Document RJLE9a0XoD64DykdzqxRQn0EV

The Chemical World This W k Pe /")!? Piin CADGER DEATHS AMM PVC WORKERS CAUSE COHCERH feedstock prices at "abnormally low levels," leading producers to in crease exports of these products to more lucrative foreign markets. The SPI position lines up with that taken by fertilizer makers in Long-existing concern over possible chloride maker, urged use of a 50- their successful bid to have fertiliz health hazards to workers in firms p.p.m. exposure level in the litera er industry wage and price controls making poh vinyl chloride and ture in 1961 and adopted it as a lifted to ensure adequate supplies vinyl chloric e intensified dramati company standard some 15 years for the U.S. market (C&EN, Nov. cally last week with a disclosure ago. Regular physical examinations 5, 1973, page 2). The fertilizer in that indicates there may well be a for Dow workers support the safety dustry victory, however, may be in serious occupational disease prob of this level, says Dr. Etcyl H. trouble. The Cost of Living Council lem--one involving cancer. Blair, health and environmental re is considering placing some new B. F. Goodrich Co. voluntarily search director. But last summer form of price control on the indus revealed to federal and state offi Dow warned all of its U.S. vinyl try in response to what it believes cials that since 1971 three blue-col workers of a "potential problem," to be excessive price hikes on cer lar workers at its PVC resins plant based upon results of an Italian re tain fertilizer products. at Louisville, Ky., have died from a search study that found tumors in In arguing its case to CLC, SPI very rare form of liver cancer, two rats administered 30,000 p.p.m. of claims that polyethylene sells for in 1973 and one in 1971. The can vinyl chloride. up to 45 cents a pound abroad, cer--angiosarcoma--is so rare that To its credit, BFG's voluntary compared with a domestic price of federal authorities estimate that alert is the first such notice ever about 18 cents a pound, and poly deaths throughout the U.S. from made to NIOSH by a firm for a se styrene that lists for about 16 cents this cause total only 21 per year. rious health problem. But the ensu a pound in the U.S. sells in foreign Alerted to the deaths, federal ex ing probe seems likely to shake op markets for up to 80 cents a pound. perts and safety inspectors rushed erators of the 36 existing PVC resin The petition also says that petro within 48 hours to the plant. Dr. plants in the U.S. as well as anoth chemical feedstocks such as ethyl Marcus M. Key, director of the Na er 14 vinyl chloride plants. ene and benzene sell on foreign tional Institute for Occupational markets for as much as four times Safety and Health, says that his their domestic price. Thus, SPI agency will step up its effort to de termine the extent of the disease in the U.S. and in foreign countries Lift price curbs on plastics, SPI urges claims, "It is not difficult to see how economic conditions have dic tated significant sales of plastics with similar manufacturing pro resins and petrochemical feedstocks cesses. Citing high overseas prices luring abroad." However, two large petro NIOSH plans to develop, on a plastic resin supplies from the U.S. chemical and resin makers, Dow crash basis, criteria for stringent market, the Society of the Plastics Chemical and Union Carbide, pre work practices for use in the polyvi Industry has petitioned the Cost of viously contacted by C&EN, deny nyl chloride process. An agency Living Council to exempt petro that their exports of these products spokesman tells C&EN the criteria chemical feedstocks, plastic resins, increased significantly in 1973. might be ready in several weeks. and fabricated plastic products To add ammunition to its argu The deaths were among BFG from Phase IV price controls. ment, SPI surveyed plastics proces employees who worked in some The move is a result, according sors in the U.S. to assess the effect phase of the PVC polymerization to SPI president Ralph L. Harding, of resin shortages on production operation, but not in drying, fin Jr., of "raw material shortages and employment. According to the ishing, or other areas. They had caused by the world energy crisis poll, 73 of the 159 respondents have worked for BFG for 15 to 28 years. and artificial domestic shortages cut back their operations by an av Dr. Maurice N. Johnson, BFG's attributable to Phase IV price regu erage of 23%, and 52 have laid off director of environmental health, lations." Mr. Harding says domes an average of 25 employees each. stresses that the causes of death are tic price limits have held resin and subject to verification and that the company is probing to see whether they are occupationally linked. Neither company officials nor Harding: to end artificial shortages Water quality laws need fleshing out federal experts are certain now what the suspect carcinogen may "Believe it or not, industry wants be, if the deaths are due to job ex Public Law 92-500 to work," Dr. posure. And apparently there is no Monte C. Throdahl, Monsanto's violation of the federal standard for vice president for technology, told exposure to vinyl chloride vapors of government and industry represen 500 p.p.m. of vinyl chloride on a tatives at a conference on industry time-weighted-average basis. BFG and clean water, sponsored by Mid says maximum exposures in its west Research Institute last week in plants have ranged from 50 to 100 Kansas City, Mo. As it stands, he p.p.m., with possibly higher expo added, the 1972 Water Quality Act sures but not for long periods. appears to be a skeleton, not an en Dow Chemical, a major vinyl forceable system. 6 C&EN Jan. 28. 1974 R&S 004417