Document vBVk1505VQv9vMRm5wLm0Z1R9

iwrm maii s: IHVmOfrM Wi AL I'JKnH-TIOM AC.fcKCY c.m [i c. ('fruiK vs. I r* ->. *T f ***. I VA* 1 Uif. a <?\i At r r* nr u f c*i't mk->: *uii > r1 r * f'*f U.%. t ** < Ut'Mt*r ! > *. I >(<.> J I V. % 11.11 J. f tI I - A. y . * POR hLLBASS AT>TF:n 6 P.H., E.U.T., TUPSPhV, ` JUNE II, 1914 v,v7\ iiFc;ps PF:o*i?y strvs r.v CBEmchb jnoustky to rppucl: vinyl CH.LOUIDr AIK JW3SSI0NL * PurfoII B. Train, LPA Administrator, met today with senior exccuti ver: of the 29 companies which rnnnufaclurft vinyl chloride and polyvinyl chloride resin to urge accelerated efforts to minimize the discharge of vinyl chloride gas into the environ^ ment. ' Train recommended prompt tightening mid improvement of operating procedures in the manufacturing plants and suggested early consideration of longer-term proeens modificaLjon^. Train requested, that' each company begin or continue monitoring emissions from its plants in order to provide more extensive information on the quantities oi vinyl chloride entering the environment, F:PA will rupport auditior.-dl moni toring in cooperation with State and local governments, Train indicated that- a nuntbcir of the companies represented reported substantial efforts over a period- of time' to reduce vinyl chloride e.misF:! ons, as well as monitoring activities, and he stated that, the companies in general assured PA of their desire to provide full and continuing cooperation in finding effective solutions to the problem. Train call'-d today's joec-ting after reviewing a r-umnary c.f LTA ` s preliminary monitoring ronults at seven chemical c-i^i ploxcs, including two vinyl chloride and ten polyvinyl chlori >c pi ohts ) (more) i'.r'fr, l.*i vlwi it r>** dv NtM W-h Iw U'AfOlU | V *, Cm. [MV. l-T>) iht tnMftiU H. <* K cAwjfl** *.1 Mnu i\ rtrt^M,l { > 0n4*t cii*'v#'. W RSV 0006718 Train "There i.c no ?,oi enti f j e evidence tc* indinain that. these eiMss ians o-.r\ imminent hazard to people living near these plants. However, prudence die-later; tJiat reasonable stopy should be promptly i*.kon to reduce vinyl chloride omission to the* lowest practical level. H ;. At today's meeting, Train briefly sv/mourisecl the results of the BrA's recent monitoring of torts, He strss;od the- pre liminary nature ot the findings;. "Only a lin.i t e<i nxTrbe.r ol samples were token i each facility under vary j ng' m^teo?. ologica' and temper at urc- conditions, h Train naid. ''While wo ore rea sonably confident that our monitoring methods were sound, it is difficult to generalise about ambient conditions from oitr sampler which wwt? limited in time and distribution.- Alr.o there wore many opportunities for error in .the individual measurements )ri*do in this pioneering effort.. It in clear that considerable additional work is required before we have an 'accurate picture of the* vinyl chloride levels in the ambient air, On May 11# EPA requested the manufacturers to provide detailed technical and economic information concerning stc-prthat have been and could be taken to reduce vinyl chloride emissions. The information, due Oivu? 14, is bc-ing taught under Section 114 of the. Clean Air Act for possible* use by EPA in nutting an air pollution control standard for vinyl - chloride. The preliminary monitoring results, which should bo furth verified by additional monitoring, indicate thiil the levels of vinyl chloride in Uie ambient air near the. plants fluctuate sharply, apparently due to the periodic opening of polyvinyl chloride reactor kettles, accidental plant discharges, varia tions in -the prediction process, and meteorological condition? While, almost all of the* samples collected cont 3-ineci dc-tr-ctaV>i< levels of vinyl chloride:, more than fJf percent ol the- sc-crplot showed amounts lo&f, thavi 1 part pci- million (ppm). -At several of. the cht-inicol complexes tested, a nv^oar of individual air samples. showed more than 1 ppm vinyl chloritb-. one-time high r>I 31 ppm wan obtained at one Site ul thus :;u repeated sampling at this site* indicated that this .'oval unusual. The average* ai this site w-as in the range* ol ?,.l> to 1 ppm. {more) *$V 0006719 BBSS Ii t ;i i iii *i j ji ii / Most of the air sampling way donr- within ono-h.:*) f mile of the property linos of the plants. In one case o level of 3.4 ppjn wtis recorded at a distance of throe milt-s from the plant. The average ot several readings at this r.ito was approximately 0. it ppm. . EPA also monitored wafer diluents, and lr-vols varied considerably depending cm the in-plant handling of waytos and treatment of wastewater, 'Die highest level for wastewater leaving the plant site was 20 ppm. More typically, levels of 2 to 3 ppm wore found. There is no currently available evidence vo indicate that vinyl chloride is present in detectable levels in drinking water. Not unexpectedlyf the levels of vinyl chloride entrapped in sludge and other nolid wanton from t.hcs reactor kettles ranged from 100 to in one case 3,000 ppm. MAt the present time," Train said, "there is no basis for considering that the levels of vinyl chloride defected in water dischargee or in sludge if handled properly are hazardous to human health or to aquatic life." As a precaution, EPA has initiated programs to gather turther information concerning vinyl chloride levels in effluent water, drinking water, and sludger; the persistcncu of vinyl chloride in water; anti the effects, if any, of vinyl chloride on aquatic organisms. Vinyl chloride has been strongly implicated as a caimc* ot a rare but fatal form ot cancer, angiosarcoma of the liver. To date, 19 cases of angiosarcoma have been continned worldwide in workers at polyvinyl chloride facilities. In all of these .caf'CC, the workers had been repeatedly exposed to high levels of the gas over a substantial number of yearn. It has also been-suggested that vinyl chloride may be implicated in several non-worker deaths from this liver cancer. Whether vinyl chloride is the cause of these deaths ir. j?till being inves ti gated. (more) I RSV 0006720 ! _____ ; l ; j I --^ ; . Uesultc from anxmc-il 'studies, ` many of which fin.* still in progress, have shown thal pi'olonged exposures to lovoln o 50 ppm cause this r.Bwe. liver cancer in retr. and mice. Train a.lixi noted today that, the industry recently expanded its r.uppurt of these atudfes on the health implications of vinyl chloride at lower closer and urged continued efforts in1 this regard. EPA is planning to support epidemiological studies in come neighborhoods near vinyl chloride and polyvinyl chloride plants t.o further asccsn the implications of vinyl chloride emissions lor the general public. The Occupational Safety unci health Administration <OSRA) of the Department of Labor, responsible- for worker safety, hap determined t-hat levels exceeding 1*0 ppm in the work place pre sent a harard and has- set an emergency temporary standard at that level. To initiate the process for setting a permanent . standard, on May 10, OSHA proposed lowering the- standard to tlie level of dc-teet ion. Public heatings to gather information for a permanent standard and to assist OPHA in making a final judg ment as to the adverse effects of vinyl chloride and the appro. priate. levels of exposure to workers, have been scheduled by OiiHA for .Tune 25-28- Detailed reports on EPA sampling activities at Leominster, Louisville, Pluyticsnina and Long Pouch avo available today. Pot ailed reports concerning the other three complexes are ir* the final stages of compilation and will be available: within several we^rXs. II B RSV 0006721