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A10 Cancer Experts Warn of Dangers In Some Plastic Wrap Chemicals THE NEW YORK TIMES, WEDNESDA' By JANE E. BRODY The finding by a leading Italian re Maltoni's findings, Dr. Hammond, a vice searcher that a chemical used in some president of the American Cancer Soci plastic food wraps can cause cancer in ety, and Dr. Selikoff, director of environ .mice prompted two American cancer cx- perts yesterday to alert the public and Government agencies to the need for mental medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center, said they saw no reason for the closer^ scrutiny of this and related chemi public to stop using saran products. But cals. Dr. Hammond suggested that industry At a news conference at the New York might try to remove residual vinylidine Academy of Sciences, Dr; E. Cuylcr Ham chloride from the finished plastic before mond and Dr. Irving J. Selikoff said that It came into contact with food. ithe chemicalTcalled vinylidine chloride, They said that Dr. Maltoni's finding was closely related to two other cancer- warranted further examination by the .causing chemicals, vinyl chloride and tri Food and Drug Administration, the Na chloroethylene. tional Institute of Occupational Safety However, researchers at the Dow and Health and the National Institute of .Chemical Company, the leading manufac Environmental Health Sciences. turer of vinylidine chloride, said the Ital In a related development, the Natural ian finding was of questionMble signifi Resources Defense Council has asked the cance and cited a two-year, $ 1 -million Food and Drug Administration to recall 'study sponsored by American industries existing stocks of Coca Cola in plastic -'that showed no cancer-inducing effect of bottles made from acrylonitrile, also vinylidine chloride in rats. called vinyl cyanide and another chemical -V In addition, Dow researchers said that relative of vinyl chloride. In response to studies of foods wrapped in plastics made 3 suit brought by the council in 1975, tfrom vinylidine chloride had showed that the drug agency last Friday rescinded its "none of the chemical migrated from the approval of market tests of the plastic , wrapping to the food. The test would soda bottles. have disclosed such contamination if it The agency's decision was based on ,i exceeded 10 parts of vinylidien chloride recent findings that acrylonitrile causes <dn one billion parts of food. hirth defects and tumors in test animals " In the Italian study, conducted by Dr. and that small amounts of the chemical i Cesare Maltoni at the Institute of Oncolo- leach out of the bottles into the drink. 1 gy in Bologna,^rats,. hamsters and^njjce ' j . ' 1 ` f> r 4''; ,*> ,; DELIGHT IN THE RAIN: Youngsters In Sac launching flat-bottomed boat in flooded ` gutt about one and one-half inches of rain fell on stricken Northern California. Precipitation als< were exposed to vinylidine chloride gas at much higher levels--starting at 10 Fuel Economy in 77 Cars Reported as 6^parts per million--for up to one year. Kidnevcancers developed ir^ about .20 pencenF dr'lhejnSTeFTwissjlice, but in none!)fThe other animats?" WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 (AP)--Overall a 34 percent improvement on 1974. swagen L Three years ago, Dr, Maltoni's studies fuel economy in 1977 model cars is 6 The E.P.A. tested more than 500 vehi 808, 35 : of vinyl chloride, another plastics chemi percent better than in last year's models, cles to determine emission comoliance Chevrolet cal, showed it to cause cancer in rats the Environmental Protection Agency re and fuel economy. In addition, 200 proto Colt, 29 a Jknd mice. Shortly afterw.ard the chemical ported today. type vehicles were tested by manufactur ' Volksv h*s pinpointed as the cause of a rare, fatal The E.P.A. issued a new list of auto ers, and the results were confirmed by sel model Jtver cancer in exposed workers. Dr, Mal- mileage figures including testing conduct the Federal agency; 1977. Npni's studies of vinylidine chloride were ed both last fall and earlier this year. The Volkwagen Rabbit Diesel was the In the begun at the behest of four European Taking first place in this year's mileage No. 2 rated auto this year at 37 miles profession 'producers. listings was the Honda Civic CVCC, a. gallon -in the -city-and -52onthehigh- ment. US' ij Vinylidine chloride is a gaseous chemi which`was rated at 52 miles a gallon way.'Placing third through fifth, with the testing is cal that, when polymerized with vinyl on the highway and 40 in citytraffic. city and" highway- figures recorded, were tests and "chloride, makes up Saran Wrap, a Dow Over all, the agency said, the autos the Datsun B210, 37 and 50; Honda Ac to be cor iproduct. (Other packaged plastic wraps and small trucks that were tested aver cord CVCC, 38 and 48, and ToyotaCoroI- officials are made of polyethylene.) The vinylidine aged 18.6 .miles a gallon of gasoline. This la, 3G and 49. - , -E.P.A. chloride-vinyl chloride copolymer--called is G percent better than 1976 resultsand 'Completing the top 10 were the Volk predict th , saran--is also used to wrap commercially prepared meats and cheeses. A Dow ""spokesman said that about one-third of the flexible plastic packaging for food in grocery stores is saran, representing an annual market of between 150 and -200 million rounds cf plastic. In announcing their concern about Dr NAVY BOMBING PROTESTER :r, SEIZED ON PACIFIC ISLAND ; HONOLULU, Feb. 22, (UP!)--One of 15 persons who invaded ICahoolawe to pro test the Navy use of the island for bomb'ring practice was arrested yesterday. The > Coast Guard identified him as Si 073?38