Document VJBDx49JXyeKdm7EGG23OKLzZ

the staff conclusions, a not unin U.K., for instance, a tripartite Establishing a three-member ftended result. roup established earlier this year White House Council to advise the Some advisory board members, y tne Chemical Industries Associ President on federal polities, plans, for example, demur on the empha ation, the Trades Union Congress, and programs in science and tech sis the report puts on energy con and the Department of Employ nology. The chairman of the coun servation. Indeed, the report makes ment is preparing a code of practice cil would serve as the Science and a strong point in this regard, set to control public health risks of the Technology Adviser to the Presi ting out four main policy recom chemical. But members of the asso dent and as chairman of a new in mendations for achieving slower en ciation's vinyl chloride committed teragency Federal Coordinating ergy growth: take the position that technology Committee for Science and Tech Adopt minimum fuel economy isn't available to enable a plant to nology (FCCST). performance standards for new operate at an exposure level of 1 Replacing the existing Federal cars--aiming for at least 20 miles p.p.m., although attempts are beinjf Council for Science and Technology per gallon by 1985. made to reduce concentration in the with a new entity (FCCST) that Encourage more efficient space working environment well below thO would have statutory authority to heating and cooling. 25-p.p.m. limit now in practice. * coordinate federal science and tech Shape government programs Likewise, in West Germany thf nology. to encourage technological innova recommended 50 p.p.m. vinyl chlol Establishing in the National tion for saving energy, ride maximum that appeared in thq Science Foundation an Intergovern- Set prices to reflect full cost of "maximum working place concent producing energy. trations list" issued by a commis-f sion of the Deutsche Forschungs-> gemeinschaft--a government groups Cancer link closes PVC plant in Norway concerned with safety among chem-i ical workers--was withdrawn three! weeks ago. A revised limit will be< issued shortly which, one observer* believes, "will be much lower." Norsk Hydro, Norway's big petro chemicals producer, has temporari __ . ly shut down its 60,000 metric-ton- per-year polyvinyl chloride plant at Senate passes Heroya. The decision was taken on. the basis of a regulation issued re science policy bill cently by the U.S. Occupational' Safety and Health Administration The Senate hastily has approved, to lower the level of U.S. worker without a dissenting vote, an omni exposure to vinyl chloride to 1 bus federal science policy bill that 1 p.p.m. (C&EN, Oct. 7, page 5). among other things calls for estab ' The Norwegian plant will be shut lishing a White House Council of for several weeks while an indepen Advisers on Science and Technolo Kennedy: needs of the net/on dent team of doctors and other ex gy- mental Science and Technology perts evaluates the situation there. However, there's virtually no Advisory Committee to foster state What will likely happen is that the chance that the House will act on use of science and technology. NSF. plant will restart with a limit of the measure in the lame-duck ses would make grants of up to vinyl chloride exposure lower than sion after the elections. One reason $100,000 to each state to set up an the 20 to 30 p.p.m. now in effect. is that Rep. Olin E. Teague (D.- Office of Science and Technology. However, the consensus is that the Tex.), chairman of the House Funding an 18-month, $1.5 Norwegian authorities won't follow Science and Astronautics Commit million NAS study of the federal OSHArs regulation. And the work tee, has indicated to the committee organization for civilian science and ers themselves have expressed the staff that he intends to continue technology. The report is to include desire to resume production. with earlier plans to hold a third recommendations for improving Management at Norsk Hydro is round of hearings on the federal federal science and technology or particularly sensitive about the science apparatus next spring. ganization. safety aspects of its PVC operation The Senate bill, S. 32, the "Na Requiring the President to because of the death in 1972 from tional Policy and Priorities for submit an annual science and tech angiosarcoma of one employee. The Science and Technology Act of nology report to Congress. 600 workers at the PVC? plant cur 1974," contains remnants of an ear Finally, the Senate bill would rently are undergoing intensive lier version of S. 32, the "National make several changes in NSF pro medical tests. Science Policy and Priorities Act" grams and policies. For instance, Should Norsk Hydro decide to introduced by Sen. Edward M. within 90 days of enactment of the pull out of PVC production, how Kennedy (D.-Mass.) as well as of bill, NSF is to initiate a program of ever, it will affect a plan, arrived at S. 2495 and S. 1686. continuing education in science and earlier this month, to make 300,000 Among other things, S. 32 sets as engineering to enable scientists and metric tons per year of vinyl chlo national policy that there must be engineers1 who have been working ride at nearby Rafnes. Continental a continuing federal investment in for at least five years to acquire Oil will provide technical assistance science and technology adequate to new knowledge, techniques, and I : toward setting up that unit and j the needs of the nation and that the skills in their special fields or in will take some of the product when national capabilities for technologi other fields. The bill also provides it comes on stream in 1977. cal planning and policy formulation for the development of special cur- Other PVC makers throughout must be strengthened. riculums and educational tech Europe are keeping a close watch Major provisions of the bill to ac niques and the award of fellowships on developments in Norway. In the complish these objectives include: to scientists and engineers. Oct. 21,1974 C&EN 7 ucc 093744