Document nmYb2gweLnq9wwz8nVwen6Lm6

Shell International Petroleum Company Limited Telex: LO ND O N 25781 Telegraph ic Address: O verseas S H E L L LO N D O N SE 1 Inlan d SH E L L LO N D O N T E L E X All codes used SJI E L L C E N T R E LO N D O N SE I Telephone W A T E R LO O 1234 Professor R,A. Kehoe, Director of Kettering Research Laboratory College of Medicine, University of Cincinatti, OHIO, .S.A. - Your ref Our ref RHS/JMM/MDL/ Date 25th July, 1963 My dear Professor Kehoe, USE OF CONTAINERS THAT HAVE HELD LEADED GASOLINES FOR TRANSPOB.T OF FOOD MATERIALS________ I have discussed this problem with Dr. Barry of Ellesmere Port and also with Mr. Bevan (Managing Director - Associated Octel Co.Ltd. London) who has suggested I write to you. The problem has arisen as follows In West Africa we employ contractors to move leaded gasolines in road tankers from the coastal area - e.g. Port Harcourt or Lagos up-country to places like Enugu, Kano and even longer distances. | The rates for this transport are obviously high because so far we have insisted that the tankers return empty to avoid any possible contamination. ! With the necessity for reinvestigation of costs and profit margins the question has come up again. It has been suggested that if stainless steel tanks were used there would be no hazard. I have said that you can never take any chances with TEL/TML and that it would be a retrograde step to permit the use of these tankers for transport of consumables unless there is evidence that TEL/TML cannot be deposited in such tanks. If there is no deposit or gradual corrosion then, I suppose, measures used to rid all traces of gasoline when the tanks are emptied and cleaned will rid TEL/TML. Pat Barry has agreed to these thoughts. I' When using stainless steel the steel would have to be properly polished etc. first and a tank washing scheme would have to be installed at certain terminal depots. This, I imagine, would have to be high pressure water and possibly steam. This is acceptable only where there is proper supervision, but knowing the African I do not think it would be safe to use the ordinary truck driver for this purpose at the end of a 500 or 1000 mile drive. Further, if we allow it in some places, at others where there are no proper facilities, the African may or may not just sluice it out and take on a load of palm oil to "make a bit on the side". A further question I would like answered is the question of the action of Til or TML etc. on plastics of various kinds. Epikote resins of various kinds are used for lining food containers of various sorts. Does TEL/TML deposit on this? I believe polypropylene or polyethylene can be bonded to steel. Would this be safe? Professor R.A. Kehoe, OHIO 25. 7. 196^ ; One problem of washing out such tanks is that they have small manholes and if they are to be washed out or scrubbed out properly there are the additional hazards of gasoline or TEL/TML intoxication of the cleaner. . ' I should be very grateful for any advice or help y6u can give me on this problem. With kind regards. Chief Medical Officer