAi* D13EAC-..", the Member States of the Corcmuni'ty of the Six should exchange their information on occupational di:tares on a rcjular basis and adapt the.ir national lists to the European list of there diseases. A study covering the legislation in force- in thin field in Denmark, Ireland and Great Britain is now being prepared. The European. Commission recalls this point in its reply to a written question by a member of the European Parliament concerning Commission action to protect the health of workers employed in .the manufacture and processing of plastics based on polyvinyl cliloridc which expose thorn to specially serious health hazards* In orivr to achieve more complete understanding of the harmful effects of this product (already referred to in the European list of occupational diseases), the European Commission Jins established. contact with the International Agency for Rc.-sc-rch on Cancer of Lyons, an organization which is. collecting all available d:.tn on th-* toxicity of vinyl chloride nnd polyvinyl chlorides. As soon a 3 possible the Commission will take action on the latest scientific data available on the subject. RSV 0006738  t How dangerous is it to work in a factory that produces PVC as raw material? Are there any secure limit values? The National American Workers'Protection Board says no and demands a prohibition against the discharge of the toxic vi nyl chloride in the working environment. This decision could mean a death blow for many plastics industries all over the world. The vinyl chloride, which is the gaseous raw material for PVC and which comes from oil can cause an unusual liver cancer if the fumes of the vinyl chloride are inhaled. The person, who is exposed to the fumes can get his hands destroyed. See picture. At least about 15 workers at different PVC factories all around the world have died of liver cancer. Two of them worked in Stockvik (kema Nord). In almost thirty years the PVC workers have been exposed to large doses of vinyl chloride. One month ago the American legislation concerning workers' protection reduced the highest permitted limit value to 50 ppm and on Thursday last week the same authority demanded a prohi bition. This proposal will be looked into by a federal court-of-law next month. The American legislation can assert that also small quantities of vinyl chloride are dangerous and if the proposal gains legal force the production of PVC must be stopped. Four large plastics industries in England have invested 40 million Sw Cr in order to reduce the discharge of vinyl chloride to 25 ppm during the coming six months. , 7.r RSV 0006739 ,1 LUHDQVIST TRANSIATION 1974.05.15 2- m But to coca* down to zero is probably not possible with the technique of today. "Even though ve invest many million we do not come below 10 ppra", says Barry Barnes, who is active also at the ici-trust. ? 'V. i. I RSV 0006740