Document OamQwqKKdYx74eGxDRrbezwK
tl ABEL BAKOV
FDA Cuts Lead Content to 0.06% ^
Ne w Yo r k , Mnrch 16 -- The Food and Drug Administration took the play away from the Senate last week and issued Title 21, Chapter I, Sub-chapter D, Part 19, dealing with hazardous substances. The FDA'* ruling allows the industry until . December 31, 1973, to limit the`lead content of [mrkeged paint to 0.06 per cent. The ruling, which literally sprung out of nowhere, came whilo a Senate committee, chaired by Senator Edward Kennedy, was holding hearings on a bill dealing with lead content limitations in 'paint as well as appropriations for detect. ing and removing accumulation* of lead - paint from old slum buildings.
The FDA acted only days after key .members of its technical staff failed to endorse the poorly-based claim that a . limit of 0.06 per cent was necessary. It appears entirely likely that the sudden shift was directed from elsewhere to take : the public spotlight on the load issue way from the Massachusetts Senator.
The question now that the FDA rnovod
is how to cope with the extensive refor
mulation that will be necessary and the
rigid, troublesome and costly testing that
will be required to avoid violations of
tho rules. Elsewhere in this issue are
presented tho fruits of nn extensive Study
of drier reformulation. One important
detail In that study relates to a famity of
Schiff-bnto complexing agents developed
in the early 1950's hy Dr, Raymond Myers,
head of the Point Research Institute. These
are likely candidates for overcoming the
problems arising from the ban on lead
driers, one of the results of tho new rule.
This material and others with various
handicaps reduced tho thrust of the prob
lem, but time is needed for research and
development, possibly a year .or more if
all goes well.
..
The industry needs to assemble it* most
imaginative brnin power for nn interplay,
of ideas so that froth CAn be stirred up
on tho road to creating substance...
--This Week's Developments --
i Linseed Oil
Ne w Yo r k , March 16 -- Seasonal in. creases in demand for linseed oil house /. peint are reported.
'. * The market, as far as sales to retailer* - are concerned, is expected to grow this
year. Reports at tho Eastern dealers this week are that henry-bodied linseed oil demand is on the uptrend.
Fo r e ig n Fi.Ax s p.f .d -- A downturn in .; per-acre production in Canada was re
ported recently.
!
This should mean further pressure on
U.S. stocks inter this year.
Dry Colors
Ne w Yo r k , March 16 -- The consensus of several paint manufacturers queried about the effects of the new limitations on lead content in packaged paints was that the consumer, if he wants yellow or green shades of the type once supplied through uso of chrome yellow or green,
Merck 20, 1972
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