Document NEBoD1196avv8ZX49dkMmD05Q

presentation of a statement from compound will begin replacing Canada's prime minister Pierre PCB's in McGraw Edison's capaci Trudeau. tors in mid-1976. Speaking on behalf of ACS at the The hew substitute material, ceremony, ACS president William butylated monochlorodiphenyl J. Bailey expressed the hope that oxide, was developed by Dow and the meeting would lead to closer extensively tested by McGraw Edi cooperation between Mexican and son in a four-year joint program. It U.S. chemists in such areas as edu shows dielectric losses as low as or cation, publications, and techno slightly lower than PCB mixtures logical exchange. He also stressed while showing superior performance that ACS is interested in interna in corona discharge testing at most tional exchanges in general as temperatures. In addition, it is ex chemistry itself is international in pected to be safe from fire hazards scope. He said it is in the self-inter at the normal operating tempera est of ACS to see the development tures of capacitors, the company of a strong chemical community in says. Mexico. And he offered the cooper Environmentally, the new com ation of ACS in such development. pound performs substantially bet Elaborating on his remarks at a Straube: we stand behind our labels ter than PCB's, Dow says. Its later conference with the Mexican press, Bailey said that the congress recognizes that chemistry in Mexi co has advanced to the point where U.S. chemists can have very mean scientific community to comment or contribute." Dr. Jay Turim, an EPA pesticide programs official, defended the major component is 45 times more biodegradable than PCB's, 30 times less bioconcentratable, and 20 times less toxic to fish in company testing. The material probably will ingful dialogue with their Mexican agency's aims and past actions. But cost 50 to 75% more than PCB colleagues and learn a great deal he admitted steps were being taken mixtures, according to Dow, but from them. "to improve decision-making," since it will require less special This growing strength of Mexican partly because of recent amend handling and monitoring than chemistry was well reflected in the ments to FIFRA. There will be PCB's do, the difference in cost for I congress program. 15% of all papers more open evaluation of risks and capacitors will be considerably less. were by Mexican chemists. And in benefits, Turim said, and there will PCB's have beeif-used for the some divisions their participation be more emphasis on nonadversary past 40 years in electrical equip was very high--for instance, 41% in fact-finding hearings before moving ment because of their excellent di the petroleum division, 35% in the to cancel or suspend a pesticide electric properties and low risk of industrial and engineering division, registration. As to carcinogenicity explosion or fire. The evidence of 27% in the biological, medicinal, the EPA-developed principles dg> their environmental hazard has led and pharmaceutical division. "provide a firm basis in point M to strong opposition to their contin law," Turim contended. But he ued use (C&EN, Dec. 1, page 7). agreed that some of the principles Since 1971 Monsanto, the only U.S. Stauffer exec blasts EPA on pesticides are controversial and that they manufacturer of the compounds, "leave basic questions unanswered. has restricted their sales to closedEven if there is a hazard, what system electrical applications should EPA do?" Two groups are where no acceptable substitute ma j The Environmental Protection now at work within EPA to formu terial has been available. ! Agency has mismanaged the ad- late an overall cancer policy, which High-voltage capacitors of the j ministration of the Federal Insecti- will include economic as well as type McGraw Edison makes proba [ cide, Fungicide, & Rodenticide Act, health aspects, Turim revealed. bly are the second largest market according to H. L. Straube, vice John J. Neylan HI of EPA's pes for PCB's, after electrical trans j president and general manager of ticide enforcement division, main formers. They represent about 20% Stauffer's agricultural chemicals dir tained that the division will in of the estimated 40 million lb of 1 vision. At a panel discussion held in crease the predictability of enforce these compounds consumed each Chicago, Straube, who also is ment actions. However, "they year. chairman of the National Agricul- aren't fixed in granite." Neylan The Dow-McGraw Edison mate , tural Chemicals Association, also answered Straube's question rial joins several other PCB substi : charged that although FIFRA re about deviations from labor recom tutes already being tested or mar . quires EPA to consider both risks mendations: "The user is responsi keted. Among them are Exxon , and benefits of pesticides, the agen- ble." d Chemical's diisononylphthalate for [ cy has in fact adopted a "no-risk" capacitors, Dow-Cornmg's poly i attitude. He also took issue with an methyl siloxane fluid for transform j EPA Pesticide Enforcement Policy PCB substitute is ers, and an experimental fluid for j Statements (PEPS) that allows use safe for environmenti of pesticides at lower-than-label transformers being developed by RTE Corp. j dosages, if recommended by a rec- Dow says it will have manufac | ognized authority. "We stand be Removing polychlorinated biphen turing capacity to produce 1 million t hind our labels," Straube declared. yls (PCB's) from the environment lb per year of the new material by | "Who is now responsible if a prod altogether may have moved a step the first quarter of 1976. Should the uct doesn't perform?" In addition, closer last week as Dow Chemical fluid prove acceptable to the indus : Straube argued that EPA's "self- and McGraw Edison announced try, Dow is willing to make a com j generated" principles of carcinoge- development of a less environmen mitment to produce the fluid in L. nicity "established a far-reaching tally hazardous substitute for PCB's multimillion lb-per-year quantities .. principle without even asking the in high-voltage capacitors. The by the end of 1976. STLCOPCB4092917