Document YGBY3KQ770978OOyRy22a7O80

Interoffice Communication TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJ: Distribution . -TG& Jtft: HR WB: AJO: RF XF: T. G. Grumbles February 15, 1990 VEIA FUTURE TOXICOLOGY TESTING NEEDS FOR ALFOL 12 AND ALFOL 18 Attached is an article regarding an OECD program to obtain toxicity data on multiple "widely produced" chemicals. It is difficult at this time to predict the impact of having a product on the list, but ultimately we could be asked for any unpublished data we have and potentially, industry may be asked to share in additional testing costs. There is always the potential for adverse reaction to our products being on another "suspect list". I'll work with Dave Penny to stay updated on this effort. { C--- T. G. Grumbles dlj .1004 Attachment Distribution: D. Penny, Carl Kerfoot, M. Sweet, R. Swantkowski, J. Friend, J. A. DeBernardi VVV 000011111 INTERNATIONAL VVV 000011112 OECD MOVES TO FILL RISK DATA GAP o published data on heaith and existing chemicals assessment division Nenvironment risks exists for in the Environmental Protection well over 100 ofthe most widely Agency's Office of Toxic Substances. produced chemicals. Concern that thTehe data will make it possible to void could conceal some nasty sur betterprotect workers and evaluate risks prises has spurred ever-greener gov from releases and wastes, Auer says. ernments of the major Western indus How much further the products will be trialized countries to launch an inter investigated beyond the screening will national data-gathering program. The depend on the results of the screening effort, announced last November (CW, and potential exposure levels, he says. Nov. 22, 1989. p. 32), is being super The launch of an internationally co vised by the Organization for Economic ordinated, cooperative program is gen Cooperation and Development (OECD; erally welcomed by industry. To date, Paris). there has been "a lot of overlap and not At a mid-January meeting in Lon a lot of coordination" on the various don. the finishing touches were put on testing programs under way in the U.S. the testing protocols. The program is and various European countries, says now in launch phase, and OECD hopes Ian Carney, safetv and environment to complete the investigation by the manager/continental Europe for ICI end of 1993. (London). Faced with a plethora of The testing program will consist of information requirements from various two parts. An initial group of about 50 agencies, scarce testing resources, and of the chemicals willbe divided among tests costing $300,Q00-$700,0OQ per OECD's 27 member countries, with the chemical, "it's sensible to pull it all U.S., West Germany, and Japan ex together," Carney believes. And OECD's pected to take about 10 each. The proc work establishing an internationally ess of dividing the labor should be accepted screening procedure should completed by April, says Alan Smith, help set priorities in other testing pro of OECD's chemicals program. The grams, such as some Superfund Title 1 authorities in each country will then requirements, says Joe Le Beau, direc approach chemical companies--in tor/health and environmental sciences principle, the biggest makers of each with Dow Chemical (Midland, MI). product--to determine whether they The West German chemical indus hold relevant data. try is counting on the international If the data is not available from the program to help along the major screen producers, screening tests paid for by ing of existing chemicals the German the companies will be carried out cov- government has pushed it to undertake eringtoxicity, mutagenicity, impact on since 1986. "We hope to use data from reproduction, and ecotoxicity, The the OECD program in Germany too," programwillwiden to coverthe full list says Ian Meerkamp Van Embden, dep of 147 chemicals--mostly organic in uty manager/environmental affairs and termediates (see table)--forwhich pub technology department with Verband lished data on health and environment der Chemischen Industrie (Frankfurt), risks does not exist. the German chemical industry associa Regulatory agencies have no doubts tion. VCI has been working to ensure about the usefulness of the program. the tests will be internationally com The products in question are all made patible. The U.S. has a long-standing in quantities of more than 1,000 m.t./ testing program coordinated by EPA's year in at least two OECD member Office ofToxic Substances. The screen countries. Inmanycases--for example, ing approach of the OECD program is that of silicones-precuxsor chlorotri- seen as complementary to the in-depth methylsilane, or hydrocarbons like investigations usually undertaken in pentane and butene--output far ex the U.S., EPA's Auer says. ceeds that amount. Although most Industry sources are optimistic that chemicals listed currently do not ap the gaps in the data are not as large as pear to be a problem, "in view of the they seem and that they do not not [production] volumes it is prudent to show neglect. "Many of these are high- develop this level of information, " savs volume products, because they are Charles Auer, acting director of the highly reactive intermediates, in the pipes, going to another molecule, " say! Dow's Le Beau. "If you look at thal next-step molecule, it has been tested. ' Industry has voluntarily undertaker testing on some products, like isocy anates and chlorinated solvents, where it saw lack of data, says ICI's Carney. And so far, OECD has only looked for published data, says Gerrity Baker, director/international affairs with the Chemical Manufacturers' Association [Washington). Experience in the U.S. with testing programs has shown that where an investigation has been launched, producers usually have ex isting data to bring forward. Launch of the OECD programs makes it easier for companies to overcome their own confidentiality concerns with data, much of which shows negative results anyway, adds Michael Viney, an envi ronment affairs specialist with Shell International Chemical (London). OECD officials note that manufacturers of named products hastily offered in formation, apparently hoping the prod ucts would be delisted. The main concern voiced by Euro pean companies on OECD's program is that it willbe duplicated by die manda tory existing chemicals testing program the European Commission plans. "We'd like to see the EC recognize [publicly) ihat the OECD program is there," says ICI's Carney. DAVID HUNTER rebnjary 7, 1990i'Chemica!week i TO: Interoffice Communication FROM DATE SUBJ Distribution (Attendees) TGGi be P. BBf: WO: RF T. G. Grumbles February 15, 1990 XF: OT MEETING AGENDA FOR FEBRUARY 20 VIS ATTENDEES: AGENDA - OT MEETING DATE: 2/20/90 TIME: 3-4:30 JAD, THH, RDG, HWH, TGG, BRBM 1. Review Action Items 2 . Recognition 3. Communication 4. Review Wall Charts 5. Review OT Member Q-Scorecards 6. Select Employee Development Process Element To Work On 7. Review Action Items TGG 5 min ALL 10 min ALL 10 min ALL 5 min ALL 30 min ALL 25 min BRBM 5 min T. G. Grumbles dlj .1006 VVV 000011113