Document qm7zkJDw6b1q1X5Ngre82vXeq

Wall Street Journal Wednesday, June 26, 1974 THI 'U.S. Unit Defends Vinyl Chloride Curbs,S\ AT&T's Michigan Bell ''Saying They Aren't Too Hard on Firms ^ ^Freezes Hiring, Plans ltbacksas Net Drops I Af a VVtM, STHS:KT JOt'Haal. Ala// Krpmtf-r the will, not the ability, to do the job." Classic 1 WASHINGTON -- A Labor Department Mr. Bommarlto also accused the indus By Wall mm jutmal sjit Xtpnntr ) report disputed the plastics Industry't claim try of trying to whip up a `hysterical" pub DETROIT -- Michigan Bell Telephone Seersucker jth.it a proposed government standard tor re* lic relations campaign predicting the de Co., blaming slumping earnings, announced . 1 strictlng handling of vinyl chloride would V am lorce numerous plastics plants to close, vir .v I The Industry has contended that the pro* mise of the industry, and he sold the AFL- a "trees*" on new hiring that could cut the CIO will cal) for a congressional investiga tion of the Industry's public relations effort. company's number of employes to about n earner t posted ruling. which would bar exposing Travel Suits ' vv'ori{frj lo any "detectable** amount ot the i chemical, can't feasibly be met, and the In* $90*' dustry wins that adoption of the ruling would close down the large part of the piss* tics industry that uses vinyl chloride and Its Cilllit derivatives as raw materials. But the government report says flatly that evidence to date doesn't Indicate "that Syrkt**lt promulgation of the proposed standard will The Industry also proposed Its own stan dards for handling vinyl chloride. Instead of barring any "detectable exposure," it urged gradually decreasing exposure ceilings, starting with 40 parts per million this year in polyvinyl chloride plants to be decreased to 25 parts in late 197. In planta handling raw vinyl chloride, the industry plan calls for a 25-poru-per-miUion 25.000 from 30,000 by attrition during the next year. Also as part of a "general austerity pro gram" the unit of American Telephone it Telegraph Co., sold It has begun a "careful examination" that may lead to the possible deferral of a number of the 150 building projects, costing 353 million, under way In 72.S0'J stop vinyl chloride production and use." The report, a draft version of an environ* ceiling this year, decreasing to 20 parts per Michigan. million by 1077. In both kinds ot plants, ae Other cost-saving moves by the company Iruna X Vhllc mental impact study on the proposed strict tusl average exposure over an eight-hour Include canceling plans to buy about 500 --vkrr auita. ; r.* i' ever. f; natural, vinyl chloride standard, was made public yesterday at the start of a week of hearings day would be less than the full celling, due new cars and trucks, cutting back certain to differing emissions of the chemical at dli coble Installation plans and holding up char --t*. Ideal (<>r -m, vrvri,nrk.fr 1 72wU. *S1 r. -. i* sal i 11 on the standard. The hearings are expeeted to be dominated by plasUca-lndustry spokes* men questioning the scientific research'on vinyl chloride and warning of economic dis ruption if the standard is issued. Vinyl chloride, a gas, is thought to be re sponsible for 31 world-wide cases of a rare ferent times of day. itable contributions for the rest of the year. There also was evidence at the hearings, however, - that even average exposures below s 10-psrts-per-mllUon level con cause disease. Dr. Irving SeUkoff, noted occupa tional health researcher, reported he has found noncancerous Uver diseases among A Michigan Bell spokesman said the company was making the cutbacks "with great reluctance and regret but out of abso lute necessity" because the utility's earn ings are "going from bad to worse." and fatal liver cancer, angiosarcoma. Tens workers at a Dow Chemical Co. plant In The company Is seeking s rate increase of thousands of U.S. workers are directly Michigan where levels of average exposure from the Michigan Public Service Commis l.i/itripit.n,CHl. Mill I "I M.O. Z and indirectly exposed to the chemical dally because it Is the base product from which ci> Cir Cfc/. ! companies make polyvinyl chloride, a pow* --jJfTT coin I |dery substance used to form a multitude of misj'mtUtIS! ! everyday plasUc products. lost year were generally below 10 parts. He cautioned, however, that It wasn't known whether the diseases were contracted before or after exposure was dramatically lowered by Dow In the early iwoe. sion. The company requested a Sill million rate boost but the commission has rejected SA2 million of that sum. The commission is studying the remaining M3 million ot the re quest In April, the Labor Department cut workers* allowable exposure to vinyl chlor ide to SO parts per million in the air they Zo .................... T.i ,a CiL lBOtlt breathe, The proposed rule being debated at the hearings would slash that further, bar ring any "detectable exposure.'' The study concedes that "production in From the desk o/ J0tc; J, SPANO 6/26/74 some plants could be curtailed If re-engi neering is required." and it predicta "mar ginal" companies may need federal loans to help pay for Improvements. But it says equipment needed to meet the standard doesn't necessarily need to be elaborate, and much progress can be made by Improv ing "poor housekeeping and Inadequate To: A2SA - G. Roush A3SA - ?. S. Park BIND - W. B. Fapageorge ANKC T. NEWYORK. NY 1i IE BANK OF NEWY maintenance." It concludes that "the tech nology appears to be readily available," and B3NB - P. R. Graham thus "substantial development costs" wont be needed. BIND - E. V. John The contradictory industry position, which warns of economic chaos, was at tacked at the hearings by the AFL-CIO as "blackmail." Peter Bommarlto, president i of the United Rubber Workers Union, said, "This country survived for nearly two j'usiness. FYX ns for | hundred years without polyvinyl chloride ; and we can survive In the future without It." oms and 't and - But he also disputed Industry contentions ; that the standard would end polyvinyl chlor ! Ide output, saying older planta can be al | j ; tered, and in new plants the task of meeting adcress. ' | | the standard Is a problem "characterised by at 10 A.M. don, :* York Ciiy. i immiiMK. ('sinariaSteel Ingot Output Rose `'j'rAWA-CuniwIii'* lni !*>< produc i more JJS a r.a\/man RSV 0006564