Document kDB8Bb1yzY9rKbnqbZjZ1810V

The Chemical World This Week GAHCEH DEATHS AfMG PVC feedstock prices at "abnormally low levels," leading producers to in crease exports of these products to more lucrative foreign markets. The SPI position lines up with that taken by fertilizer makers in Long-existing concern over possible health hazards to workers in firms making polwinyl chloride and vinyl chloric.e intensified dramati cally last week with a disclosure that indicates there may well be a serious occupational disease prob lem--one involving cancer. B. F. Goodrich Co. voluntarily revealed to federal and state offi cials that since 1971 three blue-col chloride maker, urged use of a 50p.p.m. exposure level in the litera ture in 1961 and adopted it as a company standard some 15 years ago. Regular physical examinations for Dow workers support the safety of this level, says Dr. Etcyl H. Blair, health and environmental re search director. But last summer Dow warned all of its U.S. vinyl workers of a "potential problem," their successful bid to have fertiliz er industry wage and price controls lifted to ensure adequate supplies for the U.S. market (C&EN, Nov. 5, 1973, page 2). The fertilizer in dustry victory, however, may be in trouble. The Cost of Living Council is considering placing some new form of price control on the indus try in response to what it believes to be excessive price hikes on cer lar workers at its PVC resins plant based upon results of an Italian re tain fertilizer products. at Louisville, Ky., have died from a search study that found tumors in In arguing its case to CLC, SPI very rare form of liver cancer, two rats administered 30,000 p.p.m. of claims that polyethylene sells for in 1973 and one in 1971. The can cer-angiosarcoma--is so rare that federal authorities estimate that deaths throughout the U.S. from this cause total only 21 per year. Alerted to the deaths, federal ex perts and safety inspectors rushed vinyl chloride. To its credit, BFG's voluntary alert is the first such notice ever made to NIOSH by a firm for a se rious health problem. But the ensu ing probe seems likely to shake op erators of the 36 existing PVC resin up to 45 cents a pound abroad, compared with a domestic price of about 18 cents a pound, and poly styrene that lists for about 16 cents a pound in the U.S. sells in foreign markets for up to SO cents a pound. The petition also says that petro within 48 hours to the plant. Dr. Marcus M. Key, director of the Na tional Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, says that his plants in the U.S. as well as anoth er 14 vinyl chloride plants. chemical feedstocks such as ethyl ene and benzene sell on foreign markets for as much as four times their domestic price. Thus, SPI agcutv m step ujj ns euoii Lu ue* termine the extent of the disease in the U.S. and in foreign countries I ITT nrira nirhe nr* mm * . s kWW ^ W Wa i plastics, SPI urges I claims, u is not aimcutt to see how economic conditions have dic tated significant sales of plastics with similar manufacturing pro resins and petrochemical feedstocks cesses. Citing high overseas prices luring abroad." However, two large petro NIOSH plans to develop, on a plastic resin supplies from the U.S. chemical and resin makers, Dow crash basis, criteria for stringent market, the Society of the Plastics Chemical and Union Carbide, pre work practices for use in the polyvi Industry has petitioned the Cost of viously contacted by C&EN, deny nyl chloride process. An agency spokesman tells C&EN the criteria might be ready in several weeks. The deaths were among BFG Living Council to exempt petro chemical feedstocks, plastic resins, and fabricated plastic products from Phase IV price controls. that their exports of these products increased significantly in 1973. To add ammunition to its argu ment, SPI surveyed plastics proces employees who worked in some The move is a result, according sors in the U.S. to assess the effect phase of the PVC polymerization to SPI president Ralph L. Harding, of resin shortages on production operation, but not in drying, fin Jr., of "raw material shortages and employment. According to the ishing, or other areas. They had caused by the world energy crisis poll, 73 of the 159 respondents have worked for BFG for 15 to 28 years. and artificial domestic shortages cut back their operations by an av Dr. Maurice N. Johnson, BFG's attributable to Phase IV price regu erage of 23%, and 52 have laid off director of environmental health, lations." Mr. Harding says domes an average of 25 employees each. stresses that the causes of death are tic price limits have held resin and subject to verification and that the company is probing to see whether they are occupationally linked. Neither company officials nor Harding: to end artificial shortages Water quality laws need fleshing out federal experts are certain now what the suspect carcinogen may be, if the deaths are due to job ex "Believe it or not, industry wants Public Law 92-500 to work," Dr. posure. And apparently there is no Monte C. Throdahl, Monsanto's violation of the federal standard for exposure to vinyl chloride vapors of vice president for technology, told government and industry represen 500 p.p.m. of vinyl chloride on a tatives at a conference on industry time-weighted-average basis. BFG says maximum exposures in its and clean water, sponsored by Mid west Research Institute last week in plants have ranged from 50 to 100 Kansas City, Mo. As it stands, he o n rn U'tfh nnCiU\' ovnn. sures but not for long periods. appears to be a skeleton, not an en Dow Chemical, a major vinyl forceable system. 271&001 > ''J 6 C&EN Jan. 28, 1974