Document YjdL22OVjqL5oNo45ayVpoJnD

MONSANTO CHEMICALS LIMITED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT RUABON Information Centre R.A. Baxter/R.I,C. P.6. Benignue, St. Louis F. Macdonald, Newport H.A. Vodden, Ruabon P.J.A.Mareh/A.Arpino/J.N.Haggart,Brussels A.F. Regan, Newport M.F. Clarke, London P. Bkman, Brussels 6. Mitreau, Paris R.H. Munch, St, Louis Group File* INDUSTRIAL CONTACT REPORT Date t September 7th, 1972. Visit toi Attended by CIGRE Study Committee No. 15 Working Group SC 15/&0-O5 "Askarels", Meeting held at UNESOO, Parle. C.R. Coleman. Su--anr and Conclusions The principal concern of this meeting was to take action to counter an impending ban on the uee of PCB'e in Switzerland, expected to come into effeot at the end of September 72. A sub-working group will be set up to produce a document based on the forthcoming ANSI document. However, it will appear too late to prevent the ban In Switzerland. Prodelec introduced a new oapaoltor impregnant 'Chloralkylene 12'. It was suggested that the Monsanto Company might give up PCB production. Apparently, a market for oapaoltor aekarel exists in Hungary. MOMS 0<*O555 2, DETAILS A total of 29 delegates attended. The chairman (E.H. Reynolds) opened the meeting and welcomed the delegatee. This wae the 7th meeting. 1. The Minutes of the meeting held at Arnhem, Holland, on 2.6.71 were approved. 2. Mattera Arising Dr. N&kamuta (Hitaohi) wished to make a statement on behalf of Mr. MatsuokA (Kanegafuohi), who was not present. He will do this later, in writing. The Chairman said that 1EC document RM 1500 TC10 'Unconfirmed Minu tes of the Ljubljana Meeting 1972* should be available from National delegates. The Chairman asked Mr. Jay if he had any details of the biodegradation of Pyralene 2000. Answers not at present. 5. Title The Chairman proposed to change the title of this working group from 'Aekarele' to 'Dielectric Liquids other than Hydrocarbons.' Synthetic hydrocarbons would be excluded. Ho objeotion was raised by the delegates. 4. Environmental Limitations on Use of Aakarela. Dr9, Held and Praehaueer called for an authoritative statement from CIGRE on the PCB situtation. A document similar to that produoed by NEMA covering the use and disposal of askarel should be produced. The Chairman questioned Dr. Nakamuta about the situtation in Japan. Hie answers were somewhat indistinot. The ban is oomplete exoept for equipment which oan be returned to the manufacturers after use. An example ie the transformers used by National Railways who oan continue to use aakarel transformers until October 73* Mineral oil ie now being used in oapocitora and silicone oil to a limited extent. PCB is not now allowed. Dr* Nakamuta was unable to say if there were any other exceptions and will notify the chairman later. (Dr. Nakamuta'a answers may have been different from the above, but he wae not easy to follow,) Mr. Boyer reviewed his document (13-72) WC-02 Boyer-1). The situation ie now more urgent in that the law cornea into effeot on 30.9*72 (aotual date - not a target). Swiss legislation had considered that the toxioity question was more important than the environmental question. Trichlorodi phenyl had been placed in olase 1, but pentaohlorodiphenyl in olass 2. Dr. Knust asked if the law wae available in printed form. Mr. Sohober said that the law had been framed without referenee to users and without discussion within the eleotrioal industry. Mr. Jay said Prodeleo had written to Berne pointing out that, in terms of lethal dose, PCB'a were 13 times lese toxio than DOT. This working group should also write to Berne. The writer pointed out that the low HONS 040556 toxieity of PCS had let to its approval as hydraulic fluids used in ooal outting machinery in German mines. Mr. Wirsen described the situation in Sweden. Dr. Peiser said that there were no problems in Italy. There was ofily one producer* and he had warned users about the disposal. The Italian Electrotechnical Committee will publish a oode of practice. The use in transformers was small. Dr. Knuat said that in Germany at present there was no restriction of electrical applications. The matter was under discussion with the ministries. There was a tendenoy to continue use in larger equipment. The 2kVAr limit* as in Sweden* may be different. The law rogarding disposal may be the same as for mineral oil. They had suitable equip ment for disposal. Dr. Held said that at least 2 firms should be available for destroying waste material. Dr. Dakin reviewed the position in the USA. There were several places* other than Monsanto* St.Louis, that oan inoinerate PCB's, also paper and metal. The disposal of oomplete equipment has not yet gone far. The ANSI dooument was in preparation* final version expected in November. The Federal Government document issued in May reviewed the whole problem and permitted continued uae in closed containers. Sanitary landfill is still used in some plaoes for disposal of capacitors* but had been found unaatiefaotory on occasions and was likely to be withdrawn. There were differences of opinion over this. The Monsanto Company might give up production of PCB's. There had been a 'hold harmless' agreement. The lawyers didn't like it but finally signed it. Alternatives to aekarsls are being sought. Aroclor 1016 was available for capacitors. Mr. Jay gave the referenoe of the document alluded to by Dr. DaklniUS Dept, of Commeroei C0M-72-10/U9* May 1972* "Polychlorinated Biphenyls and the Environment" - Interdepartmental Task Force on PCB's. (Washing ton DC). Dr. Vermeer reviewed the situation in the Netherlands. The use wae limited* there being few capaoitor banks and few transformers. A law had been passed but was now being discussed. Cooperation with industry was good and a code of praotioe was being disoussed. Coleman read the OECD paper and distributed 12 ooplee. ,5 To.be disoussed after item 6. 5. Toxioology The Chairman referred to document (15-72/WQ-02 Reynolds-5) "Toxicology Status of PCB's" compiled by Albert C. Kolbye, Deputy Director, Bureau of Foods and Drugs Administration. Coleman read and distributed 12 oopies of a paper by Messrs. Vodden and Lidgstt entitled "Biodegradation Studies of PCB's". Mr. Jay asked if figures 5 and 4 referred to pure isomers or mixtures. Coleman said that they referred to pure isomers. (This answer was wrong!). Mr. Jay asked Dr. Nakamuta about details of a oulture in Japan that is said to destroy PCB's. He ooudn't remember the name. Dr. Nakamuta was unable to help. 04055V mons 4 6, Handling of (FCB's) Aakarels National delegates were asked to state the position in their re spective countries regarding a code of practice* The answers were as followsi- Francc Spent Askarel is collected from transformers and re-processed. Sweden* Draft has been circulated! this was noted in Wirsen's write-up. Hungary! Discussions are going on. Manufaoturere hope to be able to use in oapacitora (!!!) There are very few transformers. They do not yet have a oode of practioe* Belgium! None Italyi Starting now* expected to be ready by end of the year* Switzerland! No offioial draft. Companies have drafted a code. Netherlands! No draft available. Japani No oode of practice. Yugoslavia! No oode of practioe* Germany! There exist 2 guides for the handling of PCB*s but they are 10 years oldt l) for the user and 2) for the manufacturer. They cover both health hazards and environmental problems. They are now being improved* U.K*! No official oode of practice. Only 1 manufacturer who has privately notified customers of necessary precautions. The discussion returned to item 4*5 of the agenda "To attempt to formulate a view on the likely continuing availability and approval of PCB's in heavy eleotrioal equipment." Dr. Held expressed the view that CIQRE should issue a declaration to ensure the continued use of askarels. Dr. Vermeer agreed* Dr.Dakin suggested that the ANSI document could be ueed ae a basis. The Chairman prevailed upon Mr* Jay to lead a sub-working group to prepare this dooument. Those selected werei- Dr. Knust* Mr* Boyer, Mr. Vodden (if available)* Mr. Bo2zini, Dr. Mtlller* Dr. Fournid. Dr. Held suggested that the dooument should be sent to the highest offioial authority In eaoh country. Mr. Peieer thought it better to deal via the National Committees of IEC or ISO. Dr. Dakin said he would like to comment on the final draft. Dr.Praehaueer said that the dooument should not contradict any national laws. Dr. Held considered that it should merely answer the questions!- 1) What is PCB, and 2) Its toxioity. The Chairman said it should be a scientific dooument and technologically sound* There was no need to publish it in Elektra for the moment* Dr* Held suggested the title Askarels, their proper ties and handling in electrical equipment.1 Further matters wsrs to be left to the sub-working group to decide* MONS 040558 5. 7 Substituted for askarels Mr. Jay questioned tha value of the resistivity of transformer askarel given in the ohatrman's paper (document 15-71/W0-02 Reynolds-l). Mr. Boyer mentioned having carried out tests with silioone oil. Mr. Sohober wondered if askarels will inorease in prioe to take care of disposal arrangements. Drs. Knust and Held questioned the toxicity of the new materials. The Chairman pointed out that Du Font's Freon was now oheaper than trichloroethylene. Dr. Dakin said that higher temperatures in transformers were not required so long as celluloslc insulation oontinued to be used, Ur. Jay read a document 15-72(WG-02)-Jay 1 entitled 'Substitute impregnant for oapaoitor askarel - Chloralkylene 12'. (Dr. Hold pointed out that the tablee on pages 10 & 11 were too high by a factor of lo). Mr. Jay said it had been produoed for mixed dielectric capaoitors and not for environmental reasons. He answered further questions about its flammability (Croslambert) and its visoosity and his experimental oapaoitor test (Boyer). He told the chairman that large samples are now available and it will be available on an industrial aoale at the end of the /ear. Dr. Dakin suggested that governmental agencies should be approaohed regarding its classification as a PCB or other wise. Mr* Jay aeked Dr. Nakamuta if it was likely to be allowed into Japan. The reply was that it was a question of toxicity. Mr. Jay said that the LD50 for Chloralkylene 12 is 3000 mg/kg compared with 2000 mg/kg for trichlorodiphenyl) not a significant difference. Time prevented further disoussion. 0. Purification of dielectric liquids by eleotrodialvais The Chairman asked that the last paragraph of his document 15-72^0-02 Reynolds-6 should be deleted einoe on internal memo had been circulated in error. Ho discourtesy to these workers had been intended. Mr. Jay drew attention to the work of Fellci and his sohool at Grenoble. With askarels these methods had not given superior results to thoee obtained by conventional earth treatment. One reason was that ths vis oosity wae too high and therefore the ion mobility too low. With new membranes, moreover, there was more adeorbtion than extraction, and the level of purification was not maintained. Experiments with coloured liquids had shown this. 9. Measurements Ths Chairman said that Dr. Plessnsr of BICC had read the document pro duced by Mr. Serena (IEC 10 (Secretariat)) and agreed with it entirely. He drew attention to a report dated 26th Aug. 1971 by Clen O'neal Jr* of the FVC Corporation, on a new design of sell for thin films. There was no Interest in reopening a discussion on the relation between tarngent delta and resistivity measurements. It was considered that this had been adequately covered in the past by the late Mr. Coquillon. MQNS 0^0559 6. 10, Dublin Conference on Dieleotrlos Mr, Kraauoki reed hi8 report (doouaent 15-72(WC-02)Krmaucki-i) He apologised for Inserting his own interpretation of the experlaente of Matueaewski, et al of Gdansk, The conference proceedings will be published and ooples will be available froa Dr, T,J. Qallagher of Dublin University* 11. Liquified Gases The Chalrnan presented his bibliography (l5-72/^fG-02 Reynolds-?). He said that the aablt of the working group oould be extended to cover this toplo if aembers so wished. There was insufficient tine< for further disoussion. 12, Other business None, 13, Next Meeting Probably in London during Septeaber 1973 crc/hh 26.9.72 C,R, COLEMAN HONS 040560