Document ymoMNJzNKypjj1EwRgKgg8K5E

The Chemical World This Week So far three mayor resin produc- ers--l)ow Chemical, Monsanto, and Cnioii CatIndc--have spelled out large and wide-ranging price in creases for rcsuis lollowing the CLC action. These boo.-l.- come alter a The growing suspii um that expo sure to vinyl chloride ha- led to the deaths of polyvinyl chloride workers from a mo.-t rare lorm of liver can cer has apparently been reinforced. A research study in which rats ex posed to high levels (apparently .`(0,(MM) p.p.m.) of vinyl chloride vapor also develop angiosarcoma of the liver wa- slated to he disclosed publicly in tlu* C.S. by Prof, Ce.-are another four liver disease eases at the plant under investigation, in volved person- who cleaned poly merization reactors alter this step in the suspension process lor RYO, BFG has used a less hazardous cleaning process for the past five years, however. Significantly, the latency period for most cancers to develop nearly year in which listed chemical prices have unwed up relatively modestly. According to Labor Department data, the price index for plastics resins and materials moved up 4.1% between December 1972 and December 197d. For chemicals and allied products (he gain was 4.977. Of course, the "gray market" price for resins and many other chemical product - ha- been spiraling upward Maltoni ol the University of Bo for some umut hs. logna, Italy, just alter press time. The study has hccu supported by a consortium ol European lirms. in cluding Imperial Chemical Indus Among the recent pine moves Monsanto has posted increases of ,"> cents a pound on bulk shipments of polystyrene le.-ins, and increases of tries ((.'& LON, Feb. 11, page 8). 4 cents a pound on bulk acryloni- What's ryoic, ttic view lhal the trilc-bulndiene-styrciie tABSi and deaths are*an i-olaled event limited to just one ol 15. F. ('loodrieh's L.S. plants and not proved to be occu* Rationally linked is fast disappear ing. hour angiosarcoma deaths now have been conlirmed at the 111`C plant instead of the tluee revealed styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) rc-in-. New price for general-purpose poly styrene is 19 cents a pound. Truck- load (piantil ics of AILS resin- now range from 92 to 17 rents a pound, and SAN in truckload bags is 27 cents a pound. Monsanto says earlier tt'&lON. .Ian. 28. page (>). that "these increases arc consistent Another diagnosed ease ol angiosarc'oma oceutred in an ICl employee Key: not explained by chance with the l ost ol Living Council ac tion of -Ian. dll' and relied in who worked in a l!.lx. vinyl chlo matches the great growth in the creased cost of raw materials, ener ride operation lor 20 years, sources C.S. PVC industry that has taken gy. and distribution, among other in the U.K. and U.S. say. place over the past two decades or factors. The clustering of the four BFG so. NIOSH estimates there are 5000 Dow. citing reasons much the eases "cannot be explained by workers at risk in l.S. PVC plants same as Monsanto's, has raised the chance alone," Ur. Marcus M. Key, and ldOO at vinyl chloride plants. price of iis general-purpose polysty director of the National Institute NIOSH will contract out an epi rene from 17 to 2(> cents a pound. for Occupational Saletv and demiology study that, will be inde ABS and SAN now go for 92 Health, told those at a Cleveland pendent of the study on workers al cents a pound, up from 29.7 and hrieiing on the cancer hazard ear ready under way at member firms 24 cents a pound. Price of higb- lier last week. of the Manufacturing Chemists As densitv injection- and blow-mold What action the L.S. takes, if sociation. MCA's results will not be ing polyethylene was increased any, beyond interim ptoccdures ready for "at least two to three from 1 f.7 (o IS.7 cent.- a pound. NIOSH ha- recommended hine.es months." a spokesman says. Ear Dow s low-density film-grade poly- upon the outcome ol a fact-finding lier, MCA halted circulation of its cthylone is now 17 cents a pound, hearing at the Labor Department 1972 safety data sheet on vinyl up from 19 cents. The company on Feb. la. l'rof. Maltoni, IJFG, chloride, which stated that human says that thc.-e new prices still tlu Dow Chemical, organized labor, carcinogenicity had not been ob not match those of the world mar and others were scheduled to testi served. ket luit should help it compete on fy. the world market, for petrochemical ' AFI.-CIO w as to present a uni Plastic pricesfied, organized labor position urg feedstocks. Carbide's new prices for lngh- ing the department to promulgate get big boostsm emergency temporary standard, density injection- and hlow-moiding polyethylene are the same as a procedure used earlier for 14 Dow s. but its low-dciK-ity film other carcinogens. Dr. V. K. Rowe, As U.S. chemical makers sort out grade is a bit higher at IS.7 cents a Dow's top toxicologist, was expect the fine points of the recent Cost of pound. SAN is now 28 cents a ed to oppose this procedure, asking Diving Council action relaxing ound, up from 22 cents, while Sinstead lor icgubir rule-oinkin'; for Phase IV price controls on petro igh-impact polystyrene increased a permanent standard. He suggests chemicals, plastics resins, and syn from lb.7 cents a pound <o 21.7 the deaths result Irom gross expo thetic fibers (C&EN, Feb. 4, page cents a pound. Carbide raised the sure 10 to HO years in the pa.-t. 41. price hikes are being announced tab on its polyvinyl chloride resin All foiii- Ul-'i ! rimt |x;m wit h resin makers leading the wav. I suspensions by 5 cents bringing the CUSAROSS 02702