Document npyaLkBrKj2vjK38LdV9bqX68

r*B 16 THE pMJBUOnCiL, *ATTHDAT, JCXE XI, M7* > jVinyl chloride link studied -in death of 2 in Connecticut By BOX, PETERSON twrt> .iwi a mw m Wr * VASHJXGTON -- A federal health "torestlcxtor raid j-e*t#rdy Ihst there are tepiaous" Indication* that two persons ^ho lire near pleatic* plant* may hat* eaninttad tan liver cancer Iroa vinyl ebiorids in tbe atmosphere. Sr. Ftiillp J. Lsndrigao, of the MS. Cttfer for Disease Control (CDC). (aid Dm two cancer-related death* in Conitferileut raise tbe 'Visibility of danger" to ether localitic* near plastic* plants and Other places when vinyl chloride it -wged. * e added, however, that additional jetady it needed before the exact sfgnifiOMi of the rasas can be deurmioed. TTJdriga (aid the present evidence veiledcd ip the icrenijalioo of tbe deaths is "worrisome but establishes no exact casual concection" 't'-tl confirmed by data from other states, however, the report could add a new dimatt!on to the possible cancer hsasrd from vinyl chloride, he said. ,..Mure public sod governmental attwrtion has been focused on tbe vinyl edcride Indawry since early this year when it was learned that at least four "wertavra at a LeoDrill* plant died from engliwrca*. a ran cancer of tbe liver. The Louisville situation, involving vacates at tbe Belts Lane plant of the SbF. Goodrich Co., touched off fears that 'thousands of workers to the United State* dwagr have been exposed to potentially ,f*tal doses of vinyl-chloride vapora. Nationwide, more than 8300 workers are involved either in production of vinyl chloride nr in conversion of the chemical to polyvinyl chloride. At least 13 workers were confirmed victims. Tbe two nenworker angiosarcoma deaths were disclosed in CDC* weekly Morbidity and Mortality Report. Both were loac-Mma residents of tbe Bridge* port-Stratford, Conn, area. One was a <3yearo)4 retired fireman who lived bis entire life within two milea of an electrical product* factory that uses vinyl Chloride to coat wire cables. The other was an 83-year-oM woman wbo lived within a half mile of the vinyl products plsst for 35 yean. The two cases were uncovered in a survey CDC asked states to make of health records in areas near vinyl chloride plants. Ltndriean. a medical doctor, said he has received no reports of any similar Incidents in Kentucky. Dr. }. Bradford Slock, a' Kentucky stale occupational health consultant, said a "very thorough" investigation has been made of aogtosareoma cases la the Louisville area. "To the best of our knowledge there hare not been any cases discovered out side the Immediate (B. F. Goodrich) plant population,'' he said. If there had bees, Block said he feela CDC Invcftigstoni would have fo##d them when they reviewed hospital and public health records in the wake cf the Louisville deaths. fin tests conducted in May by tbe En vironmental Protection Agency of the air la Ihe vicinity of the B. F. Goodrich plant, (he average level of vinyl chloride was below on* pari per millioa (PPM; parts of sir. (But at one time during the May-tests v frf'T-'-t : - - \ma high reading of 33 PPM was reported at a point twoAenttas of a mile from tbe center of the plant (Both the Kentucky and tbe federal Occupational Safety and Health admin V-" IPTtistration* allow workers to be exposed to $5 PPM. The federal agency, however, is considering allowing no measurable amount of viny) chloride gu in th^ air.) 'f *T~ - - In the Connecticut case*, federal dis i"*: . ease-control officers interviewed doctors I . and relatives of five angiosarcoma victim* reported in one area since 1967. Landrigan said he was able to eliminate all common links for tbe two cases except environmental or community exposure. I i \ t The disease CDC report, is M rate, according to the that only 25 to 30 case* occur 1 : t. I.V nationwide each year. "Mere tin one area) seven years." Lendrigsn we bare said, "so fire in it's sus - * r..W.. " picious, highly suspicious." He said incidental. the but deaths may have noted there is a been co "definite i Kt possibility'' that the two cases resulted l f- from long-term exporero to vinyl chloride is their communities. The report said "investigation of addi tional cam of hepatie Angiosarcoma . , will be stwuiy to clarify the signifi cance of these eases.'' 1a : m co kp \ Coo BFG25557 o o