Document aNYxw8xo8pvQK9xKZ6m6azoB

STATE OF CALIFORNIA--HEALTH AND WELFARE AGENCY/AGRICULTURE AND SERVICES AGENCY EDMUND G. BROWN JR., Governor DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES/DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS HAZARD ALERT SYSTEM (HALTS) 2J51 BERKELEY WAY BERKELEY, CA 94704 7/ry/fc 22 July, 198Q UPDATE ON TRICHLOROEHYLENE (TCE) Since HALTS' report on the health effects of TCE was written, the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal/OSHA) has adopted an emergency standard for TCE. The permissible exposure limit (PEL) for an 8 hour exposure Is now 25 ppm (down from 100). The celling level Is 75 ppm (down from 300), and the excursion limit is 50 ppm (down from 200). The Standards Board will be conducting public hearings on these levels at 10:00 A.M. op August 28, 1980, in the auditorium of the State Resources Building, 1416 9th Street, Sacramento. Cal/OSHA has also convened a TCE advisory committee to consider a further lowering of the PEL and the classification of TCE as a carcin ogen, If warranted. Preliminary results of a National Cancer Instltue animal study Indicate ^ that TCE Is a carcinogen In mice,causing a dose-related Increase In /> ^liver tumors; - about 90% of high dose mice have liver tumors. Gross autopsy of-exposed rats has not shown a similar response. Final data on both species will be available In the near future, (Pers. comm, with Dr. Jerry Ward, Chief .Pathologist, NCI,. July 15, 1980.) j_ 3 . 7 Cf -- ) ~^ mu* s /<Lpaf)jjtjlfUH yr\ . SL 034794