Document rx7JvXm6Ln5dZNOwzedobmGRa

WUODWW, l TIMES K.-CAMDEN MARKET AREA) SEP 91976 , No Chemical, CancerQnk Found A preliminary study by Monsanto ' ChemicalCo.hus failedtoshowslink between certain Industrial chemicals ' and a higher than averago cancer rata . such at that found recently among . worker* it the Mobil Oil Co. refinery In Paulsboro. Monsanto is the 10)0 manufacturer of the chemicals, known as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), | which aro used mainly in electrical initiation. ' In a report released last week, MobU said it found seven cancer cases ` among M employes at the Paulsboro refinery. _____ The workers were exposed to PCBs during an eight year period (hat ended min when Mobil stopped using PCBs. That cancer rate Is above the nations) average and includes threi cases of malignant melanoma, a fairly rare formot skin cancerand two cases of pancreatic cancer. But Monsanto notes It hos found no cases of either disease among more than 300 current and former employes who Itave been Involved in ths manufacture of PCBs dating back to 1933. "In my opinion, the tact that we have found no cases of either of these cancers costs strong doubt that the findings of the Mobil study were to fact related to PCB," said Dr. Oeorge Roush, director of Monsanto^ medical and environmental health deportments. PCBs are made at the company's plant in Sauget, fit., just south of Cast St. Louis. PCBs were never produced at Monsanto's Bridgeport plant. Monsanto did find a tugher-than* average rate of lung cancer among employes exposed to PCBs but Roush warned the statistics are still too vague to draw any conclusions. Based on the Mobil fnformation, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Hoalth In Rockville, Md, has asked researchers in the U.S. and abroad to soarch for further links between PCBs and csnccr. It has alee begun he own two-year study of New York xtite workers who have been exposed to PCBs. fn January, Monsanto announced It will cease production of PCBs because of environmental concerns as soon as hi customers can convert to other substances. / ' i --JoeDieucr ! MQNS 035212