Document ZnEzkGN8Zbg83LQNnb4r9Xqkp

JOtCPH C. HCLLftl* JEROME H HECKMAN HA*LEE M. MEEHAN WlLLJAM H BOMNEBAW, JR ROBERT A. fIfRNAN MALCOLM 0. MACARTHUR watns v. slack martin w. itteevtei JOHN ft. ELORCO CAROLE C. HARRlB MICHAEL r. MORRONC LARRY |. BOLOHON JOHN B OUBCCH CHRISTINE A. MEAOHER BH>RLST B. riMlMOTO **CE/VED APR 1 3 79P3 LAW OFFICES Keller and Heckman PETER L. #*%*CRW UWMNCI P. MAJ.RHN DIBOSAH BNU" TRINEER C. OOUBlAB JARRETT EPWARP L. MORWCR JONATHAN R. LEVINE SHEILA A. HILLAR RUSSELL M. POM LEE M. WEINER ANOELENA e. LI BLANC TIMOTHY BROWN ILCNE NINOEL HELLER 1150 ITTM STREET, M. W. SUITE IOOO WASHINGTON, U. C. 20036 (202) -437 1100 fiOUTE TO: COPIES TO: April 11, 1983 FILE: TELECOPIER <*> SBS-TBSE bb'hclman* p,"` Dial number 7-1110 TO: Re: SPI Public Affairs Committee SPI Food, Drug and Cosmetic Packaging Materials Committee SPI Vinyl Institute SPI AN Polymers Group SPI Plastic Bottle Institute SPI Plastic Beverage Container Division L PVC Survey; Conference with Dr. Sanford Milder Ladies and Gentlemen: The purpose of this letter is to bring you up-to-date regarding the status of the Vinyl Institute's efforts to provide market information regarding food contact uses of vinyl chloride polymers to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). You will recall fehat in our letters dated September 9 and December 28, 1982, we informed you that FDA had requested market data regarding food contact applications of vinyl chloride polymers. This information was deemed essential by FDA to provide support for its announced intention to deal with the regulatory status of vinyl chloride polymers on some comprehensive basis. In response, th# Vinyl Institute has undertaken to provide the i^jjMraiation to FDA, and we are developing a question- nRjfb?Ofor use with the Institute's members that should lead to our being able to make the estimates FDA has requested. Early draft versions of the questionnaire were circulated to members of the Vinyl Institute for criticism and comment. A revised version was then given to FDA for its review to assure that when the VEV-240176 \ SPI Mailing April 11, 1983 Page Two Keller and Heckman task is completed, the results will be of maximum utility to the Agency. We are enclosing a copy of our report to Mr. Jerry Weisz, acting Executive Director of the Vinyl Institute, describing the results of our April 7, 1982, meeting with the FDA staff. Generally speaking, the Bureau of Foods staff appeared genuinely interested in removing the "little cloud" that has been impeding the marketing of vinyl chloride polymers. We expect the Agency to move as rapidly as its structure will permit. For the present, we remind you once again that there is no regulatory ban on the marketing and use of vinyl chloride polymers, except as regards packaging distilled alcohol beverages.' We shall, of course, keep you informed of the results of the survey and subsequent FDA actions. In the meantime, if you have any questions* please do not hesitate to contact us. } 3 * Cordially yours, Enclosure Jerome H. Heckman [dictated 4/11/83] UEM-240177