Document Vj6mdqYRQM9K5BGNgwakrJxx8

PCB ' ' 3/1/78 - 1. Q. Do PCBs cause cancer? A. There are allegations thst PCBs cause cancer In man, but we have no evidence to confirm this. (Toxicologist George Levlnskas says that even If PCBs do causa cancer, It won't happen until after tha liver has been virtually destroyed.) 2. Q. Uhat did PCBs do to the workers who manufactured the material? A. Monsanto has had virtually no problems. . Two incidents of chloro-acne among workers -- at a Swann Corporation plant ; in the 1930s and one on ships during World War II -- wera both traced to i impurities, snd not to the PCBs themselves. Presently, Monsanto Is conducting an epidemiological study of 300 workers who vara employed In the manufacture of PCBa at ona time or another. We expect to have preliminary results-within 6 months;-- 3. Q. How did the Information about PCB skin problems among Swann employees becoma public In the 1930a? A. Two dermatologists from Atlanta, Ga., who sarved as consultants during the plant investigation of employee skin problems, published their findings In "Tha Archives of Dermatology and Syphllogy" (Vol. 33, pg. 1027; 1936). 4. Q, What kind of testing has Monsanto done on PCBs? What tests ara underway at this time? A. In tha past, when questions arose about worker safety, Monsanto conducted a number of subacute inhalation studies with rats. We used the data from these tests to set the threshold exposure for our workers. In tha late 1960s, we initiated an axtended series of studies on rats, dogs and chickens, and mads our Information available to tha regulatory agencies. Bacause of growing evidence Independent of these studies that PCBs were remaining in tha environment, Monsanto took action in 1970 and 1971 to stop manufacture and sala of PCBs to uses In open applications. Results of our animal studies ware later used by FDA to set acceptable levels for human Ingestion. At present, Monsanto Is sponsoring a long-term study of the effect of PCBs on monkeys -- looking at health and also reproductive effects. HONS 003334 PCB q 4 A -2- 5. Q. Whet do PCBs actually do to tha environment? A. The original advantaga of PCBt over other electrical Insulating material has turnad out to be the cause of present environmental problems. A heavy, oily liquid, PCB Is almost Inert, and will burn only under extremely high temperatures. The material la not soluble In water, which Is why It persists In our waterways; It Is soluble In fat, which Is why fish In PCB-contamlnatad rivers and lakes have measurable amounts of PCB In thalr fatty tissues. The FDA has set what It believed were safe Halts for human Ingestion of PCB over long periods. This amount -- 1 microgram of PCB per kilogram of body weight per day -- was then used to set acceptable tolerances In foods. The limit In fish, for example, la 5 ppm. The FDA monitors the levels of PCB In foods on a regular basis. 6, q. When did Monsanto begin manufacturing PCBs? Why? A. PCBs were manufactured by Swann Corporation (purchased by Monsanto In 1935) in 1929 In response to the electrical Industry's need for an explosionproof Insulating fluid for transformers. PCBs remained tha "Cadillac" of the Insulating materials, used In about 15 percent of electrical application^ where special safety needs existed. Over the years, other applications were found for PCBs In heat-transfer systems, sealants, adhesives and printine Inks. 7. q. When did Monsanto stop making PCBs? A. In 1971 after scientific Investigations had confirmed tha presence of PCBs In the U.S, environment, Monsanto termlnatad sales of PCB to all non-electrlcal (open) applications. At the same Time, we began* publicizing potential environmental problems and the need to prevent entry of PCBs Into the environment. th* Anniston, Ala., PCB facility was shut down at that time. Presence (or absence) of this facility has not been emphasized In the press,;/ In July, 1977, the company ceased manufacturing PCBs altogether with all Inventory distributed by October 31, 1977. Monsanto could not responsibly atop manufacture earlier. The product was in demsnd by our customers for a material which would prevent the possibility of electrical fires In apartment buildings and other hlgh- populatlon areas. Mineral oils -- used In most other applications -- have a stability problem that makes then potentially hazardous. In fact, fire Insurance, building and alactrlcal codes In many parts of the country have traditionally required use of PCBs In high density population applications. Monsanto's timetable for withdrawal from the PCB business had the endorsement of the federal government; In 1975 then-EPA Administrator Russell Train said he would not ask Monsanto to stop PCB production because that would shut down tha alactrlcal power Industry and railroads In short order. HONS 003335 PCB Q & A -3 8. Q. Does anyone else still manufacture PCBa? A. PCBa ara still being manufactured in Germany, France, Spain, Italy and certain eaatern European countries. Monsanto ceased manufacturing PCBs in Newport, South Wales. Theoretically, the material could ba imported into the U.S. market until 1/1/79 under TSCA. 9. Q. What la Monsanto doing to clean up the environment? A. There is no known technology that will guarantee 100Z collection and disposal of PCBa from mud and silt bottoms of waterways. Dredging, for instance, doasn't do much but recirculate PCBa which have settled into the bottom of the waterway. Right now, incineration la the beat known technology for destroying PCBa. A leading incineration service la developing equipment that will shred a PCB capacitor and then incinerate the liquid in one operation. For several years, Monsanto operated a small Incinerator at our Krummrlch plant to help customers destroy PCB.waste liquids; a rag or other material ' contaminated by PCBa could not be Incinerated there. The Incinerator la being dismantled since more effective incineration capacity la available elsewhere. The incinerator will be disposed of in an approved landfill for hazardous waste. 10. q. What else is being done to get rid of PCBa? A. The Ontario Foundation in Canada, Caneral Electric's Schenectady Lab and the Institute of Fermentation in Japan are attempting to develop bacteria which will break down PCBa. Also, in November, 1977, MIT reported a new method of destroying PCBs In water by using high-energy electrons. 11. q. Are there any lawsuits pending against Monsanto for producing PCBa? For how much? A. A number of lawsuits, Including several class actions, have been filed against Monsanto, alleging damages and claiming that Monsanto failed to warn of the alleged dangers of PCBs. Altogether, those suits seek more than $2 billion. 12. Q. Did Monsanto fall to warn of PCB dangers? A. Absolutely not. From the time PCBe-were first identified by the Swedish scientist in 1966-67, Monsanto has played a major role in the resolution of this environmental matter. For example. In the 1967-70 period, Monsanto . refined teat procedures for determining the presence of PCBa. It undertook animal feeding atudiaa. Monsanto has mads every effort to keep its customers and the public current on developments in the PCB environmental concern. HOMS 003336 I PCB Q * A -4 13, Q, What about nursing babies? What Is the problen of ?CBs In mothers1 milk? A. Thera have been reports that In a few Instances PCB* had been detected In human breast milk, Ue do not believe, howeverchat this Is e serious problem. The concern, of course, ie that breast milk might constitute tha bulk of an Infant's diet. 14. Q. Where are the most serious PCB pollution problems? _ A. PCBs have been found most heavily In Lake Michigan and the Hudson River. They seem to be located in the vicinity of former Industrial users of the material. 13. Q. Are you working with your former customers to do anything about the PCB problem? A. Wa have been working closely with former customers as they phase out of the PCB business. We keep close watch of studies underway seeking to deal with PCBs In the environment. 16. Q. What happened at Yusho, Japan? : A. In 1968 there was accidental poisoning of an unknown number of people In Japan by Kaneml rice oil contaminated with PCBs. The disease is now called "Yusho" or "Yusho oil" disease after the principal location Involved. Approximately 1,300 patients were treated because of actual exposure. An unknown number of children, born up to three years after their mothers' initial exposure, also showed symptoms of the disease. Thera Is much dispute about the level of PCBs the people ingested, but it is probably In the 800-1,000 ppm range. 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