Document gbar4Z6KqyyaQBYjo9rerM43e

Fwcnssnto MONSANTO INDUSTRIAL CHKMIOALI* 00. 000 N. LlndbirQh Boulevard St. louia, Mltaourl 63108 Ptiona: (314) 004-1000 October 18, 1976 bcc G. J. Barton Weber Ms. Janie I. Seibold 1420 Rose Drive Champaign, 111. 61820 Dear Ms. Seibold: This will acknowledge your recent letter, forwarded to thia office by our Sauget, Illinois plant. I will comment on the specific points you have raised and am further providing you with substantial background material which may give you a better perspective for the magnitude and complexity of the PCD dilemma. Contrary to your belief, Monsanto is and has been very concerned about the environmental problems posed by PCBs. You stated that our interest in profit is keeping us from the rational decision of ceasing production immediately. Nothing could be further from the truth. To continue pro duction for the next 12 months is going to cost Monsanto about $1 million after tax. The reason we are not shutting down immediately is because the electrical industry has not yet determined that replace ment fluids will work or that they will offer an acceptable degree of fire resistance. It is a well documented scientific fact that no one was aware that PCBs were entering or persisting in theenviron ment until 1970. The analytical techniques and sensitive measuring equipment necessary for detecting these compounds simply did not exist before that time. As soon as it was confirmed that PCBs were accumulating in the environment and long before the impact of these findings unit of Monstnto Comcsi MQNS 09607** Ma. Janis I. Seibold October 18, 1976 Page 2 was understood, Monsanto in 1970 began restricting sales of PCBs to the electrical industry where no viable alternate materials existed. The entire history of our Involvement with PCBs and, I submit, our concerned posture in trying to deal responsibly with this very difficult risk/benefit problem is detailed in the attached material which 1 hope you will take the time to review. I realize that the irresponsible and well publicized actions of a few corporations make it very easy to generalize that all businesses are bad and need to be broken up. And I can also understand your feelings about PCBs, particularly, if your knowledge of the subject has come entirely from news media accounts which, for whatever reason, seldom bother to treat anything but the negatives. In summary, I want to thank you for taking the time to express your concerns and for giving us the opportunity to explain our actions and our position. You were wrong when you said your letter will have little impact. Monsanto does care about the environment and is totally committed to operating in a socially responsible manner. We also care about the general public's perceptions of our operations. Letters like yours serve to remind us that it's much easier to accomplish the former than the latter. Should you have any additional comments or reactions to the enclosed material, please let me know. Sincerely yours DRBismt Att. D. R. Bishop ,/ Director, Public Relations Monsanto Industrial Chemicals Co. MQNS 096075