Document x18DdXRQrjQMD3Qoww7LLRpJy

\o RSV 0020038 3H finds more brain ancers among chemical rorkers in Texas plants Concern over brain cancer deaths nong chemical workers continued to ount last week with the discovery that 'e deaths among former employees at onsanto's Texas City, Tex., chemical termediates plant were attributable to ain tumors, and that two of the deaths >uld have been caused by the type of ;ncer known as glioblastoma multiform. The .Occupational Safety and Health dministration and the National Institute ' Occupational Safety and Health have len investigating brain-cancer deaths nee the discovery that nine employees of nion Carbide's Texas City plant died of ioblastoma between 1962 and 1978. One nployee with glioblastoma, is still living TtV. Feb. 28. p. 22). osha began investigating deaths at the fonsanto plant as the result of a "comliance complaint" received shortly after le discovery of the cancers at Union arbide. The cases at Monsanto were r -rd after an initial review of 1,200, health records of employees and employees at the plant. Spokesmen jr Monsanto say that only two of the eaths could be attributed to glioblastoma, nd that there is "no evidence" that the ther three were of that rare form of ancer. Initial indications were that the deaths t both plants could be linked to vinyl hloride monomer but Ben Bare, senior idustrial hygienist with osha's area fftce, says several chemicals are now cing studied and "the list is growing very day." Included: acrylonitrile, ethylne oxide, polyethylene and their intermeliates. Monsanto, which has not made CM at Texas City since 1968, says it is onducting a study of its employees `stretching back 30 years" and will start mother check in phases in cooperation vith osha and niosh. Vinyl chloride is a suspect as the cause >f the cancers because several studies have inked vcm to glioblastoma and other ypes of brain tumors and because many jf the workers with glioblastoma had been exposed to vcm. One study that made a :onnection between vcm and glioblastoma vas sponsored by the Manufacturing Chemists Assn, and published early last ve 'he study, conducted by Equitable En mental Health Inc. (Rockville, Md.>, examined the death certificates of ^,677 workers exposed to vcm at 34 plants. As well as reporting the incidence of angiosarcoma, the main type of cancer linked to vcm, the study showed an excess of brain tumor deaths -- 12 where statisti cally there should have been six. And now there is evidence that the incidence may be even higher than expected. Although 4 3 I death certificates from Union Carbide's Texas City plant were included in the MCA study, none were for victims of glioblastoma. According to Joseph Wagoner, director of osha's office of carcinogen identification, "There were no brain cancers among that group of workers" although he points out that the criteria for selecting workers may have inadvertently excluded those with glioblas toma. Carbide says it submitted data in answer to specific requests by the mca study group. And the extent of the Carbide workers' exposure to vcm is uncertain. According to Sanford Leffing- well, who heads the n i osh study team, five workers were clearly exposed, and for two others, evidence is "tenuous." Judge I ets EPA ban on2,4,5-T stand Dow Chcnnical and 10 co-plaintiffs lost the first rourt d in their attempt to roll back the Environ mental Protection Agency's Mar. I emergency suspension on use of the herbicides 2,-4,5-T (trichlorophenoxyacetic acid)and Sil vex. The 11 companies and trade associa tions, indud ng users and makers of the herbicides a rid agricultural and forestproducts gromaps, had sought a temporary injunction against epa's action in U.S. District Court in Flint, Mich. They asked that the move be found "arbitrary and capricious an done without observance of procedures required by law." Although U.S. District Court Judge James Harvey declined to rule on the case, he did grant a request for an expedited schedule to review the facts of the ban, which requires epa officials to appear in Flint. In response to epa's bid for addition al time to prepare its case, Judge Harvey ~riDISTRIBUTION SLIP Date --7 MONSANTO CHEMICAL INTERMEDIATES CO. St. Loui.s BrasfieTd, E. N. Daues, D. R. Draytryszvn, H. Olson, D- A. Potter, R. G. Reese, F. E. Thurrott * J.R. h. G4NF G4NE G4NH G4VIA __l4________ G4NA G4NA G4 NH G4NH / \s t/ / Corporate PR MulhalU W. R. A3NB G5NA artng are epa data d use of vomen in I an assogs in the suffered tar. 7, p. lk in the r to six irayed on review of searchers i ignored ages: and ipulations failed to lationship >us abor- ,of health otes that up, since essary to en would ncidencc, carriages, : addition. ;hout the : Oregon From: PTJBL.IC RELATIONS, MCI RSV 0020039 measured ions but. ew physiicarriages : referred re women Uar--rcti 14. 1979/Chemicat Week 19 March 6, 1979 To: G. D. Ingenthron -- A3NB J. T. Nolan -- D1A J. E. McKee -- A3NB D. R. Bishop -- A3NB W. J. McMS^rville -- A3N( EstelleyLetner -- 16^i Fred Mars! E./N. B V/, E. BiSifetfcer -- 1890 J. E. Clark -- 1890 G. E. Davenport -- 1200 M. Dmytryszyn N. G. Higgins R. L. Neunreiter W. B. Papageorge R. G. Potter G. Roush -- A3SA P. H. Smith -- E2ND J. H. Spraul -- A2SB J. R. Thurrott Judy Zack -- A2SD From: MCI Public Relations RSV 0020040 2nd plant reports Drain minor ueauu RSV 0020041 By DUX INHAK Fail `li aag front the company's St. Louis multiform? listed as mow of death on "At thfe efoge <# the game, we're con- bvadqUArient their death cTfiilK'aiec. Ami another two rtntrstfo* Oft Union Carbide, where we ! [ A U\lectl health Invertijrallw Into the brain rnwr deaths of 10 rtamlral woclrtri at Union Carbide's Ipjus City phot Dot lamed up live sddlUonal Lriala can cer death* at Motuaalo's nearby rhcralol tardily Oolh plants kt irtthtcttf lfcer*rtcerraustof agent vinyl chloride. The substance has been linked by tdcolUis to the brain tumor glioblastoma multirorme. "UVVe trying to cooperate and coonD- rate our* effort* fully wilb the govern- mat/' *& Monsanto tpoketautit Jefca "We're rourerned. <v others r<* Of tbc* groi.p wt-rr thniir.bt to have th.it about the lurklnirc ot (fair form of can same form of ear*rr. An itlb Union Car* cer. We want to sIivkk, hovrvrr, that the tftdo worker, aim living, abm has Utw gUoUasttmi* term b;uc noi b<vn tleifr* dia^wfxit as having Uc *lleb(m;tuina liaiot'd to these Utti five rsesrif.'1 luotor. The federal InveMillation afeutmed Monsnnlu U-j'io sifting brnlih rtvcttfe from a Union Carbide worker's com- and dc;th rcrUUcMv* ti some 1,300 plaint received Nov. fl by the Occupa workers after it learned of lhr Union tional Safety and JiealJh Ad/nlnbclrulfop. Carbide study. $pnno aald. US1JA offi* A scientific trim Including 0511A and dally upfrtonrhcd the plant Krb. H and National Institute tor Occupational Safe condoled chemical exposure cberk*. ty and Health upcctaUstt aoon found at ``It's lar loo e;trly to maW any Wnd of fesst 10 Union Carbide workera Dad died judgment,*' said Or. Joseph Wagner, W brain cancer between 1K2 end 1971. monitoring (he OSHA favetttyiUoa from SU of tbt 10 vfcibns hadglioblastoma Warbingloo, ff(*I we h;*vc .1 good xampltoir." ifeorge IVlllgrew. regional NZOfilt dirwsor, naW Uc monte of current and former (fefou CatHdr worker* -- romo 10.000 -- -arc bring rn'OQMiuctrd tor an rpttirmfofogfeal at^Iy. The tlnuMWuaimfflg study will include researching demographic (Dhato pat tern* and rrronla of plant* that produce vinyl chtorlife. Study result* are expect ed lobe tnontfee sway. Complicating the record-gatherlng precede, said Pettigrew, 1$ (be latency Please sre Aasifat-r/'p*f KU Good morning! It's Tuesday, March 6, 1979 ** *#*. ,S*4 V Another chemical plant l V finds brain tumor deaths i' CW-^r' Union CafWdo nfenl* jdwuuinie tth longer From pagol ) . . a* tL^\. r ........... *; .,,,, .,1.1,,-^ .ic-hf(aue1 vsNreetoifrhtMnjrfipl'o'tutgslaimi(uvrmfdiop/vw*imnltcpfiht|tntf.tye.rorthfeeierra,ol smaghepln.fcJolo<l^p^ 'ptot.ix.l .In--vfdveit)!' "H acyrniit iKImfi|i imn-niyvhher ' Crohmrki..-rniiiiTatgd vip(yv*iroe*-bWlfaMrihaiet, tzhat h`il'.cJrJvipf. 3D ywu* Or rd hftrr n/l rhltirMc Sure. (f*< cniwtr idtnw* lixrlf. Thsrg Citlyl<pltafiniUt.I the rompany has natitt,Mik Soniriplng like time bomb, and U make* ottr job n bit cnnfu dl/ficult.' Two of Mm* ilvr* Ivdn ean'M ttt*ntlu *t Stwantn bv> alret|y per* earmarked . by company rc-ar*rMrn (or derailed wrirki't's through irtaff mretlngf of tti/lr pntontfoi fu%9td. V Ares OS1M uhri'tor K. ffovfe t&y&b oald no Ldtallouft hare been ttjufd agaliMt Union Cnrbhfe or Sfonaarrro Ip gltobtusfrraa fexu, sahf Apaw. (he (last sfe. monttw for chom/ral expbC "Nothing ftn# been renllrmrd thus sure above legal levels. Uc," brtoUK . Ife said there are "foo many ceroptR Moonnnio purrba.WHl ibe pUnt in lie wld-4bt from the fedresi government. i rating l&ctoas at Nil* point" to make atOr, definitive connection between the cUiid*". Vinyl chloride motwmrr* were uoed fo --<ho Tevae City deaths. JU eruductfoa Irocn W fo Add. UnUke the