Document xjXzwbgzGGyzqG49eDQRzma5y

THE ^ DOW CHEMICAL C- COMPANY BENNETT BUILDING 2030 DOW CENTER January 30, 1978 Scott Bowen Beveridge Firbanks Diamond One Farragut Square South Washington, D. C. 20006 RECEIVED FEB 0 11978 R. N. WHEfci-c.K, JR. Dear Scott: The attached January 12 letter was received in response to my inquiry of December 27 which is also enclosed for your convenience. Sincerely, T. R. Torkelson, Sc.D. Corporate Medical Dept. Enclosures mh cc: John Lawrence, SPI Joe Seawell, MCA Zeb Bell, PPG Walt Harris, UNIROYAL M. N. Johnson, MD., BFG C. D. Kary, SHELL Gary TerHaar, ETHYL Mayo Smith, AIR PRODUCTS R. N. Wheeler, UNION CARBIDE W. E. Nichols, ORGANIZATION RESOURCES COUNSELORS, INC. Clark Cooper, MD., EQUITABLE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH UCC 008581 STATE OF NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TOWER BUILDING EMPIRE STATE PLAZA ALBANY, N.Y. 12237 ROBERT P. WHALEN. M.O. COMMISSIONER OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND CHRONIC DISEASE RESEARCH January 12, 1977 NICHOLAS J. VIANNA, M.O. director T.R. Torkelson, Sc. D. Corporate Medical Dept. The Dow Chemical Company Bennett Building 2030 Dow Center Midland, Michigan 48640 RECEIVED FES 01 1978 N. WHEELER, JR. Dear Mr. Torkelson: Thank you for your letter of December 27, 1977 concerning our report on angiosarcoma of the liver (ONCI, Vol. 59, page 1383, 1977). Of course you are quite correct in stating that the vinyl industry is not 62 years old. This is a typographical error that should read 32. Ir. reference to the exposure history of the patient No. 1 (Table 1), this makes reference to arsenical pesticides which as you know have been in use for a much longer period of time. With regard to your second point concerning the 92, 800 ppm, we do not state that this concentration was found 1700 feet from the plant. In contrast, this was the concentration eminating from a small stack in the factory in question. Our source for this Information was the company itself. In 1976 emissions from that same stack were found to be 22, 600 ppm. Thank you for your interest in this article. I have taken the liberty of enclosing a reprint for your files. Sincerely, \ '\ NJVrpl Enel. Nicholas J. Vianna, M.D.,M.S.P.H. Di rector UCC 008582 THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY December 27, 1977 RECEIVED "FEBO 11978 g bl- WHEELER, jRi BENNETT BUILDING 2030 DOW CENTER MIOLAND, MICHIGAN 43640 Nicholas Vianna, M.D. Bureau of Occupational Health and Chronic Disease Research New York Department of Health Empire State Plaza, Tower Building Albany, NY 12237 Dear Dr. Vianna: I have read with interest your paper on Angiosarcoma of the Liver: An Epidemiologic Survey published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Nov. 1977 pages 1383-1385, Vol. 59. I certainly agree with your conclusion that at most a very tenuous relationship was established except for the Chemical Operators. Two questions have been raised that I wonder if you can answer. The column titled. Duration of Exposure Before Diagnosis must refer to something else. . It is impossible for anyone to have had 60 or 62 years of exposure since the vinyl industry is not that old. Could the numbers in this column really be years of residence in that location? If so, how long were the acutal ex posures? That is , how long were the plants in existence? Second, it appears unlikely that 92, 800 ppm would be measured in the air 1700 feet from the plant. This is well into the explosive range and would represent a tremendous quantity of vinyl chloride., I'd appreciate any information you can give on these questions. Sincerely, T. R. Torkelson, Sc.D. Corporate Medical Dept. mh UCC 008583 THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY January 5, 1978 MIDLAND. MICHIGAN 436*0 Received 0 1 JS78 * N* HHGtLat. jr. Duane Nuechterlein 2020 Building SPI VCM/PVC HEALTH SUBCOMMITTEE ACTIVITIES The Subcommittee has received and distributed the two reviews of the reports of birth effects alleged to be caused by vinyl chloride. Not only have these literature reviews helped stem a lot of questions about vinyl, but they have helped call attention to the poor quality of NIOSH epidemiology. The Subcommittee is reviewing its efforts to establish a vinyl chloride literature service and is working with Beveridge, Fairbanks Diamond on the EDF-EPA Proposed Standard for Vinyl Emission. T. R. Torkelson Corporate Medical Department mh cc: John Lawrence, SPI M. N. Johnson, BFG RI\ . Nli. Wii{(hCeCealOeLr,} UUCL * W. M. Smith,`AIR PRODUCTS G. TerHaar, ETHtfL UCC 008584