Document ZJLp9EXEOKJ92MR4YL6pvm9op

PC153-1 Manufacturing Chemists Association PLASTICS COMMITTEE Minutes of Meeting Seaview Country Club Absecon, N. J. September 7, 1976 Dr. Kennel presided and convened the meeting at 3:00 PM. The record of attendance is as follows: MEMBERS PRESENT w. E. Kennel, Chairman H. E. Connors, Vice Chairman A. R. Adams R. C . Baxter W. P. Bussart C . A. Grant P. A. McKim M. J. Rhoad R. C. Schroeder C. R. Scott w. G. Simeral c. S . Stryker S . J. Talucci A. C . Clark, Secretary Amoco Chemicals Corporation Diamond Shamrock Chemical Company Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. Allied Chemical Corporation Eastman Chemical Products, Inc. Hercules Incorporated ARCO/Polymers, Inc. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Celanese Plastics Company Phillips Chemical Company E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company Reichhold Chemicals, Inc. Rohm and Haas Company MCA Staff GUEST PRESENT B. M. Barackman MCA Staff MEMBERS ABSENT D. E. Debacher T. A. Sparta General Electric Company The Dow Chemical Company CMA 079044 PC 15 3 - 2 .1 Minutes of June 9. 1976 Meeting The minutes were approved as distributed. 2. Report of Nominating Committee - Mr. Baxter Because of a reassignment within his company, Mr. Connors resigned from the Committee, effective September 15. To fill the vacancies this created, the Committee unani mously approved the recommendations of the Nominating Commit tee as follows: C. A. Grant as Vice Chairman -- term ending May 31, 1978 J. S. Oostermeyer as a member of the Committee -- term ending May 31, 1979 3 Plastics Financial Package - Secretary The financial statement was reviewed . Fiscal Year 1976-77 Expenditures Budget (thru 8/31/76) Administrative Travel & Meetings Memberships Research: a) Plastics Combustion Products and Their Toxicity (UM) b) Flammability Testing of Polymers (SRI) c) Solid Waste Manage ment -- Update (D&R) Project Reports -- Publica tion Reserve -- Unallocated $ 250 700 50 20,000* 11,600* 6,500* 3,000 29,900 $72,000 $ 205 6,600 146 $6,951 *Approved by MCA Board of Directors June 9, 1976 UM - The University of Michigan SRI - Stanford Research Institute D&R - DeBell & Richardson, Inc. CMA 079045 PC153-3 4. Sponsored Projects - Mr. Connors 4.1 "Flammability Testing of Polymers" (SRI) The rating of more than 170 separate test me thods covered by this study is nearing completion. Anticipat ing this work will be finished by the end of September, Stanford Research Institute (SRI) has indicated that the final report is expected to be submitted to MCA by mid-November. 4.2 "The Analysis and Toxicity of the Combustion Products of Natural and Synthetic Materials" (UM) The secretary reported that the second phase of the research project jointly supported by MCA and The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) has been extended until June 1, 1977. MCA's portion (50%) of the funding will be $20,000. At the June 9 meeting, the Committee recommended additional support of The University of Michigan (UM) project in the amount of $20,500, contingent on an evaluation to be conducted by the Sponsored Projects Subcommittee. The Subcom mittee considers the program to be sufficiently well managed that the additional data to be developed by accelerating and expanding the UM study could have an important influence on forthcoming NBS protocols. Therefore, authorization to pro ceed has been requested from the MCA Board of Directors. 4.3 Plastics Waste Disposal - Update (D&R) The secretary reported that DeBell & Richardson (D&R) has been engaged to update the series of research reports previously prepared by them on plastics waste disposal practices. 5. New Program Recommendations - Mr. Sparta Due to Mr. Sparta's absence, there were no recommenda tions for new program considerations. 6. Discussion of Plastics Committee Operations The purpose of the discussion was to determine the role of the Plastics Committee, consistent with MCA policy, CMA 079046 PC153-4 1 in representing Plastics Group members on public and governmen tal issues affecting the industry. Expressing concern over the developments regarding vinyl chloride and the recently pub lished recommendations of NIOSH relating to benzene, the discussion primarily involved MCA's advocacy before governmen tal bodies and the media. In summary, points of discussion involved a) The need for a forum, hopefully to be pro vided by MCA, under which raw material suppliers can pursue single product issues before government agencies,- b) Concern about the ability to respond to government proposals ; c) The need for guidance and direction in formulating effective programs; d) The need to define issues such as toxicity in the workplace. With regard to the foregoing, some members strongly suggested that, to be effective in presenting its views to governmental agencies, the advocacy program must be oriented to specific chemicals. Mr. Barackman, MCA Staff Counsel, reviewed MCA's role as an advocate with particular reference to Outside Counsel's legal memorandum of May 14, 1975 (distributed pre viously with the meeting agenda). In response to a question, he indicated that legal considerations would not preclude MCA from taking a position of advocacy on subjects of interest to the Plastics Group. Whether or not MCA would provide a forum for single chemical issues is a policy decision for consid eration by the MCA Board of Directors. Such a recommendation should be specific in regard to objectives to be accomplished and the manner of implementation. There was general agreement that Mr. W. J. Driver, MCA President, should be informed by Dr. Kennel of the sense of the discussion and concerns of members of the Plastics Committee. There was some discussion on the interaction of the Plastics Committee with other MCA committees and with other i I ; CMA 079047 trade associations. It was suggested that an action plan should be prepared for the individual chemicals covered by MCA's special projects program to deal with the results of investigative research now under way, should major changes in manufacturing or distribution practices be indicated. 7. Plastics Group 7.1 Dinner (New York Hilton) November 22, 1976 7.2 Spring Outing (Baltusrol Golf Club) 8 . Future Committee Meetings May 5, 1977 November 22, 1976 New York, N. Y. May 5, 1977 Springfield, N. J. A. C. Clark Secretary Minutes subject to approval September 16, 1976 ACC:tp CMA 079048