Document ZnYz3Z8dovp0mLBpZmX7Yx6yd

The Society of tho Plastics Industry, Inc. 1 VCM-PVC 355 Lexington Avenue. New York, New York 10017 (212)573-9400 jCjOcJ ^ 1 MANAGEMENT SUMMARY Vol. 1, No. 5 ON THE REGULATORY FRONT Best estimate Is that EPA standard for vinyl chloride emissions could become final the last week In September or first week In October ... members of VCM-PVC Producers Group to meet with EPA Technical Committee at Durham, N.C. September 9. to present industry comments on proposed standard circulated in early August. FpA/EPA Task Force dealing with jurisdictional question over potable water pipe may be reaching agreement in principle whereby EPA will have primary jurisdiction over piping systems ... EPA will not recommend use of any components that pose FDA problems ... violations resulting from migration into water will be dealt with by FDA under Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. July 15 Occupational Safety & Health Reporter noted that Syracuse Research Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y. awarded a $77,650 contract by NIOSH to review, summarize and evaluate literature to support update and revision of some 15 criteria documents including vinyl chloride. On August 23 OSHA announced that NIOSH had asked that recommendations for a standard to control worker exposure to benzene be revised downward ... NIOSH recommends revisl n t permit no exposure to benzene 'In excess of one part per million parts of air" ... NIOSH con siders benzene to be leukemia-producing agent and 'for regulatory purposes, it be considered carcinogenic In man." On August 20 Dr. John Flnklea. NIOSH head, sent out letter welcoming reports of studies regarding possible association between exposure to PCBs and human cancer. ON THE LEGISLATIVE FRONT In Washington, the House on August 23 approved H. R. 14032, the Toxic Substances Control bill ... Senate passed a similar measure in March 1976 and both bills now go to House-Senate Conference ... Administration opposes House bill which would require manufacturers of any new chemical substance to notify government 90 days before starting commercial production, and also to test potentially hazardous chemicals for their effects on public health and environment ... would further outlaw production of PCBs within two years. UCC 007860 On August 23 Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield (D-Mont.) listed seven bills he doubts will see any action In the 94th Congress ... list Includes oil company divestiture bill, and natural gas price-deregulation compromise bill recently approved by Senate Commerce Committee. ON THE MEDIA FRONT August 10 The Washington Star editorial -- 'Toxic Substances Control" -- refers to polyvinyl chloride ,.. reports 'The trick is to keep factory workers from getting cancer while they're handling the substance, to keep subway workers from inhaling the toxic fumes if the car they're In happens to catch fire, and to keep the hamburger consumer from wondering whether the pain in his liver might be polyvinyl chloride related. " ... Ralph Harding pointed out following in an August 12 letter to the Star's editor: _ there is no evidence of any health risk to the general public from any finished PVC plastic product. FDA in a specific finding of September 5, 1975 said that PVC film wrap is safe. PVC is hard to ignite -- doesn't emit "vinyl chloride" when it is burned -- PVC is used to protect electrical wiring because it is both durable and more fire resistant than traditional insulating materials. August 11 The Washington Star and'August 12 The New York Times carried identical stories reporting that scientists have begun intensive tests to determine whether "a highly toxic chemical ~ nlckel carbonyl" was a cause of the outbreak of "Legionnaire's disease" ... said experts close to inquiry had stated nickel carbonyl used in manufacture of plexiglass, magnetic tape and other materials was particularly suspicious because symptoms it is known to produce in humans closely resemble those of the mysterious disease. August 23 Chemical & Engineering News article "Plastics Monomers -- Adequate for Next Year" notes that vinyl chloride is the only present candidate for tightness among the top thermo plastic monomers for 1977 ... reports "in addition to the problem of fundamental lack of invest ment, production has been held down in 1976 by problems with chlorine availability and plant maintenance" and asks "with a capacity limitation to growth and a strong price outlook for vinyl chloride, could other polymers move in on PVC markets?" ON THE TECHNICAL FRONT July 20 Preventive Medicine has paper "Smoking and Occupational CanceTS"by Drs. Dietrick Hoffmann and Ernst L. Wynder of the Naylor Dana Institute for Disease Prevention ... says review of literature shows a lack of epidemiological data for joint action of occupational carcinogens (halo ethers, vinyl chloride etc. and tobacco smoke ... reports, however, theoretical possibility that VCM plavs a role in cancer of the lung in smokers but clues of syncarclnogenlc activity of \TM will have to come from retrospective studies of cigarette smoking VCM workers. August Environmental Science & Technology (Volume 10, No.8), carried paper "Detection of Vlnvl Chloride and Related Compounds by a Gas Chromatographic, Chemiluminescence Technique" ... originally presented by EPA scientists In April 1975 at symposium of American Defense Preparedness Association. -2 - UCC 007861 July American Industrial Hygiene Association under "News of Note" reported a small clip-on device less than 1/4 inch thick and weighing less than an ounce has been developed by Louisiana State University's Institute of Environmental Studies ... device is capable of measuring vlnvl chloride exposure accurately ... reportedly will require little modification to detect other gas pollutants. August Chemecoloev reports that 18-month study showed no Increase in mortality due to exposure of stvrene monomer ... involved exposure of rats to atmospheres of styrene monomer six and 10 times the official standard of 100 parts per million. NEWS BRIEFS September Colloquium on Proposed Science Court Secretary of Commerce Richardson has announced a September 19-21 colloquium to be held at Xerox International Center for Training and Management Development near Leesburg, Va. .., sponsored by Commerce Department, National Science Foundation, and American Association for Advancement of Science, will look into creation of an impartial Science Court to assess such issues as ozone controversy and chemical carcinogenicity ... representative of Keller & Heckman to attend and report on proceeding. Other meetings and conferences to be covered by industry representatives (see Vol. 1, No. 4 Management Summary for details) include: - Origins of Cancer. September 7-14, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. American Chemical Society Centennial. San Francisco , August 29 - September 3. Aquatic Pollutants and Biological Effects with EmphaBls on Neoplasia. New York City, September 27-29. Q&A Booklet on "FVC and Health" to be Distributed To be sent shortly to all members of VCM-PVC Producers Group is "PVC and Health -- Questions and Answers" ... contains questions most commonly asked about vinyl chloride and health ... answers based on known scientific evidence and Industry experience ... should help marketing, sales and management personnel to answer questions from customers and others stemming from misunderstanding and misleading Impressions ... 750 copies will be sent to each member company ... additional copies can be ordered for $5.00 per 100 from SPI Technical Director John R. Lawrence. Plastic ID Tags -- Toxic Gases -- Legionnaire's Disease! ? ? Well, it happened ... an HEW information specialist telephoned SPI Washington in early August to say he had a call on HEW's 'hot line" from a man who identified himself as a retired plastics industry worker ... retiree claimed the source of the Philadelphia 'legionnaire's disease" was in all likelihood plastic ID cards that could emit "toxic gases If they came right off the pro duction line and were sealed immediately in a box" ... SPI spokesman assured HEW that the man's claims were unfounded. -3 - UCC 007862 National Bureau of Medicine Has Toxicological Informatl p Services The National Bureau of Medicine's Toxline-- new information services on toxicological matters -- went into effect July 1 ... available on a .$15 per hour charge for computer connections between 10:00 a. m. and 5:00 p. m. daily, with an off-peak charge of $8 per hour ... also have a Chemline with similar retrieval arrangements ... Toxllne contains bibliographic citations and abstracts from 1971 primary journals forward ... older Information is In Toxllne backflle called Toxback which contains about 200,000 records ... "Institutions" wishing to become Toxllne sub scribers must sign agreements with National Library of Medicine and with its billing agent. National Technical Information Service ... for further info, contact: Mr. Bruno M. Vasta. Chief, Toxicology Information Services, National Bureau of Medicine, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Md. 20014. Historic Occupational Health Bulletins Are Available Selected bulletins dealing with occupational health and hygiene published by Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics between 1910 and 1930 are now available from National Technical Information Service (NTE51 ... out of print for many years, contain valuable info for occupational health researchers ... deal with such subjects as lead poisoning, organic chemicals and solvents, inorganic dusts, carbon-monoxide poisoning ... bulletins available Individually or as a set in microfiche or paper copy from NTIS, U.S. Department of Commerce, Springfield, Va., 22161 ... price for microfiche set $26.00 ... for paper copy set $102.75. ### VCM-PVC MANAGEMENT SUMMARY 1976 To: E.S. Nuspliger Jr. The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. 355 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017 Would you also send VCM-PVC Management Summaries to the following Indlvidual(s) in our company: Name & Title street City State Zip (Voting Representative - VCM-PVC Producers Group of SPI (Company! UCC 007863