Document wgb5gEaorvyrarQyVkz5zmM3o

ETHYL CORPORATION OP CANADA LIMITED Memorandum of Meeting with Division of Industrial Hygiene, Ontario Department of Health, Subject: HIGHER TETRAETHYL LEAD CONTENT IN MOTOR FUEL The meeting was held on Friday, November 27, 1959, at 10:00 A.M. in the office of Dr. J.G. Cunningham, Director, Division of Industrial Hygiene. Present at the meeting were Dr. Cunningham, his senior associate Dr. F.M.R. Bulmer, Dr. C.M. Jephcott, Mr. A.C. Tully and Dr. D.R. Warren. Dr. Jephcott is the director of the Air Pollution Control Section of Dr. Cunningham's division. This responsibility has been developed since the passage of the Air Pollution Control Act, 1958, which is at present the only air pollution legislation in any Canadian province. As the U.S. Public Health Service Bulletin #712, !iPublic Health Aspects of Increasing Tetraethyl Lead Content in Motor Fuel1' was not available to us, our copy of the report of the U.S. Surgeon General's Ad Hoc Committee on Tetraethyl Laad had been sent to Dr. Cunningham for his perusal. The bulletin is a direct reprint of this committee's report. Mr. Tully outlined the purpose of our visit, namely, our sincere effort to inform those concerned of the justification for Increasing the maximum allowable concentration of TEL in motor fuel from 3 to 4 mis.per U.S. gallon. He outlined the previous visits to the Ontario Department of Health by the company, when 0003367 -2- Ontario Dspt. of Health Meeting - Nov. 27, 1959 they initially discussed the problem of the addition of TEL to automotive fuel some thirty years ago, and again when the plans for the plant in Sarnia were being approved. This occasion was the third visit. Ethyl Corporation of Canada Limited has always appreciated the opportunity for frank discussion of these matters. It was obvious that Dr. Cunningham and his associates were familiar with the problems that might arise with the higher TEL concentration. They had reviewed the Information and in fact Dr. Cunningham had on his desk a copy of Bulletin 712. They we re interested in what were the likely demands for the higher concentration, the economic justification, and the possibility of adverse public opinion in relation to air pollution, ilo doubt this interest was the reason for Dr. Jephcott'3 presence at the meeting. In keeping with the opinions of Dr. Kehoe and members of the Surgeon-General's committee, they felt that there probably would be no significant change in the health aspects of automotive fuel by the addition of a further millilitre. Thqyappreciated being informed of the intentions of the company to authorise this addition, and in keeping with the recommendations of the U.S. Public Health Service, felt that it could be done without concern v/hile we carefully observe the developments. They naturally viere unwilling to go on record as approving this increase in view of the lack of complete information about air pollution. Kfr 0003368 ' -3 - Ontario Dept, of Health Meeting - Nov. 27, 1959 They were aware of the inadequacy of medical data on which to base a positive answer to the problem of possible hazard to public health due to lead contamination of the atmosphere. It was my feeling that they would be interested in receiving the following: (1) cumulative data on the changes in the pool gasoline content of TEL; (2) the domestic consumption figures for TEL; (3) any further information becoming available from studies to provide more definite data on levels and trends of atmospheric contamination, and of the body burden of lead of selected population groups. It is worthy of note that this Industrial Health Division has an excellent resource of reference data in most aspects of industrial hygiene. This, along with its larger staff and older organization, makes it the best developed of all the provincial departments of health in Canada. Considerable help was given by Dr. Cunningham in providing the names of officials of other provinces The meeting concluded at 12:30 P.M, DHW:bl 2 December, 1959