Document YrkrEvdbmYvJp3JKv4o9xONYN

R&S 029560 A^ ' f-U ' A Division of The Society of The Plastics Industry, Inc. August 13, 1987 Roy T. Gottesman Executive Director TOs The VI Health, Safety and Environment Committee RE: Plaquemine, Louisiana Newspaper Article on Vinyl Chloride Effects in Miscarriages I attach a copy of a newspaper article which appeared in the Plaquemine, Louisiana newspaper on Thursday, August 6th, which has been sent to me by Mitch Beaird of Georgia Gulf. Separately, I have discussed this with Beverly Gholson, an attorney at Georgia Gulf who called me regarding informa |tion that we had on this subject. ^he latest information that we have is contained in the chapter by John Barr in the Encyclopedia of PVC, second edition, pages 252-254, and largely indicates that there is no data which points unambiguously to a relationship between vinyl chloride exposure and reproductive outcome. If your company has any later information regarding vinyl chloride and reproductive outcome, I would appreciate your sending it to my attention as soon as possible. We may want to consider developing a "white paper" on this subject for possible future use. RTG/pmb cc: M.N. Scheck Wayne Interchange Plaza II 155 Route 46 West Wayne, NJ 07470 (201) 890-9299 lAYOO rRY VOLUME t, NO. 32 PLAQUEMINE, LA. s *%7ny/ chloride*s effect? THURSDAY. AUGUST , I9S7 R&S 029561 inSt. ; ByKa&yYofo Associate News Editor '* An investigation which began ladies that knew, cadi other, nine with questions from residents in St had miscarriages and one had a live Gabriel has lead me down a compli birth.*Fontenot explained. cated path from the Department of ; He said he had fold DHHR environmental Ooafity, division of about - This, . ` and / continued the -Environmental ' Protection saying,"Georgia Gulf and - BF. Agency, "to the liiU library; in Goodrich have had numerous leaks search., of die. answers they re arid released forough . the. years; of quested. Unfortunately, my exper vinyl chloride.* : tise isnot hi Chemical Engineering V-.Dr.Rrir^^ . or.sdentific analysts.' -.Therefore, it that she didnt have the manpower is not my position to offer thc fol to initiate-an investigation as exten lowing" information as a conclusive sive as this one,*t this time, bat that . answer to .those 'questions 'bring she did however;1 have some of her raised in `the community pf SL staff trying to compile birth records GabricL The ihformation compiled and statistics from thfe SL 'Cabticl hercin acthaDy k a continuation of .-area.': V_ 'K. ` their original questions, lsx it posAfrthat the'ernhsions of Hazar- " Wben"? first began tins mye- tigation I spoke with I^y paudet, a ' ^Rs Air Pollutants from thcchcml- pharmacist In StGabrieLShesup- cal plants in the St. Gabriel area, could have,. in -some .way, .con pfiedme with/names of .' some women who she knew had suffered tributed' to thc pnscamages, end miscarriages and diffichit pregnan other mescal nod health. related cies. She alsotold me ofthe group problems that residents ofthe com .ofwomcninthis area, (he ten ladies munitysuffer from? .who were afi pregnant kt the .same. It has both said that rising con- time, and nine had miscarriage*,, cern in the St Gabriel area pver.the . that -Fontenot-had spoke of,. ^Sh' ` past few months in telatipn to the a.djdj.edj itht.o.u_gLh-.t,Lhiat. t.1h-e--se, ladies aJltl'- allegedly "high rate of miscarriage sufferedthcfrfoiscamjj^m.'tlrc and trill births, has prompted inves tigations to. be initiated in Various same, six to :.rig?d monfo .'time period, between late 1984 and early state agencies "and. with a con 1985. Gaudet went pn to .explain glomeration . of. environmentalist foal the national average fortok- groups. ; v - Congressman Charles *Buddy* cairied pregnancies is 85 fortvery 1000 Irve'bkths,- ^hc explained that", Roemcr . contacted the Attorney it would take 'SL ' Gabriel 15 ,1/2 GencraTs office asking for an inves years to havclOOO Eve biiths, there tigation after lm was made aware of fore St Gabriel exceeded the Nih. the suspicions of some women in St. tional Averagc b just rixmonths. Gabriel who hatisuffered mkcar- . ,v The *yarammeen I spoke with riages and still baths. - WHlic Fon labeled Vfoyi, Chloride, a - Trial ' tenot, of the Attorney GcncfaTs Of- .toxin*. .. One woman said, ..'Vinyl #confirmed .that he had sent a r to Dr. Sandra Robinson, of 'Departmerft of Health ind Chloride causes Spontaneous abpr" tion in pregnant women.* ! ; Vinyl chloride is a huitun carcin Human Rcsonrccs asking than to investigate. 'Basically, hi 1984, outoflO ogen, is labeled as an'EPA faazardotu waste hnd a 'priority to^ic ifSa VWYLCHLOR1DE, pofoaA) Tt- ---- .*.&* . ,(t\\ '' fV L * VINYL CHLORIDE+l. ' -.. >* fom^Bed from pace *A) | :<:.- Vf pollutant. The compound ' is -usually T to the ISU Library In In search Of facts as to how encountered as a cooled liquid, yet search of support for what these much of this tone chemical has ac is actually a flammable gat at room 'women had told me.. In ,a book tually escaped to the atmosphere in temperature. Vinly chtyride is a called "Mutation, Cancer, and Mat: recent years, 1 went to the main of colorless gas and is basically odor* formation*, written by Ernest H.Y. fice' of DEQ m Baton Rouge. I was . bj. Yet at it*s threshold of human letection has a pleasant .ethereal xlor, 'similar to that of gasoline du and Waldcrico -M. Generoso, under.' the- subheading *ymyl allowed to examine file! which con* tained information concerning the umt es.'. -' % - . . . ' 1 called npon Mr. Bill Davis of )EQ, head of the LESHAP sur- rillance, (Louisiana Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pol* chloride*, I found support for their amounts of vinyl chloride which had tM7h*IWeYoITvry*f*.*' ***''/ *--t - '-.v.vikd-.i been released. Under the direction '*'*`"21*:*; -ii. of. Bill Davis,T-was given files for Georgia Gulfy Dow Chemical and y *An Increasedfetalmortality,^u-as observed for the wives of-Workers B. F.Goodrich.1 utants), this division of the ; who'had been exposed 'to the foot Some ofthe files were incomplete' IPA/ DEQ is the office which pound, and other studies have indi- and. others sitnply listed it date that ssesaes whether or not a particular -fated an-increased: risk -of . birth an emissionnccurredwithout list mission of vinyl chloride was pre defects in children.ofparfntsrefid* ing the amount involved. Thecntire entable. Once an emission is tsessed as' either preventable. or t ing in the vacinity ofvinyl chloride . 'production' pod,polymerization year of .1984 of-the Georgia Gulf surveillance file was liowhere to be - on-preventable they begin the pro- ; plants," the passage read-. . . found: 'Therefore, 'only limited ess of determining if any action i *-*., * - . information concerning that partic toukj be taken against the viola- [4 r `V* , ' ' V . * * t ular timeperiod was made available , # _ > >r. Once.the Environmental Qual- ! . Georgia Gulf, Dow Chemical to.me. ' r:,\-: ; ' y Act bas been violated, the DEQ : and 'BJ.; Goodrich use vinyl yen' decides what action, if any, ! chloride in their production proces* touUAe taken against the plant. ; set. Dow produces the chemical it- Davis was successful in obtain!^ some, information from-another source concerning thls-year.-- DW could riot' confirm the ? selfand sells vinyl to B. F. Goodrich ateiment by the women I spoke i` by pipeline, and ships the chemical ith concerning vinyl chloride ! by rail also. 'When shipped by m3, ring a fetal toxin or causing spon- - the chemical is a Gqtud.under pres neous abortion.'. in . pregnant omen, he could ;only tell me in galnd to the subject that the t)EQ' sure. - - .Georgia Gulf also produces spectors, those .who go to -the vinyl chloride , and sells the. chemi- ants to do annual inspections and : caL They also are a'polymerization nodical inspections to determine i plant, producing Polyvinyl chloride e preventability of a ` particular . from -the vinyl chloride monomer, . fission, cannot be .women of ` or creating PVC from YCM. Ildbearing age.: -B. F. Goodrich, as mentioned In search ofproofthat what these .before redeves its vinyl chloride omen had told me was in fact cntiflcally tested andr proven mewherc, I. called Dr. James reman, Iberville Parish Coroner, from flow Chemical by-pipeline, and they produce PVC rcsin and some PVC compound. ` Their reman also could not confirm polymerization plant produces the s. He did, however, agree with ' ; granular type resin to be shipped \vis saying that vinly chloride bas out ` for ' the creation Of such :n -proven to .mfuse angiosar- ; products 'as pipe fitting, construc na, cancer of the liver. Davis had tion .industry electrical fittings, d me that this was discovered at. wrapping products, such as plastic F Goodrich plants in Kentucky^. ~wap. That part of tire PVC resin made Into -compound is cold for From the avaHabiesaourids, the approximate number''/.f total r pounds of vinyl chloride released from these three plants from 1981 until the bcgjning of 1987 added up to 153,097^9lbs. ; . .Sources of. these releases varied but most were safety , valve releases, pumps nnd other ' mal- .. functioning equipment-::..Hciwevcr, evciytime a plant starts' up or shuts ' down 'ustiswally `lalgc Remissions .. ' occur, this is also true' of shutting down the boilers for inspections and othcr operations.* 6a some oc- caisions of boiler -shut down, in which the EPA had given their per mission to the plant to conduct the shut down iully aware ihat'cheini- cals would be released, a-very Urge amount of hydrocarbons '-were .emitted. 'js5-. things such as plastic bottles. . O' R&S 029562 v ' ~18rt3jiig thb^own, tl>c iooam- pidt Georgia Golf fifes revealed 96,15639 lbs -of .vbqrl chloride i^ksed,Dow Chemical repotted !^KL80 lbs, and B. F. Goodrich totaled 4L6873Q fcf enured oyer the past 51/2 years. ., * The years of the most concern to ` those' tesidents in Si. Gabriel involved in this issue are those of 1984 and l9g5; According'to those.' DEQ records available, ^Dow . Chemical's total emissions from 1984 and 1985 were 288.00 lbs. From 1984 to .1985 BFGoodrich emitted 24,612*35 lbs. of vinyl chlo-". ride according to DEQ records. ..Georgia'Gulf, between 1984and 1985 according to the incomplete . records at DEQ, had a total of v 29,633.48 lbs. of VCM released io the atmosphere.... Georgia Gulfs releases for.that, time period included a 17,760 lb.. release .of1 vinyl chloride -qn November 13,1985. frotti their PVC plant and 9,142 lbs.'that same day from their VCM' plant. These - releases also included * 1,900.1b. emission on April 23, -.1985 from* thrir VCM plant!' ^F Goodrich's releases .'-during ' ' t^Btimc period included a 5,400lb.'. , release ofvinyl chlorideon lantuuy' : 19,1984 ; and a 3400 Hx discharge !. oaJannaiy 29,l984. 'Onjone22, J , ; 1984, they released 2JD00 lbsJL'of vinyl chloride to the atmosphere *. and on August J 5,-1984 6.8 lbs. with . >f- a 7,905 lb; rtlcase;bn'August 24-of thaV' year. 4h:1985^ -they 'emitted "'4*00 Ibs'. bf yCM.6ti'May 6: . ", According to'the DEQ records, Dow's .total reported ^emissions from 1986 up to date total 45.50 lbs. (of VCM emitted to the atmosphere. *. However.-in 1983 Dow Chemical released 4,42531 lbs. of VCM to the atmosphere according to-the records. These emissions included a 300 lb.' release on December 4, 1983, 750 lbs, on April 15, and the same week on April 18, 3,080 lbs. were released from the plant.' In 1981 and 1982 Dow released 10,495 lbs. according to the"files. These releases included an 8,925 ib. eon October 22nH962 anda b. discharge on' August II, 7 B F Goodrich, which receives it's ! vinyl chloride from Dow Chemical [- by pipeline, emitted 13,429.1b*. wf j . * VCM -to^the' atmosphere in j I983J These emissions included-a 7,500 lb. release on October 18 of J 1983 and :5,000;.lbs.von -December.. 14. 1983. ^; -: ; In the years 1980 and .1981, B F Go6d rich released 11350 lbs. of ' vinyl chloride.to the atmosphere. in 1983 the U.S. filed suit against ; B F Goodrich in relation to it's vinyl , chloride emissions.- The .company had to. pay approximately. r S 100,000.00 to the state as a result ' of the^e copiplaints.: ,/ Georgia Gulfs emissions inI986 and part of .1987 total to 5,796 lbs. of vinyl emitted. : \ ' From 1980-1982 the company released S2;597 Jbs.. according to DEQ records which. went .only as . far-back, as .1980. ^ ' . On .September .20,' 4985 a pro posed concent .decree .in .United . States'vs. Georgia Pacific Corpora,. lion was bridged with. the United * States District Court, Middle Dis trict of Louisiana.' The .complaint filed by the'U.S! alleged that'the Georgia Pacific Corporation vio-.. . iated the ' Clean Air Act and the Vinyl Chloride National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants, by discharging vinyl chloride' 'from its ethylene dichloride/vinyl, chloride and - polyvinly chloride* facilities. Georgia Gulf now is the - owner Jaf the . plant -. and ' conse quently intervened in the action to . effectuate - the -injunctive relief sought by the U.S. under Concent Decree. The 'Concent -Decree required-the plant to adhere-to a - Remedial Action Plan .and ensure -. cdmpliancc.-'The company had to- pay 5562,500.00 in civil penalties to ' .the U.S. and an additional penalty: bf :*;J62300.00 to *the .State of Louisiana. . \ Vinly chloride is used as a'vinyl ' monomer in the manufacture of f~x * 5 `*T. V -potyrinfi chloride and other reiin*. . According to /Mutation.' Cancer, end Malformation, by Ernest H.Y. . Cbu and WaldericO'M. Generoso, . over 90 percent of vinyl chloride monomer is usfed in the production of vinyl chloride homopolymer and ; copolymer'resins'Used, in the build ing " and" construction' 'industries. ' The compound is' ufed in the crea tion of/such things 'as'plastics, vmr- aubes^silk and paper coatings ami .refrigerants. /t ' X " 'According to the "Handbook of Toxic and. 'Hazardous Chemicals, byMarshall Sittig, the hazards of vinyl . chloride was ;~oHginally believed to primarily., concern -workers'employed itr fhe ponver-- i, sion Tide of Y^M to PVC, `rrioribmef' to (vinyl chib-; vpolyvinyl ' ; chloride) who may.receive a partic- '.' ularly high exposure of VCM iq certain' operations,' or long term I exposure to relatively low conceq- > . Untibns of VCM-in the air at differ- v cm -factory sites! Much -.larger .populations are now-believed to be . : potentially at risk, including: pro\ ducers of \CM, people living in the i dose proximity to VCM or PVC t producing industries, users ofVCM I as propellant in aerosol sprays, per- .; r 'sons in contact with resins, made ' from VCM, consumers offood and . beverage products .containing teachable amounts of unreacted VCM from PYC packaged roate-.' rials (plastics, etc.), and ingestion of water containing unreacted.'VCM . leached from PVC pipes. ^ In 1976 it-was.-estimated.dliat almost one ihilljon-^persons .`jwbre, associated - wjth manufa^nring goods derived freqi'pyc.', -This :saroe. publication < jmys. "Jhdnerators rnayf>e anpdditjonal : xource efxvinyl chloride f'misifons since-: the -entrapped \monomer, escapesfollowing incompletexptn- bustion of PVC products - According to the.'firial-rule* of the. P.EQ Regulations and Proce- - dtires `forUnauthorized >DiS7 charges, 'which became 'effective November 19, 1985,'therepoTtable quantity level for vinyl chloride is one pound. This level is applicable regardless of i the environmental : medium, (land, air, water, ground- J-ater) into which the pollutant is ischarged.-This is the limit- the . . DEQ hai'act for-tbe plants to Wpprt ^m eroiBion..; * -' "Accorfic ;W'(bc 'pemn'tslfek i ; Ako fopad in Chem^SWizards fipptMt Junits in air bitid in the ;. 'Vf*hr Woekplace."OverJiOewesof Handbook, of. Toxic and Hazard- \ angiowroomaofilwk^Tha^hccn o^Chemioals* the federal stand-' Lreported omomg -VfayT-efasrkte ftr exposure to vinyl chloride , polymeriestion workers fa the jLJrii- fatsa limit oT I part per million over an 6 hour period, and a ceiling of5 ppm averaged over A period not exceeding 12 minute*. * The chemical it absorbed both through inhilation . arid 'akin Absorption. | . ted States and nine other nations. !. Because this tumor is extremely j`. rare, the occurrence* of these cases under, similar occupational condi- f. lions .'strongly suggests:! casual relationship to some phase of vinyl chloride production! Clinical fca- According to the Handbook of { tunes of seven patients with the car Toxit-and Hazardous jpbenticah- cinoma varied from no signs or medical-disorders associated with ` ..' symptoms * to weakness.: pleuritic vinyl chloride include: acrobsteoly- k. pain..abdominal pain, weight loss, *, Raynaud's phenomenon, and ockrodermatous skin changes. Chronic exposure may also cause .gastrointestinal bleeding, and jlcpatospknomegaly; liver function abnormalities -were: present in all hepatic damage. ` ~ : Vinyl chloride is regarded as a hu'itta'n carcinogen Apd.a cause nfm npna renqia ofthe liver. Excess cancer oftbeTungiind lymphatic and nervous systenrihas also been reported. Rxperimental evidence of tumor Induction in a Variety' Of organs, including Uver. lung, brain and kidneys, as well as nonmalig pant alterations such as fibrosis atid connective -tissue deteribration *e the mohisystem oncogenic. Stoxicologic.-effects of vinly ' :. subjects hut without a consistent pattern. .In addition to.the malig! nant tumors,.four-cases.ofnonma TignanV hepatic disease charactcr. ized by portal fibrosis and porfal ' -hypertension have been attributed f 1 to .vinyl chloride exposure.'' ( . Continuing in. this publication, thcauthorJisfs symptoms and signs * of exposure as-'weakness pleuritic . f 'pain, abdomjnal -pain, anorexia, ( weight loss, gastrointestinal bleed! ing; hepatomegaly, .splenomegaly; i Raynaud's syndrome, lesions in the oride. ;; * , In agreement a. book, called. 'Chemical Hazards of-the Work place by Nick H. Proctor, PHD, * toxicologist and James P.,Hughs, MD explains that there* is an increased incidence of malignant tumors, wcroosteolysis, Raynauds; syndrome, aceroderma." thrombo cytopenia,' ctrcutotoTy -disturban ces, and impaired liver, function; very high concentrations cause cen tral nervous system depression, . associated with the intake ofvar ied amounts of vinyl chloride... .'Radiologic'findings in patients with acroosteolysis included .lytic ' lesions in the distal phalanges ofthe hands, in the styloid processes of the abut and. radius, And/in the distal phalanges of the hands; cen tral nervous system depression.' ' "Numerous publications snp-ported this fact, that vinyl chloride exposure causes cancer of the liver i pr angiosarcoma, including a pasr. sage ju ;Mutations. : Cancer .and ' Malformation which listed a key event in which workers in numer* t* - qus countries showed.an increased incidence ofangiosarcoma. . . Angiosarcoma is a very rare dis order qf the liver. I have also found eyidenre. that vinyl chloride expo sure'clearly produces gene muta tions and.primary DNA datnage. Reference was made to problems in " .-genetics and chromosomal defects ' in-relation to exposure.. sacroiliac joints.-Of 20 autoclaivc. ' DHHR has not yet compiled any workers ; with exposure io vinyl < statistics that they would release on chloride, 16 had thrombocytope the birth rate in the St. GabriaJ nia, seven bad splenomegaly, six area, l am presently awaiting those ' had hepatomegaly, 14.had fibrosis j statistics along with statistics, on of the liver capsuk arid four had sfafa of acroosteolysis in one study ii^Hs same publication: ` ^The passages made reference to incidences of cancers and other | . related material. from an area hospital. * r.r.'vr i .jr numerous other disorders found in workers-of VCM plants, including -poe studywfekh iaw'2S cae ol acroosteolysis, (degeneration Nof tferminal phalanges)... . <>wronig. so -.tom .uaucogcT, Director .of the State Center far Health Statistics, fa 1982 IbcrriQc .. Parish averaged slightly over the state average for still births. From the years 1983-1986 Iberville, was slightly under the state average far still bulbs, and fa .1986 none of . those cases reported came from SL j : Gabriel- ; ` ; According to those women 1 |. spoke with fa St Gabriel, instances [ of nmcaniagt and still births are _ higher than BaUenger** figures mdi- i: cate. One of.these womtn said that ; - from 1983 to 1985 out of 17 prcgt nancies there were 15 .miscarriages | and one live birth..; . i ' Several of. the women went on to i have cliildreriJater but had to have- ' progesterone (a femaie hormooc) supplements during their pregnan- i ' cics following their.:miscarriages. * None of there women had any instances of.this type of complica- * lions with childbearing in thelr fam- ily histones. . * * " ' If this is'ihdeed fact, we may find '. reasoning-behind .these occurreni ces, and-'that reasoning may not .. necessarily be those chemical emis sions between theyears of 1983-85. The evidence 1 mentioned briefly before .conceiving /genetic.. and - chromdsonal damage after expo sure has opened up another field of investigation. -The question of'the *. .generation before this one's expo- ; sure hW''arises! Their parents. many of which livied .'in the -area ' 1'., years ago when limits set oh vinyl chloride-, and othei .hydrocarbon emissions were riot as strict as they are now; could possibly be the ones Who's intake was.too great. This theory 1 will try to support with more research, but to begin I ' quote from Mhtation, Cancer and j Malformations, - 'Only dominant | -mutations- and certain chrorao- j -soma! defects- will have clinical effects in the first generation. The persistence of mutations depends upon -the biologic Jitncss of the phenotype.' If.Carriers of a given mutation have no offspring because , of kthality or infertility, the muta tion will only persist for one genera tion. Mutations ofthe hetcroZygolc ' type will, be-similar to that of nor mals.' Such -mutations will persist for tnany generations.* ,'jn addition to the information presented in this article.l havedoc- umented .evidence of releases of ! Chlorine and other hydrocarbons ; and their effects on the human body --and the xnvfconmerit -which 1 will present with further research at a R&S 029564 im -fks ooo-S> Ck OX 33 Co C/D 0 fo (O 01 CD CJI - v^'Vi1 -;- v-'< vThe Department of Eoviriiniiien' t1 Quity has in progress a fact finding mfeaonto proride answers to a posoMe fink between allega tions of jniseafriagesaiid stillbirths in the St Gabriel and the' environ* mmt Ji,' * . The DBQ staff has pot together a comprehensive plan to provide ns with a variety of information which we can share with DHHR/Martha Madden, Secretary of DEQ said. The Deportment of .Health and Homan Resources, working in con- jondioo with federal Centers for Disease Control, is the lead agencey V ;j;., r.;r, jv V t -w-A ;*.*>' viv.Kt.- vi'l '/an .ifae investigation L/i intothe problem in StGabrieL ' The DEQ plan calls for informa tion ror>i six (Efferent areas.':These include;'-. ' - ;.v" : .1. An inventory ot chemical products and byproducts produced in the St Gabriel arca, r o t'.V;-' . -Z A study ofAccidental spills and releases ovcr the past fiveyears, ; . 3.-;A retrospective ;*tudy. flf .baseline data onair And-water quality, < a . j: r.>- 4.;. Grormdwater Vesting of anocitoringwens, 5. Tests ofdrinking water sources :and -*.. 6. Cooduct coQ and surface water 'sampling. ; -* ' ' i wcJute hceh -working on .'answers to the : many :qucstions -raised by `ibis' incident in -St 'Gabriel,* Madden concluded. *Bc assured DEQ 1 is .well in -the forefront far its doty to help DHHR iofre this problem.* -v