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^l * Virgil Ckrlitln Rile Friday For Liver Cancer Victim Service will be at 1 p m Friday for a third vinyl chloride worker at the South Charleston Carbide plant who died of a rare liver cancer attributed to vrnyl chlor- The rite for Virgil Marvin Christian. 61. of 714 Chestnut St.. Spring Hill, will be held m Snodgrass Funeral Home in South Charleston by the Hev Norbert Fisher Burial will be in ulendale Cemetery w South Charleston. Mr Christian died Tuesday in the Na tional Institutes of Health at Bethesda. Md. He was being treated for angiosar coma. which is believed caused by inhala tion of vinvl chloride gas that is used to produce polyvinyl chloride plastics. He worited from 1943 to IMI in the vinyl chloride unit ot the Carbide plant, during a lime when emission levels of the gas were much higher than they are today Two other workers from the unit pre viously died of the same liver cancer - Charles T Smart in 1966 and Richard E Clendenin in 1974. Mr Christian learned last summer he had angiosarcoma, and retired from Car a bide Jan. I Last summer he laid in a Dai ly Mail interview that he felt "no grudge against the company " He laid that. 30 years ago workers ignored the smell o( vi nyl chloride, "although you didn't breathe it too long or you would get high He was a member of the machinists un ion at the plant / Surviving are his wife, Mvgaerite; son. Marvin; daughters, Wanda at heme, Mrs. Louise Racer and Mrs Selma Walker, both of Dunbar brothers Orin of St Al bans and I ion,ild of South Charleston, sis ters, Mrs, Klsu* Vance, Mrs. Mildred bit- Shaw, Mrs Erma Cross and Mrs Vera Daoust, all of South Charleston,Mrs. Opal Marsh of Miami. Fla., Mrs Aubrey Sut- UCC 102452 pfcis of Winfield and Mrs. Thelma Forth of Tin pH**nr* Rare Cancer Claims Ex-Carbide Worker By RICHARD HAAS Dully MtU Buhm Editor Virgil Marvin Christian. 61. the third former employe of Union Carbide's South Charleston plant to be afflicted with a rare form of liver cancer, died Tuesday in Be thesda. Md At the time of his death, he was a patient at the National Institutes of Health, where he was being treated for angiosarcoma Scientists believe there is a link between the liver disease and exposure to high con centrations of vinyl chloride gas. A 40-year veteran of Union Carbide. Christian worked in a section of the plant producing vinyl chloride between 1943 and 1966 At the time of Christian s employ ment in the unit, vinyl chloride emission levels were far higher than they have been since concern over the angiosarcoma link developed in 1974. Carbide officials said Early in that year B F Goodrich Co. re ported to federal health officials that sev eral employes at its Louisville. Ky . plant were afflicted with angiosarcoma. Follow ing this incident. Union Carbide reviewed its employe health records and found that one former worker -- Charles T Smart -- died of the disease in 1968. and a second victim -- Richard E. Clendenin - was se riously ill. Clendenin died in July. 1974. Carbide has not produced vinyl chloride at the Jouth Charleston plant for several years, but continues to use the gas to prod uce polyvinyl chloride plastic Part of the latter operation, however, is scheduled to be phased out by the end of the year. A plant spokesman said Carbide is in compliance with new federal emission standards which went into effect April l. c VIRGIL CHRISTIAN Worked With Vtoyl Chloride Christian, who resided at 714 Chestnut St., South Charleston, discovered he had angiosarcoma last June, following a rou tine blood test He officially retired from Carbide on Jan. 1 Interviewed by the Daily Mail last sum mer. Christian expressed confidence that the disease had been detected in time for effective treatment "Sometimes I've had my ups and downs." he said at the time. "A person al ways thinks, `It can't happen to me.' " ``I started at Carbide in 1935.1 have no grudge against the company. Thirty years ago, this (the gas) was no more than steam would be. That's all we thought about vinyl chloride, although you didn't breathe it too long or you would get high." During his stay at the National Insti tutes of Health, Carbide encouraged Chris tian's coworkers to call him on company telephones. "I shook everybody up when I got it (angiosarcoma)," Christian said said laat summer, but he added that he ap preciated the phone calls. m The "Maloney, Mooir" se- Y ties cesld rua as long as J "Upstairs, Downstairs.'' Surviving: wife, Mrs. Virgil (Peggy) Christian; son, Marvin of St. Albans; daughters, Miss Wanda Christian of South Charleston, Mrs Lotese Racer of Dunbar, Mrs Selma Walker of Dunbar; brotho-s, Orin of St. Albans. Donald (Sam) of South Charleston; sistgrs. Mrs. Elsie Vance of South Charleston, Mrs. Mildred Lotshaw and Mrs. Erma Fross of South Charleston, Mrs Thelma Forth of Hurricane. Mrs Vera Daoust of South Charleston, Mrs Au brey Sutphin of Winfield, Mrs. Opal Marsh of Miami, Fla Friends may call Thursday from 2 to 4 p in and 7 to 9 p m at Snodgrass Funeral "people an- more important than comput ers." He also said an NBC analysis showing strong labor support for Carter, although Udall had endorsement* from union lead ers, diowed that "what really cwnts is the vote of workers, not the endorsement of the leadership." Both Carter and Jackson said their vic V?) tories 'gayc them a psychological advan tage. Carter said the Wisconsin contest also was "a psychological disadvantage to Mr Udall" since be has not yet won a primary Jackson said. "The real significance of New York is that New York is the epitome of the political effort and . winning in New York carries with it a tremendous psychological impact ... This is what we planned. We can argue one or two dele gates. it doesn't matter. We were an tar get in this state." Pollster Loida Harris, in an interview on the ABC show, "Good Morning America' said the results burned that "Mo Udall ii still a bridesmaid." He also said the outcome might help Humphrey "By not getting into the fray, he seems to be doing magnificently " Har ris said "there were a lot of wrvivors and no winners" in Tuesday's elections "There is no front-runner in the Demo cratic party " * Too ( Man-On-Tht By ROBERT KELLY Of The Dally Mail Stott r, f 1; ' r Party lines define sentiment about yes- (, terday's State Supreme Court ruling which ( ,, denies a third consecutive term to Gov. y Moore. Hours after the announcement of the * - court decision, an informal survey con- Jr . ducted by the Daily Mail in downtown *>*" Charleston showed 75 per cent of those queried in agreement with the ruling. This group included It Democrats, one Repub- r - liean and one Independent. r General disagreement was expressed by ! low persons (two Republican, two Demo- [ crate) r Sixteen persona--the first 16 willing to ft voice their opinions--responded to "What * do feu think of the decision?" f "It's proper You've got to live by the iwtaa." said Lee Porter, 32, of 4115 Wash ington Ave . a construction worker and Democrat. "Mqore's got a Napoleonic complex. He thlnhi he's bigger than life itself. It's about time someone brought him down," Porter added With lew exceptions, respondents brushed aside legal arguments and direct ed their comments to Moore, rather than the court decision, and the result was i popularity contest. "It didn't matter to me I don't think he UCC 102453 DEMONSTRATING hit style, Eddie Keeling flings a tightly rolled Gazette while fitting as- Uiificiw tride Star, his pony (Gazette Photo by Lawrence Pierce) IJOtli faJ'A Mayor Bitlchiuoou commented that the hod part was that about 62 5 euttioa hi lo cal funds would stitt he necessary. Jerry Thompson, treasurer for the board, said the board wW have to decide whether to spend the expected M22.M0 reimbursement from EPA ew additional sewer lines or plant improvements bn 4K kt I An Qu per On 2-Mile Route Gazette Delivery Depends on Pony The Gazette is being delivered in Dun bar by a pony express of sorts The pony is a 16-year-old Shetland named Star. The rider is 12-year-old Eddie Keeling, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward L. Keeling of 222 Midway Dr. Eddie's route covers two miles. It would take him about three hours to travel that distance, he said, if he were walking. Dut be doesn't walk. At.6 a m. every morning, be delivers his papers astride oi' Star. It only takes roe an hour or an hour and a half that wav." he explained. Pay Raises Eddie lias a small route, only IS cus tomers. But before he became interested in being a Gazette carrier, there wasn't a route m his neighborhood at all. I-ast summer, he called the Gazette cir culation office and received the authoriza tion to start a route. He's been at it since then. A seventh grader at Dunbar Junior High, Eddie makes good grades even though he's up and working bright and ear ly each day. On the latest re|iort card, he got three A's and three B's. On weekdays, he rides bareback. Dot on Sundays, the heavier papers which be car ries in a bag around his neck, lend to throw him off balance. So he uses a saddle on Sundays "I'd like to build ap the route," be said, "and have even more customers." For County Workers Eyed Rare Chancer Kanawha County employes appear to tw in line for a 5 per cent pay raise in fiscal 1974-76. Court President Dewey E.S. Kuhns said Thursday that he and other county com-' missioners are obligated to give serious consideration to across the board p.w i.us es "1 don't see how we con avoid it," he said. * KUHNS POINTED out that the county court legally can't dictate raises to county employes. Instead, he said, the court only can uiciease allocations to other county officials who in turn decide on which em ployes receiv^and how much they receive. Commissioners will begin next month weeding through budget requests hum county officials. Kuhns said that as of Thursday, only a few requests have been filed. Generally, they are requesting 5 per cent increases, he said. "We can't penalize county employes be cause they woik in government," he said "They have to meet inflation just like evV'Cryoue else." a, Affects One At Carbide Carbide has reviewed the records of 725 employes ami former employes who have worked with vinyl chloride monomer and found only one employe who h.ul angiosar coma, a rare type of cancer tint affects the Wood vessels of the liver, the company said Thursday. This employe died in 1968 and had worked in |x>ly vinyl chloride production in South Charleston from 1941 to 1%2, the company told the National Institute of Oc cupational Safely ami Health in Washing ton. D.l'. Carbide made the study after B.F. Goodrich said a number of employes who worked in the polymerization of vinyl chloride had died of the disease. Carbide will continue to review Hie re cords of employes to sec if there are any other indications of a connection between exposure to vinyl chloride polymers at South Charleston and Texas City, Tex., plants the company said. Belle Bank's Assets Hiked The First National Bank of Belle increased its assets by 44 per cent in 1973 and operat ing earnings by 71 per cent after taxes, said President William It. Moore. Deposits during the year grew by 43 per cent while the bank's investment portfolio rose to (4 1 million, Moore ex plained Earnings per share rose to 69 *4 in 1973, np-from $5 M in 1972. 15* nr ' tu eoi ent eei r net rm tb( ( aou Civ ed T tha Stale's Aid Topic of M< By Edward P wtwWWwf Gnv. Moore and after public MUdafe < will hold an aft-day marling today with W mae federal regional directors ben an revenue At sharing in the new federal budget. mail Moure will be pined by M ether elected ing, officials, including mnynrs from the tary stale's largest cities and county court *r at members, to discuts federal money expeeled in July for >eh trsiuiug, housing and other state programs Federal regional directors represent the major U. S. departments and will talk about programs and money overaeered by these departments under what the Nixon drninistrutiofi calls "new federalism." H seeks to decentralize federal aid and put H at the disposal of state and local commuiiitics for them ta decide how best to use it. ** '"I tucc drop deve drop- Th win < fori This epmc west WEST VIRGINIA and the rest of the states will share $1.0 Widen earmarked In the 1975 national budget for job training nod economic development under the new Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CKTA), J. B. Archer, regional director of tlie II. S. Labor Department, ex- plained Thursday. This employment program replaces var- MO CET, more and n der i Arche ing to "St. Ions job and manpower programs funded by the federal government during the war against poverty in the 1960s "What we are trying to do is to be more effective and ef- ficicnt," Archer said. "We have no more categorical programs, but we *** crank mech tabled He t the oft ",jbe IJCC 102454 |r (it (Fleiue Turn to Page 2A, Col. t) ist Office Resumed jering -;jier jenpn da aid (he igs or- dered the Postal Service to follow its own rules in future actions. The Postal Service announced (hat its program of closings resumed Friday evening. but a spokesman said he knew of no immediate closing announcements. *' * POSTAL OFFICIALS had argued that not being allowed to close the offices will cost them 85.500 a day The ruling means that in order to close a post office the Postal Service will have to conduct a survey of mail users atfected and provide a 90-day notice of the closing. Two associations of postmasters and a group of congressmen had argued that the law prohibited the closing of small post offices. When a rural post office is closed, rural delivery routes are extended or a local cit izen is given a contract to operate a com munity post office Since last July l the Postal Service has closed 186 post offices for an annual saving of nearly $2 million Some 600 other offices are being studied Opponents of the closings had argued that the law prohibits the closing of un profitable offices merely for economic reasons "Congress wanted service in this area rather than efficiency,' said Isaac N Groner, a lawyer for the opponents But John K Villa, attorney for the Post al Service, said the agency uses other cri teria besides economccs in deciding whether to close small post offices For example, the Postal Service is more likely to dose a small post office if there is another office in the area, he said. NOT TOO THRILLED with the appearance of a presidential candidate is 10-month-old Renee Rosen of Miami Beach, Fla -- and Pennsylvania Gov. Milton Shapp finds he's not having too much luck with the voters either Shapp. campaigning for Tuesday's Florida primary, ran last in his previous primary fling. (AP Wirephoto) Vinyl Chloride-Birth Defects Area Subject of Health Probe By Jane E. Brody (r) Notr York Timri Srrvitt NEW YORK-The National Center for Disease Control is studying a second re gion of the courjjry where exposure to vi nyl chloride from a chemical plant may be related to a higher than expected rate of birth defects among children born m the area The region is Charleston, W, Va., where during the four years from 1970 through 1973, 53 children were bom with delects affecting the central nervous system Thirty-one such cases were expected for the regup during that time period, accord ing to the normal national incidence of these defects Just south of Charleston is the home, since 1938. of a Union Carbide plant where the gas vinyl chloride is converted into the plastics polymer, polyvinyl chloride Vinyl chloride was found two years ago to cause a fatal liver cancer among exposed work ers in the chemical plants. Since then, it has also been linked to an increased risk of cancers of the brain and lungs A YE\H AGO, Dr Peter F Infante. then with the Ohio Department of Health, uncovered an unusually high rate of birth defects generally, and central nervous system defects in particular, among chil dren born in three Ohio communities where polyvinyl chloride polymerization plants are located The finding suggested, but did not prove, a causal link between vi nyl chloride and the defects, since Urge amounts of the chemical can enter the air around plants. The Center for Disease Control in Atlan ta. a part of the United States Public Health Service did its own study in one of (Pleajt Tarn to Page tA, ^al. 1) UCC 102455 ; the petal lu Uid imOBli im nm,-,.. _ only slight. ami a "mere pittance. Hollins siikl * lamily'trf two with annual cause m sv ,, income of 8$.040~the minimum wage lending of money Senate RejectsGov. Moore recommended for state cm- - ploves--would save only 41 cents a week A family of two with an 18.000 income, he Malpracticesaid, would save 31 cents a week, or 35 cents a week if the income was 811.880 If I' the income was $15 000. he said the sav- Promised M.U. inns would be 88 rents a week, or 848.18 a - year. Del. Charles Polan. D-Cabell. alio op- - posed the bill, because he said, revenue collections this year would be about "dead .* even" with expenditures, and nest year. - the expenditures would be higher than the ! income. The problem, he said, in West Vir.* ginia. in addition to inflation, is "we're 1- trying to make up for 50 years of neglect." Polan cited bad roads that needed money. ; for repeirs. He said it would be a fraud on the taxpayer* to give relief this year, and ; have to raise taxes next year - Voting against the bill were: Allen. P- Wyoming: Arnold D-Lewit: Balioez. f> / Wettel: Brenda. D-Hancock: Brown. D ! Preston. Bryan. D-Barbour: Berke. Chaf* in. D-Mingo: Christian, D4iercer; Crab- tree. D-Wayne. Dalian, D-Uncotn: Din*- more. D-Monongalia: Fitzgerald. DJackson. Hagedom. D-Monongalia. Johnson. D-Kanawha: Long. D-Brsxton; Mathis. D-Logan, Miller, D-Roane; Miliesen. Amendments The State Senate voted down a mass of amendments to a medical malpractice bill Friday night and prepared to pest it today Senators rejected major amendments that would have cut premiums in half and held lawyers' fees to one third of the net claims awarded. The main thrust of the bill, as it will come up for a vote today, puts West Vir ginia in the business of providing the in- Tbe legislation would establish a ninemember medical malpractice insurance corporation All doctors and hospitals in the state would be required to participate in an insurance plan prepared by the cor poration. Doctors would be divided into three classes for premium purposes. Those who perform no surgery would pty an annual premium of 81.200 a year. Doctors en gaged in minor surgery would pay 82.400 Surgery specialists wouM pay 88.080. Med School HUNTINGTON ~ Marshall llniversit will be getting 815 million from the Veto ans Administration to develop a medic school. The funds will be paid over a *even-ye period, beginning July 1. That Init amount is expected to be 82.8 million n will be used to begin employing the facj and installing equipment. The funding came about because 1 shall received a reasonable asmrare accreditation by a joint committee o American Medical Assn, and the As> tion of American Medical Colieges the initial money the school hopes b provisional accreditation that will< the school to accept students for t term of 1877 The Marshall Medical School wii filiated with the Huntington V.A. H The Charleston Gaset From Pnf t On* Area Hospitals would participate at the rate of 8180 a bed. Other health care profes sionals could participate on a voluntary basis. Maras a* Means turn MMMr sr Mt a CAartmian, w. v*. waMriasactW Merer ....... ItMMWim insssasasni Osnuserwic awnpsasr *t mWe|mM(nimt.tsr.sOurte*tnsaesWsStMeeatkWr mo. vtusem. rMmScIv tear Me Crum a the three suspected Ohio communities and . found no evidence to support the link. However. Infante, a specialist in epide miology, said there were several metho. dological errors in the center's study that ; could account for its negative findings. Larry D Edmonds, the center epidemioiogist who did the study, said in an interview * that his findings did not rule out the possi- bilitv that exposure to vinyl chloride in the general environment might cause birth defects The question has not been resolvedthat s why we're doing this second study in Charleston." Edmonds said. * Senate Roy Rogerson, said the main reason for any failure of the EEE has been the fail ure of the legislature to appropriate ade quate funds. Activity in the Senate Friday ranged from the big electric power bill to bow and arrow legislation. A bill passed 31-2 and sent to the House would require delivery of any deer killed by a bow and arrow to a conservation offi cer for checking purposes. 4l MODERN HUNTERS have been known to kill a deer with a gun, then insert an ar Or* Vsar (R Wsditl------ ...... K Itf NWtVtl (NWSUtll............... Taras MtnfAl (13 WMUI.......... mu............................ .. tmr *Ma*.................................... Out VMM..................................... OvttyOnlr On* V*ar (I) WMlI................ *MA Manmr IM WmMI............ Tara* anmat (l) wmMI........ IwlMit..................................... OmIMi . ** Bam Br Mai FhM laast 11 ti CaSn MolMMiq ISi t.h..ar.ym...i..IM31;1 >0 tan *n*W. Ill J, Mr MTV 451 Dh*t A SMfk 4 mtfttht.. 3 mtfrtht. 1 mtrtttt Dhy Of IN THE CHARLESTON study. Ed monds and his colleagues will try to inter view the parents of all the children born with central nervous system defects to learn where they worked and bow far they lived from the vinyl chloride plant, partic ularly during early pregnancy. Infante, who now works for the National Institute (or Occupational Safety and Health, said. "We are extremely con cerned about the public health consequ ences of vinyl chloride." In addition to birth defects among the general population living near vinyl chlor row in its carcass Other bills passed and sent to the House would create a state fire commission and the office of emergency medical services Both new units of government would be coordinating agencies in keeping with their titles. Action was delayed on a bill that, tenta tively. would provide for distribution of about 82.3 million in coal severance tax coiledions to the state's 224 municipali ties. ft's understood that a move will be made today to divide this money among ci ties and counties. 4 monhu. 1* lf 4 ffWflllit . 3 ffMftlht.... Pm** Aar tw CaUat Oa#y * I roar............-- t mania*..________ ___ 1 mssta*.............._....... I mania..................... . Oa I aar....... ...... _....... t maMkt................ Smsatai.... If a mania*.. ) mania*................... Xarau* mall *a ide plants, Infante has studied the results of pregnancies among the wives of vinyl chloride workers. In a report to be pub lished in the British journal. The Lancet, Infante states that he found a two-to three' ,h nrrease in the rate of stillbirths and ",w the wives of vinyl '* *n 3 Alberlo**ie Speakt West Virginia Department of Com merce Commissioner Ralph D. Albertazrie will speak at an informal luncheon pro gram beginning 12:30 p.m. March 11 at a meeting of the Pairs and Spares Retired "cole's Club in the Baptist Temple, Mor- I* Mania*)............. AN mas wS*crt*fl, tMm*ttatnmNmwnumu*ua*t*i HamaMivarr*v aavAW* t* earrtsrt Iractart lar Otsn* Aaaanea twater mania*) a* awMiar *M maa* tm-sti *w raw tarnar Cmusw* M**n Cinculaiw Dm* A* Othar 0*O*r -RXWVSW CTHipgr January ^,'1Wo AT SOUTH CMAMESTON Ditp rtion Retins Shutting Down People You Know Carbide announced this week thot we arc Cutting dawn our vinyl dispersion rin> unit ot the South Charleston plant by the and of tho year. Tha facility is locolad In Building 190 on the illond. About 60 employees or* involved ond thay will be reotsigned to othar opera tion! whan tha Ihut-down is completed. The deeiilon to discontinue vinyl ditpanion raein production It based solely on on analysis of our commercial petition which indicates thot to remain in this business is not justifiable. The unit has a capacity of 40 million poynds a year which It feet than 10 per cent of the domestic industry capacity. Instead, Carbide has decided to con centrate its support efforts on solution ond suspension vinyl resins in which we have a strong market position. Additional copitol will be expended for these opera tions. Carbide is an industry leader in solution vinyl resins which ore produced by a unique solvent polymer!ration pro cess at both South Charleston and Texas City. These are widely used for solution coatings in cans, house siding, paper, cloth, and high performance maintenance points. We also produce a broad line of sus pension vinyl resins in o modem produc tion unit at Texas City. These are used In such applications os piping, floor fite, and extruded callular moldings. Carbide pioneered ond built the first commercial unit for the production of vinyl resin* at South Charleston in 1930. Ladies' Fitness Class Has Room For V^ou Ladies,.,. * it won't be tong before -%r MORE PRODUCTIVE TIMES........ This night shot, with lights reflecting Id the Kanawha River, shows our Vinyl Disper sion Resin Unit (Bldg. 190) on Blaine Island of the South Charleston Plant. Carbide announced we wilt be phasing out our Dispersion Resins business by the end of the year. Hem SMft Ssfffvttsrt Our Distribution Fleet Operations Group has announced the promotion of three employees to Shift Supervisors at their new Private Trucking Operations located West of the Institute Plant. The American Cancer Society offering another of their "STOP SMOKING* Clinics at Spring Hill Junior High beginning at 7 pm on January 15th. If yOu are interested contact the Society at 343-3409.....R and D's HUGH DAVIS wilt be leoching a course on "Energy Resource Planning and Management Problems" ot the Graduate School here this Semester.... .it will meet on Tuesdays from 7-10 pm. .. ..Employ ment's WILMA RUDOLPH leaving Carbide to take o job with the United Slates Olympic Committee. She will be helping promote the 1976 Olympics.........Distri bution's RON TEUFEL transferring to our Dallas Field Office as Customer Service Manager.........Oldest retiree pastes away.. .TOM GOODRICH, aged 90, died in St. Petersburg, Florida, on November 26th. An Architectural Engineer, he joined the Peoples Light Got and Coke Company in 1911. Officials of this Company were the prime organizers of Union Carbide. At the time of his retirement In 1952, he was Manager of Real Eilote for Chemicals. His son, DONALD GOODRICH, is a Product Distribution Coordinator with our Distribution Deportment here................. Engineering's BOB PROFFITT off to Sarnia as Assistant Construction Manager for' the Polyethylene Project there........ WEST VIRGINIA dropping out of the Top Ten. Recent figures released by the Treasury Department showed thot The Mountain State wasn't even ranked in the "Moonshine Stills Raided" Category during the past year. What is going to happen to our image in New York?........Our Home on< ond Auto Products Division announcing thot Corbide is phasing out Synthetic Motorcycle Oil products........ Talk about inflotion! In Canada, estimated cost of the PETROSAR Petrochemical complex hos risen $128 mlilton since lost May. The total Is now $570 million. Work is on schedule ond the olefins units ore due onstream by March, 1977. Partners in the project include UNION CARBIDE CANADA, DUPONT of CANADA ond POLYSAR........ Excitement in the New York OFftce. Our big City correspondents report that o streaker hit the 42nd F loor this week..... R and D's PAULA GUERRANT taking o Leave of Absence to work on a Secretarial Science degree ot West Virginia Tech.........Wont to find out what's going on in the Legislature when it convenes next week? Call 348-8905. For those out of the Charleston area a toll free number.. .1 -800642-8650., .has been set up..... SALLY GOEDECK E of our C and P Communica tions Department one of several women honored by the New York YWCA in their "Salute to Women Business Luncheon" recently........ L. F. COOPER ond E. E. GRINSTED of Tech Center Services off to Seadrift for 12-24 month as signments as inspectors on the exponsion projects there........ MVkWM'.V','. Bill Sfarr Promoted Bill Starr hos been promoted to En gineering Assistant with the NERP Group (Northoost Regional Project Group). He reports to Paul Bama in this assignment. Si II in**..*.-/ ----- Computer M vet ( Continued from Page I ) After these moves ore completed, the Computer Center's Aids Support Group will move down to Institute from Building UCC 102457 THE CLIPPING FROM: THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE -h PATE PAGE VV ^ XlbifrtjA Vvl^ltShSidown; ' MalMMi 4a be aCMrtod1 : m cmrnwm'cmt+m tm p omt Mi ^MnMMpssiMsn realn MM by, MM 1 bsniMTafclMtositefttoightbeaffacttMj The estitblMr mi haaal;an the dtonbsr swten sMb-sesre examined iMt year Me plant fMwttoaarosma, rare raarM efMetimr. Dactors attribato this disease to vtaqfl febtorid*. a raw material used in Ike vtSgl dispenses red* anil >1 IV compa^ said, however, stsdlbi Mowed thit riKnued operation of Me nit oonW m laager be Justified from a basinem eUwdnalnl. *- Employe* atmrted by tbe shutdown wtlt be given aMer )db assignments, a spoMae- man said. y \ rw' ' Ije-M**!* UCC 102458 THE CUPPING PROM: THE OHARlimOW OAEETTE T> PATE Ml.r-U PAGE jyi -la* -gng vgiu:uiSrtP.w w 12A tottemm Ptf arg !*. AJ Doom For Carbide's Polyvinyl Unit By BMEtT KELLY Of Tft Dally Mitt Steff Federal environmental mpololioni ippmentiy aeaied Be ftte af a A-year-eid potyvwyl chloride (PVC) pro duction unit at Uniot Carbide'! Sauft Cfeartaeton plant. Company officials announced this wek that Be vuwl dispersions rente mte wfll be efcmd bp Dec. . If*, became H could no Icoper be justified ecommicany. About CO employes will be affected. They wHl be transferred te after parts af the plant. a ppokesmaa said. Two other PVf protection prucenes wiBaot be affected. PVC. toed for a varie ty of products from ptonopraph records ft flair tile, is male inn vftyl Blende, which doctors say may cause aafiosar- Ore fena te Wvw, aseaftaana*vinylchlorite wertoipat MAWfOVit IS ! SSWn SET and dtafturPVCaha* printed feddhd ft bapeee owlsefta regutetibns m PVC production y. ft teriy as UM May. piste offictefc ot Smft Clnrtestea laid fte Moral raptettene aMfft epeft doom lorfte daperstows mate an*, which bftm operation in M ^a a opeoch dothrwwd r^eatodly tocen- oeiaed Union Carbidecustomers followaf eotaMMwnont of fte anfwwrcoma-vinyl chloride lb*. Nick Winder, a company of ficial said "The (dapwtwn rente) pm bao major rapriatocy problems." at mast be cleaned df fte foamy of fte tales, taoteate monomer is i ifraUftRiculty lafte iW teat year eft aftaccmtem. R it IS VMSI HWRl|iWVVf1Wa Ha. la fte sahteinre wbfebla liimfM to in B PVC puiftiftai - only efriqrlriftrite samite la dCiay * Nai_r--C---sa-S--v^Ba*p* i-V--vi^Mo-H-- OR > mhetiataai H|ldfr hi pmateftf patyar- ! ale standard lor dapcrtem nates," Vbet- w I* told customers. " "friar la ftia cbaace. i wauM forocset - toaftlth ihmppmrami af fta iadaatry. ki Maw. there io a pate pomfcMft ftte ftte w laaft win sarvlre EPA," fthaater mid. fftMrtpbmlfimhtt) torfasft CftriuteB 4 i corse bit. I UCC 102459 Tivmhv. -Mm *. im The Chffenw* Ctettcy MU-u, IlfcCfrtMe Sooth <$Mjbrf*u plant wit) rfdt^M vinyl di^MPsiifain wit by i dasapn^ ^okesman itt wtfl be phased apt. It vinyl rMor- Me, m agent Ml Mfekra an cmms en- gioooroomp, aontovmltkM the liver. Bat thnijp*Mppidh)4 ttwalecliion to close thegberihiep|i booed on 1 study thet indlcutd M ^dftaUwi omM nhlonger be justUMd ((Ml >usinew standpoint Smum nemos, bewevir, indical- ed that the aumbei was mart flam M on the baits of vinyl chlerMe Mken exam' ined last year at the plant for angiosar coma. 'The loath Cherteston vinyl dispersion resia facilities have an annul production capacity of 40 million pounds, less than 10 per cent of the total industry capacity in thdrp--ihry. the-ipcfcesuMo explained. T'naMcp me primarily wed for plasti- sop ainnlllnanics ian coattiinnggss,, adhesives, plaoOrr Mohs and sseuarfliinngg ccoonmpounds for food containers. Carbide will continue the solvent vinyl, suspension and nonsoltwnuesin business es, theepekesmew trfl. Jtft company is investiagoubsUediaihsamanfa of capital in UCC 102460 "AW n> THE CLIPPING FROM: THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE -*V fmi r V, (tan to rap U, Cdl.1) - /* ' T,j___ _l.__________ my. Chloride Victim DATE PAGE \ AwaitsMiracI Virfil Christian ii waiting for something this holidda^y _a_e.aL soa that be hoped would come during Thanksgiving--a miracle. ^ Christian, who worked for 32 years in the vinyl chloride unit at the Union Ca*v bid* Corp. plant here, has angiosarcoma,'* a deadly cancer that attacks the liver and blood vessels. Two (eliow workers already have died of the disease, but Christian is still alive and trawls every three weeks to the National inhfcnt af Health at Bcthesda. Mdl, for cEemotherapy. The first news we want it that he's' healed," said his wife. Marguerite. ~ Pantasote apwaUap, said final effdsdtoa tram tbe emfctt tf rfiyl efioride in the standards have wot yet been sent out. But air during the lglfc and HMs whw tout be said a rough draft indicates that the, falM sweet edor of die chemical cohered permissible level of vinyl chloride in the the valley. ItVaa ate wcomteon that X.M9 ir or water would be 10 parte per milliou ppm were sptfffeto the air ia those - (ppm). days. Raemlouch said his operation was cloae * v to that level bow but admitted that once VIRGIL CHUniAN was there la 1M2 the new EPA standards become effective when Union Carbide craafce! ep lie vinyl in the firing. "It's going to cost us mon chloride duperston wit ate stayed there ey" ntil late year. Arthur RytMm, plant manager at Bw It waon't Wtil Jwie of this year that ha Union Cartnde South Charleston plant, fend out for sure &at ho hod aagkwar- aid be was still in the dark as to what (be cenw. But he harbors no U1 Ming toward firm would have to do to meet the new the company ate remote* phiioeophical The proposed lbppm level is a far cry (Ten to Pip IA, Ote >1 SHE tAIfi there U reason to believe M their ndrades. The plant doctor detected caaoer early and tests have bean encour- aging. / But with the optimism there is fear,- comingling in an ambivalent nightmare, especially during the holidays. Last week, the Environmental Prated? lion Agency proposed new regulation* aimed at reducing 90 per cent of the viqyt *chknide in the air near dozens ef industri al plants io the nation - - EPA Administrator Russell Train sail clear medical evidence shows the chemi] cal ns a cause of angiosarcoma and relat ed diseases. The new regulations will p; feet 01 pleats including Union CarbideV South Charleston plant and the Pantaacw Company's Point Pleasant operation % 'TV EPA said an estimated tin million in new pollution-control equipment will be needed when the rules take effect io tip *pnng THE IMMEDIATE effect on Union Car bide and Pantasote in West Virginia re* mains unciear, according to both plate managers ^ Heary Rwmpiouch, manager of the Closing Warnings Have Not Come True U) 1 la- ,*((/ I .-------J 1 NEW YORK--Late hi 1174, a trade mio- Bw strict Occvptlonal I elation representing nearly nil of the AdmWatratton (CPU) <tamdarl At chemical manteacterers using vinyl chlor pnev w pBijvppi marm mi mm hm - mM - - ------a------* -n-fc - igt a__ Z--;------- ide gas, a proven canie of cancer, teng about 10 per cute below H74hMw and marched into federal court in an attempt wpllae ere pjwmtMteL Sun] to overturn terict Labor Department Ate, although one matt pate is elmteg health standards about to go into effect. ( Ms deon, four new owe art being befit. ' ."The standard," the companies said la The succeea of the rampaatos in meeting1 than court paper*, "is simply beyond the pvermnent atetearda feeawirte otey a compliance capteilities of the industry." 1 Wert lime earlier as unworkable bas ted They offered dire warnings of plant ckn- to renewed qaesttaatog, porticteariy taj inp, job ioeaes, price increases and mas pverament circles, of Musty's cndibil- i sive economic dislocation Ry. i Afteretl, polyvinyl chloride, vinyl chlor "It's bard to say whether they aruJ ide's principal derivative, is a f1 billion Industry tenting out goods ranging from plastic water pipes to bologna packages. The legal appeals proved futile; indus try was forced to comply But. one year later, not one of the doomsday predictions has comeJrae. AD the.producers are operating within crying wolf," soys R M Kooooff, a frtoo-1 Ues constetate The arid late w that hi hart period of time, they hue* proven that they can kick the problem " Industry esectehw new sqr they ofi-' poeed the hetefii standards because they, weren't cerKto they coted aaete ( (Tunne ftp IA, Gte. 1). UCC 102461 Have Not Come True . r- *. From Poge One l rWe were frankly surprised by some of results" of the cleanup effort, said Jtfi. Wheeler. Jr., a vinyl technical super Jntendent of Union Carbide Corp Vinyl chloride first became an issue in January, 1974. when the B.F. Goodrich Chemical Co., a subsidiary of the big tire maker and the largest of the polyvinyl chloride producers, announced it had dis covered that the ISM death of dnmtgikwee owed to angiosarcoma, a very rate cencer of the liver. Similar discoveries followed.'with-17 deaths in all in the industry, and health en-^ foreement eCRbUlt moved m OSHA initially settled on a vinyl chlor ide concentration limit of SO parts per mil lion in plant atmocphercs. which the indus try considered fair. In April, after laboratory tests, OSHA moved to a standard of "no detectable1' concentration at measured in the air. The chemical companies argued that the "no detectable" standard would close the industry and bring on national economic disaster. They even offered a study warn ing that a shutdown would put 2.2 million people out of work and cost the economy 165 billiea to gN billion. By October, they had convinced OSHAto change to a 1 part per million average, with brief exposures to higher levels per mitted. Emissions could go to 25 parts per mil lion ir workers wore respirators, but the * respirator requeement was delayed by one year, to Annl 1,1976. OSHA officials now say the effects of those changes were minimal and claims by the industry that they made all the dif ference were "a little face-saving seman tics." But by spring. 1974, most companies had realized the final standard would be tough . and that the time had cofee to try to comply. Goodrich developed a new process to re duce the necessity of cleaning reactors-- thought to have been a major exposure point It then moved ahead and developed a . new "stripping" process that reduces the , residual vinyl chloride left in the resin to j the "no detectable" level. , This makes it annecestary for the fabri cators to regulate emission levels bn their fern plants ' * Curbing the emissions, Goodrich says, was the largest research and development program in its history. It involved IX scientists and engineers 425.000 man-hours of work and 04 million in capital costs. The Spcigty.of the Plastics laduatry costs could run up to 6M0 million. . Industry spokesmen say the refutations lower productivity, and will add 10 to 15 per cent to PVC manufacturing costs. Goodrich, however, notes it can lease its new cleanup technology to others, and that the new equipment cuts labor edits. , And the tat increase complaints sreii't so imprbMvrffebeh obmpared lb the natu ral price awiaga. ** f Right mw pyC, takers believe their biggest problem may be public relations. The Federal Drug Administration is pre paring to'ban some types of PVC food packaging`diUhe ground that residual vi nyl chloride enters the food. * THE CLIPPING FROM: THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE PATE ________ PAGE e<ry*.-r From Pnpt (fnr w U tk Ct `pit taf T He WwtfocUnt to talk ifeUttV :-**? V for be_c_a_u_se__haip{g. hairr II and prspfefeg to retire "Butljhwnm first retirement chock,'Hfetai. V. .Atau, the medics! tafltai are pattfctafh wnfnnui'i Compenantien, rampuny inurnace and variona programe. Mrs. Ji am Christian said the tirfe fefen rahnhuraas her whenever she has out-ef-pochet anpeasea related to treatment of her hwltaud. Jim Copenhaver, buainekt representa tive far Local 596 of the hNaraational As- Sgiation of Machinists and Aerospace there, said Christian's attitude is not to be b Nobody ever worried about vinyl chlor- ta tbaefore," he said. "They thoaght you tald take a bath in K and it wouldn't hurt. Seart eral ho moving And they assumed that the company shouldn't be any smarter In this regard, that the company couldn't have known." boar. Ir hebospa during^ COPENHAVER MID periodic meet ings ore held and safeguards hm bnan es tablished, and ail employes were tavotved in a screening program to determine. whether they had cancer. With a few exceptions, the plaat record in roomts months has been good, Ccncn- hover said Followmg the screwing process and ex tensive testing during July by Dr. Irviwi Seiikuff oT the Mount Stani Sehpui af Medi ci**. Capenhaver encowngsd awptayaa to inform both the company and the when of any drtection of cancnr. `< "But foliowing the teats wig Stafe people, we beard it." he said, suggesting I ported cases might ba the i - Two arc dead, be uotad, Ml and the other i Hut. leaves only Virgil < StUI fighting for hil life In 1 Bethesda anil banking on e fel .'<r i ' ir ^ . 'I-* c tl UCC 102462 -\ J i i &0 $2 7 4 ID * 7 / if -J j 3 a) On Vinyl Chloride Carbide Uncertain Of Ruling Impact CnMt South Charleston plant manager Arthur Ryrholm said Wednesday he couldn't comment g>ecifically on how a new vinyl chloride regulation might affect the plant, but added that the cost of meet ing safety regulations "are not generally a major factor to staying in business." The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued new regulations Tuesday designed to nearly eliminate vinyl chlor ide from the air at dozens of chemical plants around the country. Vinyl chloride is a raw material used at the South Charleston plant in the produc tion of plastics. A WORLDWIDE ALARM developed over vinyl chloride in 1974 as the result of research that indicated workers exposed to the gas for long periods may develop a rare liver cancer called angiosarcoma. Two vinyl chloride workers at the South Charleston plant have died of the disease. An EPA report issued in 1974 listed a vi nyl chloride emissions rate of between 17 and 115 pounds per hour at the South Char leston plant, except during disc failure Arthur Ryrholm `Not Endangered' when emissions were 24,000 pounds per hour for five minutes. The EPA calculated The 1974 EPA report said some workers that 4.8 million pounds were released at who were found to have angiosarcoma had the Sooth Charleston plant in 1974. worked in areas where vinyl chloride con Ryrholm pointed out the plant has made centrations were generally less than 12 considerable progress in reducing worker parts per million. exposure to vinyl chloride, and that pro EPA reported that two people living cess improvements have reduced emis near a Connecticut polyvinyl chloride fa sions over-all. He described this as a mul- brication plant contracted the disease. timiltion dollar effort. ** During the past year, Ryrholm pointed EPA CONCLUDED THAT "it would be out. Carbide made 200 tests for vinyl wrong to consider vinyl chloride as an is- chloride at the plant fence, and that in 90 loated situation, but rather it should be per cent of the tests, none could be found. viewed as an example of just one of many In the other 10 per cent of the tests, con potential chemical carcinogens which centrations were less than one-half part may be present but as yet unidentified as per million. carcinogens " "In my opinion," added Ryrholm. The regulations announced Tuesday by "these results say Kanawha Valley citi EPA would require the plastics industry to zens are not endangered by vinyl chloride install $198 million in new equipment to re emissions.'' duce the chemical by 90 per cent of cur rently estimated emissions EPA administrator Russell Train said Baptist Temple Choirs four plants, one owned by Occidental Pe troleum Co and three owned by the Janet To Present Program Corp . have indicated they will close as a result of EPA's plans. However, Ryrholm said Union Carbide The Baptist Temple choirs, directed by M Wayne Eich, will present a "Feast of Carols and Lessons" at 5:30 p.m. Sunday in the church sanctuary. A brass quartet, two pianists and a per cussion ensemble will accompany choirs ranging in i.ge from the 5-year-old begin ners to adult chancel singers. The evening will conclude with congregational candle lighting in a "Festival of Lights " headquarters in New York stated Wednes day that closing the Janet plants is "in no way being considered.'' Janet is a wholly owned subsidiary of Carbide. Ed Light of West Virginia-Citizen Action Group said Wednesday he believes vinyl chloride "is only the tip of the iceberg as far as dangerous chemicals going into the air are concerned '' Light said he is work ing on a report on this matter to be re leased in January, "O Q-vV N\(^v\ "is . - e ne exception prosecutor Maiy tine. No Reaction From Carbide Officials . to On New Vinyl Chloride Regulations Local Union Carbide officials had no rm- agency said PIN million in new pottotioa mediate reaction today to new Environ control equipmwit would be needed mental Protection Administration (EPA) In his statement, Itordtog toted ptwite standards requiring chemical plants to re owned by Occidental Petroleum and a duce vinyl chloride emissions by 90 per Carbide subsidiary, Jaiet Cbrp , m facili cent. ties which would be closed by toe new reg The regulations issued Tuesday take ef ulations. The Janet plants, to said, are lo fect this month. cated in Torrance, Calif., Tucker, Ga,, md At one time Carbide's South Charleston Somerset, NJ. plant, which used vinyl chloride gas prod uced in Texas to make polyvinyl chloride According to tie Associated Press, no (PVCi plastic, was one of the largest vinyl Carbide plants are scheduled to close. chloride plants in the country. Last year, hrwever. the company discontinued its Dynel fiber line, a major PVC user, and use of vinyl chloride at the plant has been reduced. The only other plant in West Virginia to be affected by the new standards is the Panasote Co. facility in Point Pleasant. bourn Charleston manager Arthur Ryr- Ed Light, president of the Citizens Ac tion Group, said today his organization is preparing a study to be released in Janu ary that will toiow vinyl chloride emissions pose a local health problem. CAG also be lieve that vinyl chloride is only the first of many chemical substances that eventually will be linked to cancer. holm said local Carbide officials had not yet seen the new regulations and could not comment upon their impact until the EPA statement was reviewed. He did say. however, that during the past yr Carbide has made 200 tests for vinyl chloride at the plant fence. In 90 per cent of the tests, no vinyl chloride could be detected and in the other 10 per cent the concentrations were less than the one-half part per million considered safe by the Oc cupational Safety and Health Arknimstra- tion. Rvrholm also said safety considerations are rarely a factor in Carbide's closing of a particular production unit. in a statement issued after the EPA's announcement, the president of the Socie ty of the Plastics Industry agreed that "rigorous emissions controls are in the public interest." Ralph L. Harding Jr. dis puted. however, the EPA's assertion that vinyl chloride emissions pose a health problem to those living near chemical plants. Vinyl chloride's link to cancer has been a subject of controversy during the past few years Researchers have found that workers exposed to the chemical over a long pe-wd of time have an unusually high incident of liver cancer. At least three for mer South Charleston plant employes are known to have contracted the disease EPA Administrator said some of the 58 plants affected by the regulations may close rather than attempt compliance. His UCC 102464