Document oYaMvqjZ0RgzjKb5RNDz7yMR

INTER-OFFICE MEMO TENNECO CHEMICALS, INC. To W.C. Champion From F.W. Kanzler Subject MONTHLY PROGRESS REPORT April, 1975 at Burlington at Burlington Date April 25, 1975 copy to A. L. Dickerson P. Gawason H.R. Horton D.J. Krzywicki R.A. Lojewski P.R. Scarito A.C. Siegel W.E. Stewart Young file I. ROUTINE ANALYSIS A. Raw Materials IR of incoming raw material Polystyrene in styrene Phenol in RVCM-VAcM B. Finished Product Residual VCM - resin - slurry Bound Acetate Residual VAcM C. Environment and Personal Monitoring Samples VCM in Air - perimeter Residual VCM effluent water Personal Monitoring VCM in exhaust Brabender Extrusion - 10R Total from Section II 6 4 1 402 65 31 110 10 385 12 6 55 Total 1087 II. SPECIAL TESTING A. Resin Plant 1. Raw Materials a. VCM - B.F. Goodrich Certificates of analysis results from VCM from B.F, Goodrich listed high levels of methyl chloride - up to 90 ppm (specification 100 ppm maximum) - and 1,3 Buta diene - up to 7 ppm (specification 6 ppm maximum). After initial contact via a CAR, B.F. Goodrich was pro vided with Tenneco VCM specifications for oxychlorination VCM. Three tank cars with relatively high levels of the above light ends were picked for analysis in Burlington. The cars did not arrive to date. COLORITE 010240 Page 2 2. In-Process a. Residual VCM in Resin and Slurries - All Plants The once-per-shift analysis of dryer samples was con tinued, in addition to special resin and slurry samples in support of Process Engineering programs. b. Low Residual VCM T-10R for Nixon A total of six lots - five batches/lot of low residual VCM - <2 ppm - T-10R resins were manufactured for Nixon. Around the clock coverage was provided for this program. A report was issued. 3. Finished Product a. VCM Survey - Warehouse-Aged Resin and Compound This Process Engineering program was supported with a total of 50 residual VCM analyses. The analyses showed that the majority of the plastisol resins show 42 ppm. In the compounds, VCM levels were found to be very low in flexibles - ND to 1 ppm. In contrast, rigids and Vydel compounds showed levels to around the 5 ppm levels. A report was issued. b. Improved Plastisol Testing - Rheology, Optical In concert with R&D, a program has been started to eval uate a stabilized paste formulation - similar to produc tion formulation. The aim is to introduce improved samples and sample preparation in order to test a larger crosscut of the plastisol lots tested. Rheological and optical tests, as well as heat stability analyses, will be run. 4. Environmental Testing a. Bendix System The gas chromatographs are all operational with the last unit - B/v-1 - going on stream on 4/11/75. The alarm system does not work reliably, however, improvement is noted. Sample area verification by Engineering is still outstanding. b. Perimeter Sampling - Bendix Sampling of perimeter air is accomplished with the aid of the L/A-l unit. Both sample points - #7 well and boiler house gate - seem to be considerably affected by COLOR!TE 010241 Page 3 excursions occurring in the Homopolymer and Co polymer Plants. A status report was issued. B. Compound Plant 1. Stainless Steel Blenders Darkening of compound mixes was noted when run in the new stainless steel blenders. A sample of the surface deposit after a 2028 Natural run was analyzed. It was found that a phthalate plasticizer, lead stearate, lead sulfate and camelwhite are contained in the surface wip ings. An attempt to identify the "black" wiping gave inconclusive results. A sample was submitted to R&D for analysis on the AA. C. Flemington Plant 1. Bound Acetate Round Robin The latest round robin showed again good correlation be tween Flemington and Burlington. A report was issued. D. Miscellaneous 1. Pasadena Resin - Residual VCM A total of five samples of 200-2 and 250 resin from the Pasadena Plant were analyzed for residual VCM. All samples showed <^5 ppm with good interlaboratory agreement. A re port was issued. 2. Running Account of Analysis October November December 1419 1194 1317 January 1076 February 995 March 1193 FWK/jst F.W. Kanzler COLOR!TE 010242