Document NNEO8rvqD0rzY4r6z62dYD2Yb

f \- IOA Wed., February 23, 1977 STLOOIS POST-DISPATCH tWarns Of Chemical In Plastic Wraps " OWlM Eren *1t IMCI In the Italian study, conducted by Dr. :; NEW YORK, Feb. 23 -- The finding iy leading Italian researcher that a Chemical used in some plastic food jvraps can cause cancer in mice has ^prompted two United States cancer experts to alert the public and Governjpieot agencies to the need for closer scrutiny of the chemical and others. At a press conference yesterday. Dr. *E. Cuyler Hammond and Dr. Irving J. ^elikoff said the chemical, called vtnyii- Cesare Maltoni, rats, hamsters and mice wen exposed to vinylidine chloride gas at high levels tor up to one year. Kidney cancers developed in about 30 per cent of the male Swiss mice, but in none of the other animals. Three years ago, Maltoni's studies of vinyl chloride, another plastics chemi cal, showed it to cause cancer in rats and mice. Shortly afterward the chemi cal was pinpointed as the cause of a rare, fatal liver cancer In exposed work .dine chloride, was closely related to two ers. jpther cancer-causing chemicals, vinyl A Dow spokesman said that one third chloride and trichloroethylene. of the flexible plastic packaging for food ! However, researchers at the Dow Chemical Company, the leading manu facturer of vinylidine chloride, said the Italian finding was of questionable sig nificance. The Dow spokesmen cited a in grocery shelves was made from viny lidine chloride. But he noted that studies of foods wrapped in such plastics had shown that none of the chemical migrat ed from the wrapping to the food. two-year, 11,000,000 study sponsored by Hammond said be, personally, would American industries that showed no continue to use plastic food wraps. cancer-inducing effect of vinylidine chlo , Asked how consumers should react to ride in rats. Us warning against vinylidine chloride, Vinylidine chloride is a gaseous he said, "It is my personal opinion that chemical that, when polymerized with consumers at this point need have no vinyl chloride, makes Saran Wrap, a worry." His warning was intended to Dow product. (Other packaged plastic protect them from possible future risk, wraps are polyethylene.) be said. Carter \ ____________ ___ __ RSV 0006503 ^-- " .f A1Q \ c J . . 7_____________ ________ Cancer Experts Warn of Dangers In Some Plastic Wrap Chemicals ) By JANE E. BRODY The finding by a leading Italian re* Maltoni's findings, Dr.* Hammond, a vice tearcher 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 puce prompted two American cancer ex* 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. Cuyler Ham* chloride from the finished plastic before . mo&d and Dr. Irvine J. Selikoff said that it came into contact with food. the chemical, called 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 Pood and Drug Administration, the Na chloroethylene. tional Institute of Occupational Safety However, researchers at the Dow and Health and the National Institute of Chemical Comptmy, the leading manufac Environmental Health Sciences. turer of vinylidine chloride, said the Ital In a related development, the Natural ian finding was of questioaMbie signifi Resources Defense Council has asked the cance ana dted a two-year. Si-million Pood 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 rets. called vinyl cyanide and another chemical . In addition, Dow researchers said that relative of vinyl chloride. In response to studies of foods wrapped in plastics made a suit brought by the council m 1975, . from 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. jave disclosed such contamination if it The agency's decision was baaed on exceeded 10 parts of vinylidien chloride recent findings that acrylonitrile causes ' in one billion parts of food birth defects and tumors in test animals .Jn the Italian study, conducted by Dr. and that small amounts of the chemical cesare MaJtooi at the Institute of Oncolo leach out of the bottles into the drink. gy m Bologna, rats, hamsters tad mice were exposed to vinylidine chloride gas at much higher levels--starting at 10 parts per roUiion--for up to one year. THE NEW YORK TIMES,WEDNESDAY: TEBRUaW K 1977 Kidney cancers developed in about 2Q percent of the male Swiss mice, but .in none of the Other animals. Three years ago, Dr. MaltonTs studies of vinyl chloride, another plastics chemi cal, snowed K to cause cancer In rats and mice. Shortly afterward the chemical pinpointed as the cause of a rare, fatal Uver cancer in exposed workers. Dr. Mai- ioni's studies of vinylidine chloride were ttekun at the behest of four European Producers. *. ^ > Vinylidine chloride is a gaseous chemi- tej that, when polymerized with vinyl [3rioride, makes up Saran Wrap, , a Dow product. (Other packaged plastic wrap* -are made of polyethylene.) The vinylidine chloride-vinyl chloride copolymer--called saran--is also used to wrap commercially prepared meats end cheeses. A Dow spokesman said that about one-*iird of the flexible plastic packaging for food An Italian researcher's finding that QmT main * chemical used fat plastic nod wraps can cause cancar in mice prompted Drs. E. Cuyler Hammond and Irving 3. Selikoff to call for closer scrutiny of the ingredient, vinylidine chloride, and related chemicals. The researcher. Dr. Cesare Maltoni, earlier did pioneer work pointing to another plastics chemical, vinyl chloride, later proved to be a cancer hazard to man. Dow Chemical Company, the leading maker of saran. questioned the signi ficance of his new finding. [A10.1-2.J in grocery stores is saran, representing an annual market of between ISO and 200 million pounds of plastit. In announcing their concern about Dr. RSV 0006504