Document wLyMRprdp511DqNppLgdvo6d

ME \-1 \\ TJi. r''"N. l{1"\>W j \ V. |\: l< T 1^ 7 :Vi DUPAMTVUNT OF HFAj.TH. FX/UCATION. `-V|> V.TLF, pt'ieat in m f>! si i'virr C1'v:tfk fox iiim a\, NAIluNAl. 1SSIIII II >11; H' VUrAIXr, a: , ur.IV AM) IlfAMII > Chief Environmental ! over. C i ga t 1 ons Branch 0ATK: April 15, 1974 rnoM Industrial Hygienist Envirorr'ienta1 investigations Branch SU1MLCT: Trip Report - Monsanto Polymers an.! Petrochemicals Company, 1 nd i an:-Orchard, lias s a c h u s e 11 s On Kerch 12, 1374, the Monsanto Polymers and Petrochemicals Company polyvinyl chloride plan. in Indian Orchard, Massachusetts was visited. An initial meeting with several giant personnel was held to explain the purpose of the visit end to obtain a general description of the activities and processes cfihe plant. Those in attenoance were: James Jones and Richard Lemen from N1 OSH; A. Scott Grivas, M.D. from CDC; Leonard D. Pagnatto from the Massachusetts Department of Labor and Industries; and Gerald M. Ellsworth, Plant Manager; Robert L. Bourget, PVC Manufacturing Superintendent; John R. Belschwender, Personnel Manager; William E. Nessel, M.D., Plant Physician; Garland W. Fletcher, Safety Manager; Cary 0. Ricgs, PVC Manufacturing Supervisor - Suspension; David L. Ger.dron, PVC Manor actoring Supervisor Paste; Archie P. Torrenzano, PV'C Senior Technical Sore i a 1 i s t; Chester Aowalczik, Local 283 - Coordinator for Health end Welfare; George Roush, M.D., Associate Corporate Medical director: John Fox, Plant Industrial Hygienist, Texas City, Texas plant from Monsanto. After this initial meeting, we toured the plant and then split into smaller groups. in the afternoon and again on March 13, 1973, Mr. Jones met with plant production and industrial hygiene personnel. Copies of the plant layout, process flowsheets, raw material lists, and past environmental sampling data for vinyl chloride were obtained. Polyvinyl chloride is produced in this plant by the susoension and emulsion processes. General types of products procucea are PVC homopolymer suspension resin and P''C homopolymer emulsion resin. PVC production began in 1348, reached a peak in 1571 and has declined since. A PVC vinyl acetate copolymer suspension resin was produced from 1348 to 1367, PVC vinyl acetate copoiymer emulsion resin from 1364 to 1373, 2nd PVC chlorinated polyethylene graft copolymer resin Il from 1362 to 1973- A compounding and calendering operation was corricd on at the plant from 1350 to 1372. The emulsion reactors arc entered obout once a month for ten minutes for inspection. The suspension reactors are hand cleaned after every 30 batches. Cleaners spend an average of less than five minutes per man per shift in reactors. This cleaning frequency has been prevalent since 1972. From '964 to 1972, reactors were hand cleaned after every 100 batches. From 1548 to- RSV0023017 cleaning system has been in coeraticn which uses ictrahydrofuran as a solvent. residual PVC. This system has vastly reduced the need for hand cleaning and reactor entry. Vinyl chloriae environmentaI sampling wes begun in early i9?4. Grab samples and gas chromatographic analysis is the method used. Vinyl chloride ieveis In the suspension resin area have varied from 2 to 6500 ppm, and in the emulsion resin area, from O.A to 350 ppm. These ieveis are not in most cases indicative of personnel exposures but represent an attempt to locate high leva areas so that these levels could be reduced. A plant photographer took pictures of the processes. These pictures are to be developed, checked for Trade Secret information, and then sent to us. James H. Jones cc: Paul Alvarado, N10SH, Region i Rick Waxwei1er Dick Lemen Joe Mai 1ov Bill Stringer Ken Kronoveter Henry Falk RSV0023018