Document Yj8LDJDY06m7YMjdzLnbv8ka0
Drill, Friers, hays, loomis <5 Shaffer, Inc. Consultants in Toxicology
Arlington Office 1901 N. Fort Myer Drive
Suite 704 Arlington, VA 22209
(703) 527-6450
Seattle Office 2707 E. Becker RdClinton, WA 98236
(206) 321-5175 Ted A. Loomis, M.D., Ph.D.
March 26, 1990
Mr. Robert L. Hollinfishead Pitney, Hardin, Kipp & Szuch 163 Madison Avenue P.0. Box 1945 Morristown, New Jersey 07960
1945
Re! Peterson vs. Union Carbide Corp
Dear Mr, Hottingshead:
This is a supplement to my letter to you of November 2, 1989. Tt is in response to your request for an opinion in regard to any causal relation between Mr. Peterson's illness and possible exposure to styrene/polystyrene or to epichlorhydrin and gylcidyl ethers during his employment at ATC1,
My letter of Nov. 2nd quotes Dr. Epstein as suggesting
that. Mr. Paterson's exposure to styrene/polystyrene at ATC was causally related to the (1) laryngeal tumor and (2) to the production of a substantially excess risk of future disease and cancer. He makes these inferences in the absence of any data whatsoever regarding the exposure conditions to styrene/polystyrene (or in fact to bis phenol resins or epichlorhydrin which he includes along with styrene/polystyrene). Such conclusions are without scientific basis.
The use of terminology designed to imply the existance of extremely hazardous conditions because a chemical is present in a building is misleading. Whereas the presence of a chemical in a building may, indeed, present the potential for exposure to the chemical, such exposure can only occur if the chemical is released in some form whereby it can be taken into the body such as by inhalation, oral ingestion or absorption through the skin. It is generally recognised in toxicology that all chemicals can be hazardous if they are improperly handled yet even the most potent of all chemicals can be present and handled whereby there will he no hazard to humans if they are not available/for absorption into the body. In Mr. Peterson's case there are no data that suport his exposure to conditions that would result in the intake of styrene/polystyrene* epichlorhydrin or a glycidyl ethar in an amount that would constitute cause for significant risk to his present or future health status.
RNW 3192
100
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