Document dY0q32Qz3vkwD88Y7GnpbjV0R

Wall Street Journal Wednesday, June 26, 1974 THE U.S. Unit Defends Vinyl Chloride Curbs^k AT&T s Michigan Bell Saying They Aren't Too Hard on Firms Freezes Hiring, Plans tbacks as Net Drops Ay n Wam. STHcrr JOIIKNAI. Staff Rrporirr the will, not the ability, to do the job." Classic j WASHINGTON -- A Labor Department Mr. Bommarlto also accused the indus By a Wall STWtt jch shal Staff Ktrvrttr ireport disputed the plastics Industry's claim try of trying to whip up a "hysterical" pub DETROIT ~ Michigan Bell Telephone Seersucker I that a proposed government standard (or re* lic relations campaign predicting the de Co., blaming slumping earnings, announced suicling handling ot vinyl chloride would Warm ! force numerous plastics plants to close. Weather | I The posed industry has contended that the proruling, which would bar exposing Travel Suits j j workers to any chemical, can't "delectable" amount of the feasibly be met, and the in* $90* dustry warns that adoption of the ruling mise of the industry, and he said the AFL- a "freexe" on new hiring that could cut the jGQ will call for a congressional investiga tion of the lndustiy'a public relations effort. company's number of employes to about 28.000 from 30.000 by attrition during the The industry also proposed Its own stan dards for handling vinyl chloride. Instead of barring any "detectable exposure," U urged next year. Also as part of a ; "general austerity pro- j gradually decreasing exposure ceilings, gram" the unit of American Telephone & Ciaiiie Stenackcr SparUoali 72.50* * would close down the large part of the plas tics industry that uses vinyl chloride and its derivatives as raw materials. But the government report says flatly that evidence to date doesn't Indicate "that promulgation of the proposed standard will stop vinyl chloride production and use." The report, a draft version of an environ starting with 40 parts per million this year in polyvinyl chloride plants to be decreased to 25 parts In late 1975. In plants handling raw vinyl chloride, the industry plan calls for a 25-parts-per-mUUon ceiling this year, decreasing to 10 parts per million by 1977. In both kinds of plants, ac Telegraph Co., said it has begun a "careful examination" that may lead to the possible deferral of a number of the 150 building projects, costing 353 million, under way in Michigan. Other cost-saving moves by the company liunn A IVklti mental impact study on the proposed strict tual average exposure over an eight-hour include canceling plans to buy about 500 f-'iCkat *Utt*. ever. -.-ii r.Atural. vinyl chloride standard, was made public yesterday at the start of a week of hearings day would be leas than the full ceiling, due new cars and trucks, cutting back certain to differing emissions of the chemical at dif cable installation plans and holding up char --WWal (nr on the standard. The hearings are expected Jil>, Srrr>arkrr [ TIL.'-O. Sue to be dominated by plastlcs-lndustry spokes I. J. men questioning the scientific research' on ij ii if, n S3 vinyl chloride and warning of economic dis ruption if the standard is issued. Vinyl chloride, a gas, Is thought to be re i i ii sponsible for 21 world-wide cases of a rare and fatal liver cancer, angiosarcoma. Tens of thousands of U.S. workers are directly liimnii .f.ir-Ci.UlM I and indirectly exposed to the chemical daily M.O. f Click Z | because ii is the base product from which Ciklc Cr ctt. j companies make polyvinyl chloride, a pow jSort,. COO't . (IIS) JT-4f44 dery substance used to form a multitude of everyday plastic products. In April, the Labor Department cut ferent times of day. itable contributions for the rest of the year. There also was evidence at the hearings, however, - that even average exposures below a 10-parts-per-mUUon level can cause disease. Dr. Irving Sellkoff, noted occupa tional health researcher, reported he has found noncancerous liver diseases among A Michigan Bell spokesman said the company was making the cutbacks "with great reluctance and regret but out of abso lute necessity" because the utility's earn ings are "going from bad to worse." workers.at a Dow Chemical Co. plant in The company Is seeking a rate increase Michigan where levels of average exposure from the Michigan Public Service Commis last year were'generally below 10 parts. He sion. The company requested a 3111 million cautioned, however, that it wasn't known rate boost but the commission has rejected whether the diseases were contracted before 552 million of that sum. The commission la or after exposure was dr&mstieally lowered studying the remaining 549 million of the re by Dow in the early 1950s. quest. .......................I workers' allowable exposure to vinyl chlor ..................... I t.i>.a c..1.,..io..o.mj| ide to 50 parts per million in the air they breathe. The proposed rule being debated at the hearings would slash that further, bar ring any "detectable exposure." The study concedes that "production in From the desk ol JOHN J. SpANO 6/26/74 some plants could be curtailed If re-engi neering is required.*' and It predicts "mar ginal" companies may need federal loans to help pay for improvements. But it lays equipment needed to meet the standard To: A2SA - G. Roush ANKOF 3'JSe need doesn't necessarily need to be elaborate, and much progress can be made by Improv ing "poor housekeeping and Inadequate maintenance." U concludes that "the tech nology appears to be readily available," and thus "substantial development coats" wont A3SA BIND B3NB BIND -P. S-W. B. -P. R. -E. V- Park Papageorge Graham John T, NEWYORK. N Y 10C IE BANK OF NEWYOI be needed. The contradictory industry position, which warns of economic chaos, was at els in tacked at the hearings by the AFL-CIO as "blackmail." Peter Bommarlto, president - of the United Rubber Workers Union, said, I 'This country survived tor nearly two business, Is FYI ns for 'a n l hundred years without polyvinyl chloride . and we can survive in the future without it. " oms and style and Al address. Yet* City. rmnniw. i But he also disputed Industry contentions I that the standard would end polyvinyl chlor* ide output, saying older plants can be al[ tered, and in new plants the task of meeting !I the standard Is a problem "characterised by Canada Steel Ingot Output Rose RSV 0006810 JJS at 10 A.M. don, i more b