Document b5yz1RaO7p0jg52XMRL1NgOm6

JO D flY Wm. G. Krummrich Plant I Chemicals Co. MONSANTO TO RELEASE INFORMATION ON POTENTIAL HAZARDS RICHARD J . MAHONEY, MONSANTO'S PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, HAS DIRECTED ALL OF HIS MANAGERS TO MAKE AVAILABLE TO COMMUNITY O F F I CIALS AND RESIDENTS THE SAME INFORMATION ON POTENTIAL HAZARDS AND SAFETY PRECAUTIONS FOR TOXIC AND HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES THAT THE COMPANY ROUTINELY SHARES WITH ITS EMPLOYEES. MAHONEY SAID THAT, "WHILE MONSANTO DOES SHARE WITH LOCAL F I R E , SAFETY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT O F F IC IA L S SAFETY INFORMATION ON THE HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES WE MAKE OR USE, INCREASED PUBLIC CONCERN PROMPTED BY THE RECENT CHEMICAL ACCIDENT IN BHOPAL, INDIA DICTATES THAT WE GO S T I L L FURTHER IN THIS DIRECTION. HE INSTRUCTED TOP EXECUTIVES AND LOCATION MANAGERS TO MAKE THIS INFOR MATION AVAILABLE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT E N T IT IE S , INTERESTED CITIZEN GROUPS AND THE NEWS MEDIA. HE SAID MUCH OF THIS INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED THROUGH A SYSTEM OF MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS" (MSDSS). MSDSS ARE TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS CONTAINING INFORMATION ON INDIVIDUAL CHEMICALS INCLUDING SUCH THINGS AS THE SP E CI FIC OR GENERIC IDENTITY, PHYSICAL PROPERTIES, HEALTH EFFECTS, EXPOSURE LI M IT S , SAFETY PRECAU TIONS AND EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. MINDFUL THAT THIS INFORMATION MAY PROMPT FURTHER QUESTIONS REQUIRING ELABORATION, INTERPRETATION AND EXPLANATION, MR. MAHONEY ALSO TOLD HIS MANAGERS TO BE PREPARED TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS FREELY, EXPLAIN ING SAFETY PROCEDURES, TRAINING PROGRAMS AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE CAPA BILITIES. a: "OBVIOUSLY WHATEVER INFORMATION WE RELEASE MUST BE CQNsVsTENT WITH ENSURING THE SECURITY OF OUR OPERATIONS AND, IN RARE C/VSES, THE PRO TECTION OF LEGITIMATE TRADE SECRETS," HE CONTINUED. "BUT THE EMPHASIS OF OUR EFFORTS SHOULD BE UPON PROMOTING PUBLIC DISCLOSURE, NOT UPON FINDING REASONS FOR WITHHOLDING INFORMATION. 002626 SUBJE T T0 pro tective or d e r . (CONTINUED ON BACK PAGE) > rs \ (continued from front p ag e) HE SAID THAT EACH PLANT MANAGER WILL DECIDE HOW BEST TO MAKE THE HAZARD AND SAFETY PRECAUTIONS INFORMATION AVAILABLE IN HIS COMMUN ITY. A MONTH AGO, IN RESPONSE TO THE BHOPAL TRAGEDY, MAHONEY APPOINTED A TASK FORCE OF SENIOR MONSANTO MANAGERS TO REVIEW THE ADEQUACY OF THE COMPANY S SAFETY PROGRAMS WORLDWIDE, THE TASK FORCE EXPECTS TO COMPLETE THE BULK OF ITS WORK IN THREE TO FOUR MONTHS. HE EMPHASIZED THAT MONSANTO HAS MAJOR HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRON MENTAL PROTECTION PROGRAMS IN PLACE AT ITS PLANTS AND LABORATORIES WORLDWIDE. FOR EXAMPLE, SOME 1 , 3 0 0 MONSANTO EMPLOYEES WORK FULL TIME TO ENSURE THAT OPERATIONS ARE SAFE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPON S I B L E . Mo n s a n t o ' s a n n u a l e x p e n d i t u r e t o s u p p o r t t h e s e e f f o r t s h a s BEEN ABOUT 240 M ILLION DOLLARS FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. IN LATE 1983, THE COMPANY MOUNTED A VOLUNTARY WASTE-SITE CLEANUP I N I T I A T I V E THAT IS EXPECTED TO COST AN ADDITIONAL 100 M ILLION DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS. A COPY OF THE RELEASE, IN FU LL, AND A SAMPLE MSPSS WILL BE POSTED ON BULLETIN BOARDS IN THE LOCKER ROOM, BUILDING BK AND THE CAFETERIA. GREEN SHEETS BEARING DEPARTMENT HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL INFORMATION ARE POSTED ON BULLETIN BOARDS IN A LL PLANT DEPARTMENTS AND BOOKS CONTAIN ING MONSANTO MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS (MSDSS) ON MONSANTO PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED FOR A LL DEPARTMENTS. ANY EMPLOYEE WHO IS INTERESTED IN ACQUIRING MSDSS FOR HIS/HER OWN INFORMATION SHOULD SEND A WRITTEN REQUEST TO KEN STORMS, WGK INDUSTRIAL H,G," ,ST' CONFIDENTIAL SUBJECT TO PROTECTIVE ORBEi* A&S BENEFITS TAXABLE INCOME ANY HOURLY EMPLOYEE WHO HAS RECEIVED SIC K-PAY BENEFITS DURING 1384, WILL RECEIVE A SEPARATE W-2 FORM REFLECTING THE BENEFITS RECEIVED. ASS BENEFITS ARE TAXABLE INCOME AND SHOULD BE SHOWN AS SUCH WHEN F IL IN G INCOME TAX RETURNS. SHOEMOBILE SERVICES SHOEMOBILE SERVICES WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE PLANT ON JANUARY 28, NOON TO 4 : 3 0 P.M, YOUR SYMPATHY IS APPRECIATED - f a m i l y o f d e l o r e s l e h a n .