Document Rpr6j05BdVjoJ6wENab2qdGNB

'51 i i " *VaS 8t*tea*nt oc behalf of UAD WC09TWDE3 ASSOCIATE* 292 fedlsco Avenue Eev Tort, I. T. 10017 by rtLZX EECAR V0FW5ER Cooeultent and Ponser L.I.A. President Before srscmcmx cs a c t a j d w at er p o iio t ic * O. S. Senate Coaolttee 00 Public Works Thursday, Jus* 9* 19& Kjr osae 1* Felix Edgar Womser. X lire la Greenwich, Coen. Xm consulting nlnlac englreer vlth an engineering degree and an honorary doctorate, sod X aa appearltg before you oo behalf of the lead Industries Association. X helped organise the lead Xaduatrlee Aaeoctatloa la 1926, becaae lta first secretary eod ultimately Its president. X aa also a retired rice president of the St. Joseph lead Conpany, a fencer trustee of Columbia University, a felloe of the American Assoclatlca for the Advaaeeaent of Science, and held the office of Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Klneral Retraces during President Elsenhower's first tera. Currently X aa chalraaa of the Engineering Council of Colvabta Ublverelty. Tbe credent Isle X bring to this comlttee are those of a lifeline lnvolveaent with lead and lead prebleae. Including those of p-hllc health, aa veil aa aa assoclatlco vlth aany dletln* gulshed aethers of the sadtcal profession specialising la scientific research and lead toxicology. Tour coaalttee, Mr. Chatraan, bae already dooe ouch to etlmlate necessary tansdlate action aM softly laportant continuing research on the probleas of safeguarding the air of our cities and countryside. The lead industry's hrS. w\*t r.K ipyti,i.wij u j u 1 j, 1 iff'i. 11^'^jygy 4 T. X. tformaar 8t*te*nt t 2 f v - loot tla* effort* are la accord vlth your elective*. Our Association aad ju ; Individual companies la our Industry her* developed tad supported axteuaiva r, effort over the part several decade* to undertrading the rolr tad coctroi of lead expoeure* la both industrial and public envlroomsots. Tba formation of the lead lodurtrlaa Association w< uniqua la that It (* ' esbraeed participant* from both productra and consumers, that la mining f. companies, smalt log and rtfInina caspaalas, and manufacturer* of load contain* ] lac product#, Including laad anti-knock compounds. This remains tha structure of the Aaaociatloo today. A central objective of the Aaaoclatloo vaa and la to reaeareh laad la all rarletlea of application and affacta aad to dlaaealnata to publlo U* k&0tfl*6c to Lead la aaoeg the meet cooco ttUla of the earth'* crust aad therefore i0 occur* naturally Dearly everywhere. Xt 1* alned cocaerclally la 18 state*. The United States aloo* uses annually about 1,200,000 too* of laad vlth a \ e value, at today'* price* of $360,000,000. Laad poetess** unique physical qualities vbleh aake It aa affactive aatal la iaportant aoclal, public aafety ( aad utilitarian use*. Among the** are radiation shielding froa the X-ray row to atoalo energy Installation*, Inaulatlog buildings against noises aad vibrations, providing packaged power In the fora of etorag* batter!**, electrla J and cornuateat loo cable shielding, soldering In aodern electronic aaaufactur* leg, and aa aa additive to gasoline to give higher performance and ^greater fr fuel economy for civilian and all Itary use. Thus, laad 1* a highly ureful V natal la our tocletyj It give* employment to thousand* of people| and It s r provide* comfort and security to million* la it* many applications. For theae reasons, a full understand log of any relationship of lead to the health I -- = of people vorklng In laad Industrie* and of tha general public la aaaeotlal. Health and aafety are matters of paiaaount Importance to us In the lead p s. t. I. Vorassr 8tat*aent : 3 A* o m of th# vorld'aoidest kacvjj tod used netals, tb* effects of expoeur* to lead bar* been studied for year* -- rightfully and nscsssarlly. lead Uk* io naay ties*ot* la nature possesses tcxle properties. There art fev substances, hcacrrvr bvnlgn la their general usee, that do not bar* ilda ff*ct* or toxic effects la h m people tbo aliuHd or abud. The maker of eta** of serious Ula*** tod dasth that occur la tbl* country each year fro* tb* al*u* tad overuse of ordinary drugs 1* a good exswple. With potentially toxic eubetsnees, th* soever la tents of public health la tvofolds ooe, knowledge gained through research Into physiological reactloo tod response and, two, control* appropriate to th* vell^helag of th* populace. Becau** of the chrlou* need to learn everything poeelbl* about the manifestation of the toxic properties of lead la It* cheslcal and physical fora* froo th* standpoint of public protection and self-interest, th* X**d Industry la 19?? =*de grant to the Bernard Medical School for an exhaustive study of lead's street oo aaa wider the leadership of the renowned Pr. Joseph C. Auh. Absolutely no strings were attached to the great and the Harvard Medical School ws given ccsplete' freedca In naklng It* Investigation and la aaklng the resulte public. Tb# sole concern of the Industry la these studies wes the development of sclent Iflo and hygienic truth. Zver since the formation of the Lead Industries Assoc 1stloo, th* prograa of Bedleal research has continued and expanded without any change In tb* basis broad gauge policy Initially enunciated to seek th* truth. Since 19) scientists Wio later forced the staff of Kettering laboratory of th* University of Cincinnati have been engaged la th* Investigation of various aspect* of the occurrence and behavior of 1**4 In the external environ* neat and in th* hvswo sysla*. The Assoclatloo has endorsed this vork free* th* outset. In *44 It loo flaanctsl and technical support ha# gone to maerou* ' J! w > ii k k ii ' universities for specialised lead research. The Lsad Industries Association help* flnence tbs Kettering abstracting ssnrles covering article* on lead appearing la tbs medical sad technical publication* of tbs world sad distrib ute* these oo s quarterly bests. Research project# under tbs direct auopiee* : of tbs Lead Industrie* Association bar* been relatively few, however, compared with research activities we have stimulated through our "seed" projects and encouragement of effort* by other*. Major procraa* have been undertaken by the federal govercaent, Individual ccapsules la and associated with the load Industry, and by private and ptbllc research Institution* -- la large part, we believe, because of tbs Initiative taken by our Assee 1stloo. :: There Is no doibt la *y alad that ls-diagnosis and earlier lack of * knowledge soy have unduly Increased public concern about lead. As an officer of the Lead Industries Assoc 1st loo I recall Investigating per*ooally case V r i after case of press reports alleging lead as the cause of daoage where lead 'T t. was not even used or Involved. I wish there were tin* to relate to you soo* of ay adventure* la Investtesting these case*. Because of ay work la this field, I ms Invited (though ay doctorate vas not la asdlclne) to address tbs Seventh Annual Congress on Industrial Health la hoetoo la 19^ W position then, as It Is today, la that thorough eclantlfle determination be aade before lead la cited aa a cause of Injury or death. Oo the subject of lead intoxication la children. It Is appropriate that I mention LIA'e supported research at the Children's Medical Center la Boston, Harvard Medical Cchool, Johns Hopkins Medical fvhcol and the University of * Cincinnati. This work has vastly deepened cnr knowledge and provided guide lines for corrective action. The American Standstd* Assoo tail on working vtth our Association has specified a limit on lead oontent for Interior paints. The manufacturer* of children's furniture and toy* no longer use lead paints iPPIWW^lWBjfy - `Mia * j I J T. t. Wonuer Statement In theLr products. The action of the paint industry, plus the vigilance of public health offiolals, he* achieved great success. Much aerly research in lead, of court*, we* aimed at guarding tit* health of thoae whose work In Industry involved high exposure to lead. Thrcwgh tha techniques of tha industrial hygienist and sound plant engineering, ocei^atiooal hazards can new b* controlled and avoided. Since the goal of the industrial hygienist is prevention much research has gone into the determination of per missible levels of occujAtlooal exposure to lead. Continuing studies in industry, correlated vlth controlled exposure research with buaw eubjscta, provide the basis for the widely accepted permissible levels and standards la Industry today. These levels and standards are accepted by all state and local goverrsnt.ial Ktr*is having Jurisdiction. Careful research has sad* it possible to determine safe occupational exposures to l**d in the Industrial plant air. furthermore, by measuring the amount of lead la the blood end urine of workers, it 1s Null/ possible to avoid exposures that may approach an vxviss treble level. froa tha viewpoint of your Genete Subcommittee, hcvrvwr, the current question concerns tha general public. Definitive studies over the years have shewn that tha eve rage person takes in and ellairatt* tiny -pjAr.* It its of lead in the food ha eats, tha water ha drtnke wl the air he breathes. These extensive tVetles have also Vw t > that in the absence of unusual exposure, hwman cutpsjt of lead is the swve as the Intake. On the average, xst of this intake -- ab'wt r/i parcei.t cceeee fr* food and drink and about 10 percent frtm the air. It Is tie latter ***, Is eel ^rMnen> to these hearings. fcV-NV-.i gwgrewpy?> r*?c "7* ? ' t, g, Vom#T fiutmot 6 [. L' i": `i 8c m lead gets Into the Air fro* Industrial processing and natural wlnd l disturbance* of tb* earth'* surface. Recently attentloo bu been directed 'i toward lead UMd M A gASOlinf AddltlV* And fTOB lAlch AOM l*Ad COBpOUnd* AT* ir' > ealtted with Auto exhaust. / And bar# Z should aentloa that lead anti-knock ccapound* do oot Influence the foraatlco of rfcotocbealcal sacg. Tbl* fact vu established la a *tudy At F Kldvest Research Zaatltuta aod reported la Industrial and Engineering Chealtry. ? it. Art 1-knock ccnpouoda perform a aoet veeful fusetloo. Id reaovlng 'knock" they greatly laprove the efficiency of fuel, aaklng poestbl* today'# high cocrpresaloo autoAoilre engine*. They alao conserve a preclou* natural resource, petroleua, by waklng-gasolln* (0 Much further than It world without theae additive*. Aatt-k&ock caapouni* have been subjected to eahauetlre aedlcai i f research both here and abroad for over 10 yeare. One of the earllect of these aedlcal research efforts was performed with the participation of the Federal :*j Government aod publication of these early test result* 'a oade by the Surgeon General of the U.S.p.g.3. In 1926. This work Involved the examination i of groupe of worker* la the gaeollne Industry aod groups of other* who ver* using the new leaded gasoline, and the Surgeoo General'* expert ecamlttee of doctor* aod scientist* reported that there va* no bagard to the publlo In the use of this new product. hut the ccenlttee cautiously sod properly reconaended that the question continue to be studied aod watched and thle has been done. The aoet receot, and aoet tnteoetre, of theae studies was reported last F. year by the U.9. PublW Sealth Service aod Is known as the Survey of lead la the Ataceptere of Three Urban Ccsevunltle* (ntS Publlcalloo Bo, 999 Af-12). a# It* findings, baaed oo creprehenalv* iaveetlgatlooa of sir-borne lead and * fm>woaeaiij. u l > v:i .. 'i r*iT3 ms t. S. Vornaar Btttvmi T b1logical sacpllcg of total of 2,300 people la Lo* Angela** Cincinnati, aod fblladalpbla, again cooflra tba fact that load coctant of tb# air la lo* aod doaa not constitute a public baaltb hazard. Tb* report further support* aad eucsasta tba data ccepllad by tba Sat local Air 8apllng Satvorb Indicating d o lucres** la lead ecoeeotratlcoa la tba air of tbraa cltlaa oear tba laat fir* year*. In ooa city, Claclsaatl, tba trend la fact baa baaa desmward alnca tba lata 19^0'a abowlng tbat lacraaaad gasoline ua* doaa Dot Dacaaaarlly result la lacraaaad concentration of lead la tba air. ibla PHS study locluded a broad seal* busno sampling prograai to aatabllab parallal biological data. Tba biological sample obtained revealed d o algslfleant acemulation of lead la people. In addition tba Oblted Set loos Vorld Baaltb Organisation publicly stated laat Daeeafceri *Sa lacrMZi la lead eon- taalnatloo la found by VBO Investigation." lb* WHO atudy casdueted In 16 countrl*, including tba 0.3.A., vaa coordinated by Dr. Leonard J. Goldveter of Colisfela Ifclverelty. Tba study group reported tbat there baa been no Increase In lead contamination In tba laat tvo decade*, further, VBO **ld, the result* of recant investigations of land content la tba bxaao body and of dally Intake through air, food aad water do not differ greatly trxm those shown by older Investigation*. If there baa bean any change, tba report aaya, It would appear tbat at present can la exposed to the -hole to lea* lead in bit eoflrtcaeat than be was twenty year* ago, although greater tonnage* are mm used In Industry and actor fuel additive#, because of these letter usee the report suggest* tbat wt not b* complacent, and Id this w* ctoour s# la deeonetrsted In forward-going studlaa on lead la tba sortroom*ot. Tba caeunt of rasaarcb tn lead dona and published, tba slgatflcaoc* of this, U>* Interpretation of Its Meaning* to tba public, and tba contributions ad* to tba 1**4 working Industry a* wall as tba general public la ao east ig^mwwsaujcpwaw !.*)j !ns.J!.y: that Z cen do no sort than indicate here the general results. Kit all of tha facts leading to ay generalized statsasota bava been published at length for tha whole scientific end sedlcal c<x*unity to read, study and act upon for greater safety aeeeurei. The aort serious challenge that 2 bare beard la that continued studies should be cede; that we sboald not be cccplacent la whet ve have learned. The Deed to knew la greater detail nore about the enviroo- entel dlstrlbutlco of lead wee brought out quit# clearly at the recently held Oyspotltn oo Lead tpoascred hy the Uhlted States Public Health Sendee, Division of Air Pollution, la Washington. And la this we of the lead Industry i wholeheartedly agree, and we egree hy continuing not Just xr am support of J A Independent research hut by encouraging all others to do likewise. ..'.1J - -*** * la conclusion I should like to state, acre is known shout the biological - % effects of lead than about sdaoat any other sir-borne instance. It Is one 1 of the scat thoroughly Investigated areas la the field of air pollution sad 'l health. These points ere eade to support the fact that there la probably to aetal about which eo rwieh la known la relation to Individual and general J health. Oa the basis of this eelsotIflc knowledge Z can positively assert mr'> '. *sr that lead constitutes no public health hazard in Aserlca today. nevertheless. ctn*ir%>+d rM%reb co 1*4 fcftd its ilfnlflctoc# to fcuwu* .if D#cM*ry a end desirable end Is being carried out. After* research projects, r*cc*vjrxi*d by cur aadleel advisors, la various phases of planning and 1 preparation, Is a continual ton of the "Three Cities &rv*y," also a fWvlaaen* 1 Ul Investigation of the Mechanical Usls of the function of lead and la -c particular the aectanlaft by which It brings about changes) research Into tone aarrtw blip*/ M e erasure of the total bedy lead burden and neuro* physiological effects fro* lea4 exposure. H/1.V Jinf^wogseewre V '! HH.iT f. X. Voraur SUtmaat Finally .1 do not thin* I c m do better than bring to your atUntloo tb* statenent published In tb* Archive* of Eavtroriscntal Health of tb* Amrican Medical Aaaoclatlon in Ftbruary of thin ytc. In refertnea to Al*cuioo* oo lead, tbit rUteeent vu sod* by tba Cccnitt** on Occupational Toxicology of tb* Council o q Occupational Health of tb* Amrican Medical A* toe letloo nod coocluda* u foUovi: "Tba Comitt** fe*l obliged to point out tfc*t ** a result of yaara of careful clinical study in worker* in tb* l**d Industry significant, subtl*, and unrecognised or 'unrecognlisbl*' chang** nr* not occurring in tb* general populatioo a* a result of it* axpoeur* to nriromontal load. In fact, this vast clinical evidence, *valuat*d by a great maker of clinically trained *ciotl*ts, suggests that tb* general public 1* not now, nor in tb* inMdiat* futute, facing a lead haiard." -3