Document Q7Veo48noyvXXengQ0mvo6ev

/A MANUFACTURING CHEMISTS ASSOCIATION CHEMICALS RESEARCH 1825 CONNECTICUT AVENUE, N.W. WASHINGTON, D. C. 20009 (202) 483-8126 0CT4 1973 JDBu JMcC JDBr KLS LJS RLL WRS EAS September 26, 1973 TO: TECHNICAL TASK GROUP ON VINYL CHLORIDE RESEARCH SUBJECT: Scare Publicity on Vinyl Chloride Hazards Gentlemen: Enclosed herewith is a copy of a Dow translation of excerpts from an Italian newspaper article on occupational health hazards? reference is made to a number of other chem icals as well. MCA has made inquiry of European contacts as to the situation leading to the publication of this article, but at the present time we are not aware of any specific stimulus to its appearance last month. This notice is being sent to alert the American vinyl chloride producers and users, in order that they may be prepared to respond to inquiries directed to them from the press or public. MCA has, to date, received no such inquiries. If we do, we plan to respond along the following lines: (1) The Association and its members are aware of the research reported by Drs. Caputo and Viola at the 10th International Cancer Congress in Houston, in 1970, and subsequently published in the periodical literature. In this study, they produced cancer in rats by long-term exposure to vinyl chloride monomer vapors at concentrations 150 times as high as those permitted under current industrial hygiene standards. (2) In May of 1971, we brought Dr. Viola to the United States to discuss his work in detail, and to secure his evaluation of the significance of his results. At that time Dr. Viola specifically dis claimed any implications of hazard to the users of polyvinyl chloride products, or any suggestion that present industrial hygiene standards for vinyl chloride monomer exposure were inadequate to protect the worker from risk of occupationally caused cancer. DTH 0000::.6'l5t 2- - (3) We are not aware of any new findings by Dr. Caputo et al to cause these judgments of Dr. Viola to be reversed, nor are we aware of any evi dence of increased cancer incidence in either Amer ican or European vinyl chloride workers. (4) While MCA and its vinyl chloride monomer producing and consuming members feel that the re sults of Drs. Caputo and Viola ought not to cause alarm, they do indicate a need for concern and for more precise and reliable data on the hazards iden tified by their work. (5) As a result of their concern, they have initiated, and publicly announced, two research projects toward those ends: (1) a chronic inhalation study involving 2,500 rats, mice, and hamsters, and (2) an epidemiological study of those past and present employees of our member companies with a history of significant industrial exposure to vinyl chloride. Results of both studies will be made available to the public. If you prefer to refer any inquiries you receive to MCA, we will be prepared to respond as indicated above. Any additional information that you may have on the background to the Italian article, or comments on industry reaction to it, will be welcomed. Sincerely. KDJ:mb Attachment cc : Dr. D. P. Duffield Mr. D. M. Elliott Dr. Tiziano Garlanda Kenneth D. Johnson, Ph.D. Secretary Technical Task Group on Vinyl Chloride Research DTH 000016951