Document b57aNyqqDXdpYaLxDvrvRgd0O

GQ--' April 26, 1974 To: Hnugoent Committee Briefing Group From: W. T. Duke (CHEMICAL COMPANY: A. Vlttone cc: E.W. Harrington J.L. Nelson E.B. Osborne B.M. Zwicker P.J, Weaver R.D, Downey) The attached news release concerning public exposure to vinyl chloride moved on the DPI wire late yesterday and in an altered version this afternoon. One query from a newspaper has resulted from the wire story. Ben Zinser, who is science editor for the Long Beach Independent Pres* Telegraph, called the Long Beach plant and inquired about the report. The Long Beach plant referred the call to me. 1 returned the call to Mr. Zinser and told him that we had just seen the story and that for further information he should cheek with the Environmental Protection Agency. 1 gave him background information about the Long Beach plant in regard to number of employees and products manufactured, stressing the fact that it is an extremely small plant which was started in 1960. I then gave him previously released information on the current PVC situation. Mr. Zinser has not used any of the PVC stories in his newspaper up to this point and will point out in a short story in the Long Beach paper that there have been no employee fatalities at the Long Beach plant. Mr. Zinser mentioned to me that he felt the report was most inaccurate from a scientific standpoint. The Center for Science in the Public Interest is located at 1779 Church Street, H.W., Washington, D.C, 20036, Tel. 202-332-6000. It was organized in 1971 as a Ralph Nader operation but apparently operates independently with support from some foundations and the public. It's a non-profit organization and has investigated lead and other gasoline additives, aerosols, asbestos and food additives, among others. Its principals include Albert Fritsch, a Jesuit priest with a Fh.D. is organic chemistry from MU; and James Sullivan, with a Fh.D. in meteorology and oceanography from HIT. W. T. Duke :plh Attachment 24079001 WAsmscrrox (upi> -- a research group told the government todat THEBE IS A "FEARFUL POSSIHUTr' THAT PEOPLE LIVING IN AT LEAST THESE INDUSTRIAL AREAS OF THE NATION ABE BRING EXPOSED TO AlftBOHNE DOSES Of VINYL CHLORIDE, A CHEMICAL LINKED TO LIVER CANCER. THE CENTER FOR SCIENCE IK THE PUBLIC INTEREST URGED THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY TO HAVE STATE AGENCIES MAKE MEASUREMENTS NEAR FACTORIES IMMEDIATELY TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT r OF THE HAZARD. "WE REGARD THIS AS A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM, " IT SAID, "AND WORTHY OF IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION. OCR RESEARCH INDICATES THAT CERTAIN TOWNS AND CITIES MAY BE SERIOUSLY AFFECTED BY VINYL CHLORIDE FOLLITIOX." IT SINGLED OUT THE HOUSTON, TEXAS. AREA. SOUTHERN LOUISIANA AND WESTEEV KENTUCKY*, AS THE THREE PRIME AREAS WHERE FACTORIES PRODUCE SO MUCH VINYL CHLORIDE THAT SMOKESTACKS ARE VENTING THE CHEMICAL. HIGH m.-Mloil V AND OTHER CLIMATIC CONDITIONS IS THOSE REGIONS, IT ADDED, COULD MAKE THE SITUATION WORSE. IT ALSO SAID THERE MAY BE A SIMILAR PROBIXM IN TOE PALN'SVILLE, OHIO, AREA AND AROUND HIM; UACB, CALIFORNIA. TOE CENTER SAID IT HAD LEARNED THAT ERA'S OWN NIEASUHEMXXTS SHOWED O.OT FAIHS PER MILLION VINYL CHLORIDE ALONG ROUTE 225 IN PASADENA, TEXAS, HX THE HEART F THE LARGEST VINYL CHLORIDE PRODUCING REGION IN the VNJTF.T) STATES. IT CALCULATED THAT AT THE ENP OF EACH BATCH OF POLYVINYL ClM/imnu MADE IN A 1O.OC0-GALLON REACTOR THERE IS A STACK EMISSION OF 9,000 GRAMS OP VINYL CHLORIDE CAS. "A PF.RSON UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE DOWNWIND 100 METERS FRO-M THE EMISSION WOUIJl RE EXPOSED TO 200 FAltiS PER MILLION," IT ADDED- -SMS