Document aB96dx0VQRJGzJG57Ve4kwpKY

AR226-1398 ft V . |. Q im iu iM U M i E. I. du Pont de N emours & Company INCOMPOftATCO Wilmington, Delaware EMPLOYEE RELATIONS DEPARTMENT ; u n . luuu - ecu H. Serenbetz - PPD AR. &S.G - 9S November 23, 1982 PERSONAL & CONFIDENTIAL J. W. RAINES POLYMER PRODUCTS DEPARTMENT M - 5625 SCRUBBING OF FINE POWDER DRYER EXHAUSTS (Letter J. W. Raines - B. W. Karrh 11/2) I appreciate the opportunity to review and comment on the information attached to your referenced letter (October 27 letter T. M. Kemp to H. V. Bradley - same title). All of our presently available data indicate there is no chronic health effect due to the low levels of exposure to C-8 that Washington Works employees are experiencing. We do know, however, that the material accumulates in the blood and has a relatively long half-life. Also, our C-8 human exposure experience is quite limited in time. Based on ESD's evaluation, Kemp states that the annual mean concentration'on site of emitted C-8 will be 0.35 Aig/m-3 or 3.5% of the 10 ug/m^ AEL but excursions to as high as 165% of the AEL can occur. Kemp further states that scrubbing will reduce the general Washington Works employee exposure to C-8 by more than 90% but he reasons that there will be small overall improvement for the general employee because of the low exposure anyway. It is somewhat intriguing that the lowest Washington Works levels are in the Teflon area itself. Even though the C-8 exposure to plant employees is small, I recommend that available practical steps be taken to reduce this exposure because: Our knowledge of the chronic health effects from long-term exposure to low levels of C-8 is quite limited. C-8 is retained in the blood for a long time, creating concern in other areas such as blood donations, etc. f 10000MAUI EID096449 000187 2 All employees, not just Teflon area workers, are exposed. There is obviously great potential for current or future exposure of members of the local community - from emissions leaving the Plant perimeter. Please let me know if you wish to discuss this further. MEDICAL DIVISION Bruce W. Karrh, M.D Director BWK:set EID096450 000188 BWK000015