Document dQJzDG0LGg9Vq1kp2xY92QLo9

NEWS _ FOfl RELEASE IMMEDIATELY 1970.' Monsanto Z. V. John (314) 694-289L *jsuc temncNs ISO .U.r,n II. Lion. Ml,,,,,, dill MCNSAKT0 CITES ACTIONS TAKEN ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE ST. LOUIS, July 16 -- Monsanto Company, sol* U.S. producer of an industrial chemical called polychlorinated biphenyl (PCS) , today said recent political charge* and sensational headline* abour the chemical causing "a major ecological crisis" completely ignore voluntary action* the company ha* taken to raitrict uac of the caterial. . "Our program began back in 1968 with the proper identification and measurement of PCS in tha environment and will concluda thia year by our unilateral action to restrict it* use," Howard L. Mincklar, company vice pr**ident and general manager of lta Organic Chealcala Division, said. ' He added that Monsanto had not been pressured into action by. any legislation or organised group. "Ve have taken decisive- action based on evidence that PCS is a persistent chemical which builds up in the environment." -oore- 009731 WATER PCB-SD0000017324 -- 2 MCKSAHTO: KIUCXIER'S REPLY IQ PCS CHARGES xxx anvironrer.c. It "CocaanCing on a ractnt raporc chac PCB can induct birch dafacca in anisala, Hincklar aid, "Monsanto ia nac avara of any aciancific daca chac indieatas polychlarinacad biphanyla nay cauaa birch dafacca. Tha raaulca of cooprahanaiva toxicicy acudiaa, iponaorad by Monsanco and using tha usual apaeias of laboracory aninala, hava failad co produca auch affacta. "Scara caccica and aanaacional reporting do noc tana tha public intaraac nor aolva ecological problana," ha *aid. "Only a frv rtporca hava iCacad why PCSa vara avar davalopad and why thay ara uaad today. Hor hava cha consequences of noc using PC3 baan txplained. "Vhac should ba eephasired," hlnckler continued, "is chac ?C3 vaa davalopad ovar &Q yaara ago prinarily for uaa a a a coolant in alactrlcal transformers and capaciCora. It la also uaad in ccnmarcial haacing and cooling systems. It is noc a 'houaahold' itaa. . "Anyone who livaa ia a large city ia faailiar vich povar falluraa. During parioda of peak pevar naada, air conditioning and rafrlgaracloa fail, lights go out and coasucars ara' atrandad. If power cctrpaniaa wars to rtaova PCS.fro* aquipoane, va hava baan told chac oajor blackouts would occur throughout tha world. -oora- DSH 009732 WATER_PCB-SD0000017325 -- 3 HCHSAHTO: KTHOCLZR'S RZFLY TO PCS CHARCZS zxx world. "PCS lx uxad in electrical equipoant i a safety fluid. PC hxx replaced ccsbuxtibla oil product* which hxva, on nxny occxalcnx, crpiodad and burned, cauair.g daachx and injury to human life. Today atatt and local lav* all over cha country require tha ua of non-flxasablx fluid* in certain electrical equipment ax a ixfacy faacurx. AC ch nocanc, there are no lubacicucax available which aqual cha ixfacy parfomanca of PCS." ' . Son* an to laid 1c intend* to ccnciaua (ailing PCS for "closed-syxcaa" uaax auch a* alaccrlcal component* and haac-cran*far syxcaax. "Vich rigid control ovar whara cha product goes, how it lx handled and diapcxad of, wa baliave the cafaty fraction* of tha product can continue to carva society and cha anvironnant can ba protected," Minekltr said. "Ve ara discontinuing salax into 'open sytte&x' -- adhaslvax, saxlxncs, chlorinxcad rubber, xpacixlty paintx, ate. "Tor other uxax, *uch xx firx-raxixtaac hydraulic fluidx, whara PCS exnaoc ba strictly concrollad, wa hxva t raforaulxtad xom fluidx xnd thay ara on cha market.' Tha nrw productx cootain other flra-rtxiacant ingradiantx. Va will continua tc develop alternate forsuLxtlonx which do not contain perxixtant PCS. Wa will not abandon hydraulic fluid uaarx," Kinckler cjMintad, "ax haa baan reported." '. -nor*- OSW '733 WATER PCB-SD0000017326 --4 XCHSAHTO: MIHOXTl'S RZPLY TO PCS CHASCZ xxx reported." Monsanto ha a alao eatabliahed a new syatea for disposal or recycle of epent PCI. A special high-teaperature incinerator will break down PCS into hamlets materials. The cocpany also regenerates spent flulda for reuaa. The incinerator will be offered to euacooara who cannot otherwiie deetroy or regenerate their old fluida. "Although loaa of PCS fra* our manufacturing pLanta ha a been negligible, we have further tightened up our production technique# and inatalled new pollution abatement device#the Monsanto executive eaid. "I repeat," Kinckler concluded, "our prograa waa initiated and conducted by Xonetnto alone. It will be concluded thia year. Ve believe it ia a position any responsible cocpany would take." -0O0- OSM 009734 WATER PCB-SD0000017327