Document zb3rnYNOnEbQxpO9R4mjm9Yem

minutes PIPE RESOURCE ORGANIZATION Four Seasons Resort and Club 4140 North McArthur Boulevard Irving, Texas 75308 Conference Room 10 Attendees: Michael Barish, Borden Chemicals & Plastics George Dillon, Dow Chemical Donald Goodman, Occidental Chemical Roy T. Gottesman, The Vinyl Institute Walt Hermes, Borden Chemical & Plastics Nora C. Jacobs, Edward Howard & Co. Bob Kelly, CertainTeed Corporation Peter Lloyd, BFDGoodrich Co. Karen McDonie, Rohm and Haas Company Jim Rash, PW Resin Cal Rehfuss, Georgia Gulf Corp. A1 Reventas, Shintech Inc. Fred Sacks, Occidental Chemical Gonzalo A. Sandino, Petroquimica Colombiana, S.A. Mike Stickel, PW Resin Greg Torchiana, Rohm and Haas Company Robert Walker, Uni-Bell PVC Pipe Association Thursday May 30, 1991 1:00 p.m. I. SELF--INTRODUCTIONS/APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING Chairman Michael Barish opened the meeting at 1:00 p.m. and a round of self introductions followed. The minutes of the March 27, 1991 meeting were approved as received. II. REVIEW OF PRO ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS -- FISCAL YEAR '90-'91 For the benefit of those persons attending this meeting who do not routinely attend PRO meetings, Chairman Michael Barish reviewed the mission of this pro-active group which is to promote the use of vinyl in PVC piping applications focusing on the expansion of the pipe market. He then highlighted the major activities undertaken by the group during the past year. CTL027158 2- III. AGENCY REPORT ON STATP8 OF MARKETING/COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM As Dan StanowicJc who normally handles this program for Edward Howard & Co. was attending the Electrical Materials Council meeting which was being held concurrently, Nora Jacob provided the Agency Report as follows: A. Advertising Campaign The third and final ad in the second ad campaign series is complete. It features Lowell Hendricks, Construction Projects Manager for Southern States Utility Services, Orlando, Florida on the subject of "Total Performance. This ad joins ads on "Versatility" and "Reliability" in the current series of three ads. The earlier three-ad series featured "Economics", "Water Quality" and "Durability" as subjects. Ads are scheduled to be run in the AWWA Journal in July, September, November, March and May of the '91-'92 fiscal year. The "Total Performance" ad will be carried in the July AWWA Journal when that magazine has scheduled a special editorial feature on water distribution systems, including an article on analysis of the permeation of organic chemicals through plastic water pipe. In addition, the ad on "Water Quality" which featured Paul Werner, water superintendent of the City of Corpus Christi, Texas was inserted into Municipal Index and Public Works Manual and inquiries are starting to come in. B. Information Kit/Fulfillment Report Ad reprints of the new series are being added to the PRO Information kit and case history articles will be converted into "PVC Pipe Resource Reports" format and added to the kit. A revision of the the technical paper on "Drinking Water Safety" is being worked on. C. Case History Articles Copy for three new articles, based on the new advertising testimonials have either been or are being approved by PRO and photos are being taken prior to media distribution to wide but non-competing media. Previous case history placements have included Jack Dillard/Briley Wild in the May issue of Public Works; Paul Werner/Corpus Christi in the February issue of American City & Country; and William Gertsee/Cape Coral, FL in the February issue of Florida Specifier. CTL027159 -3Additional placements are pending with Waterworld News, Pipeline & Utilities Construction, Civil Engineering and Water Engineering & Management. D. Other Publicity Underground Focus is still planning a feature on pipe corrosivity. The editor of this magazine plans to contact Uni-Bell about PVC pipe. American Public Works Association Reporter is working on a case history round-up about PVC, based on testimonials from APWA members. City & State magazine has expressed a strong interest in updated figures related to the IFT Cost/Benefit study. New figures are being prepared in connection with a talk that Joe Zicherman will be giving to the Construction Specifiers annual meeting in San Diego in June. The agency is working with CSI's publicity director to get advance information, suggest interviews, etc. involving trade media planning to cover the meeting. Other potential publicity opportunities include a special feature on "pipelines" in the November issue of Civil Engineering, a "Water Report" in the October issue of Engineering News Record; an article on "Water Distribution" in the July issue of Water Engineering & Management. Mr. Stanowick also will be looking for placement opportunities related to the release of SPI's market statistics and projections of market growth. E. Inquiries Inquiries for PRO information totalled 1,312 last year, largely being generated from publicity. Through April 30th, an additional 267 inquiries were received and, again, most of these came from publicity. F. Other A direct mail project has been completed in which a cover letter signed by Joe Zicherman of IFT and a reprint of his Fire Journal article "Is PVC Piping Firesafe?" were sent to IAPMO members. There was brief discussion on some negative advertising by the Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association. Follow-up possibilities were: review the negative ads with Keller & Heckman and/or survey readership for impacts of such ads. No decision was taken to pursue either of these possibilities. CTlO SO -4UNI-BELL COOPERATIVE PROGRAM Bob Walker, Executive Director of Uni-Bell PVC Pipe Association reported on the following: A. AWWA Research Foundation RFP 708 As reported earlier, AWWA Research Foundation had issued a Request for Proposal (RFP 708) for a project to survey the performance of PVC water mains. Following the survey phase, the project would then focus on problem areas that are identified. The project consists of a grant of $100,000 but requires a 33% match by the group that is successful and is awarded the contract. Only two proposals have been received from Utah State and L. J. Broutman & Associates. In an earlier survey of plastic water mains in 1987, PVC was thought of very highly in comparisons with other materials. B. Pivotal Cities Program Des Plaines, IL, outside of Chicago has approved PVC pipe for sewer mains. Dennis Bauer is in the Chicago area all week giving seminars and Bob Walker recently spent a week in New Jersey and plans revisits there. The program is ongoing. In Fairfax County, VA, there has been a quality control problem involving iron pipe and Uni-Bell plans to talk with the Washington Suburban Sanitary Sewer District about PVC pipe as a replacement. C. Uni-Bell News The latest issue was distributed at the Uni-Bell Board of Directors and they have indicated their desire to look at publishing two issues per year. This is costly because postage is between $10,000-12,000. D. Uni-Bell Handbook The new updated revised version featuring a black cover with gold lettering is expected to be available in September. E. Other Uni-Bell reports a success in the storm sewer area with a standard having been approved by ASHTO and is to be published in July. CTL027161 -5- Uni-Bell will be exhibiting at the AWWA Convention in Philadelphia which starts June 24. Roy Gottesman is to provide Bob Walker with the compl te PRO mailing list from ADH so that any names not on the current Uni-Bell Mews mailing list can be added. VI. PIPE INDUSTRY TRADE ASSOCIATION CONSOLIDATION Walt Hermes reported on a meeting held the previous week in which members of the Executive Boards of PPFA and Uni-Bell as well as their Executive Directors met. They have agreed to have joint annual meetings in future years, when current obligations to hotels have been satisfied. This may not take place for one or two years. The main thing is that both groups agreed that they each have strengths in their own areas and are doing things that are necessary. Some things could be done cooperatively to the benefit of both groups. The basic understanding is that both organizations would co-exist but coordinate. At some future point in time, there could be some desire to form a federation where both PPFA and Uni-Bell are involved. VII. CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT 9EIR0 ON PLASTIC PIPE Roy Gottesman distributed copies of a letter from Dennis L. Beddard, an attorney with the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) dated May 16 advising that the review of the "final" EIR by the Attorney General's Department was expected by the "end of this (May) month". Even though the review was not complete, he indicated that "additional work will be needed" so that the EIR conforms to the requirements of CEQA. Beddard indicated that they will therefore recommend to Mr. Timothy Coyle, the new Director of HCD, that he not certify the EIR. Thus a further delay and additional funds will be needed to complete the project. The amount of money necessary will not be known until the deficiencies in the report are known and the money needed to correct these deficiencies is learned. Roy Gottesman stated that he had advised Larry Thomas and Lew Freeman that the ABS interests will have to step up to paying the additional costs as the deficiencies noted in the public hearings all related to ABS and PB and not to PVC pipe. VIII. SOLVENT CEMENT ISSUE Don Goodman provided a report on the meeting held in Dallas on May 16-17 by a Task Force that has been organized to deal with the regulations of the California South Coast Air Quality Management District on permissible VOC emissions from solvent CTL027162 6- - cexnents used to join pipes. Because the proposed regulation which would limit VOCs to 250 g/li cannot be met by current products, nor is there an agreed upon test protocol, Don Goodman noted that three separate sub-committees have been set up: Technical, Governmental Affairs and Communications. Members of Don's Technical Committee include Chuck Bush of BFGoodrich and John Kirtkpatrick of Vista Chemical. In addition to the technical problems related to VOC emissions, Don reported on a potential problem dealing with tetratogenic effects with certain components of solvent cements when testing is carried out under NSF Standard 61. In summary, Don Goodman suggested that there may be "political solutions" to this problem in which: 1. NSF allows for a time extension regarding Health Effects Testing for Solvent Cements Under NSF Standard 61 to match the South Coast Air Quality Management compliance date of January 1, 1993; 2. South Coast and EPA allow a higher VOC level than 250 g/ii- Don Goodman has the continuing assignment to coordinate this technical activity for the Vinyl Institute and report on same through the Technical Committee. IX. UPDATING OF "INFLUENTIALS" LIST The original mailing list of "influentials" was reviewed by Messrs. Barish, Lloyd, Reventas and Sacks. Individuals no longer in influential positions were weeded out, additions to the list were made and a new composite list of influentials was developed. Roy Gottesman asked that A1 Reventas review this new list before it is sent to our fulfillment house. A1 Reventas has the assignment to review the updated influentials list and to return same to Roy Gottesman for use in future mailings to this group. X. CODE MATTERS A1 Reventas reported that Joe Zicherman had written to him regarding an IAPMO advisory that a product consisting of a solid PVC core and an ABS skin was certified as meeting ASTM 2661 by NSF. It is believed that this is not correct since ASTM 2661 is believed to be solely for ABS pipe. A1 Reventas will check ASTM 2661-90 and advise Roy Gott sman. If it appears that NSF has improperly certified this product believed to be produced by Genova, Roy Gottesman is to contact NSF for clarification. CTL027163 -7- XI. MEDIUM DENSITY POLYETHYLENE MONITORING Peter Lloyd reported that use of polyethylene in Europe and the UK has increased significantly with polyethylene marketing plans indicating movement to use in water pipe. Should polyethylene be accepted by municipalities, it could impact on PVC markets. Peter Lloyd has the continuing assignment to monitor and report on medium density polyethylene usage in pipe. XII. ASTM ACTIVITIES UPDATE Peter Lloyd reported that he chairs an ASTM committee that is developing a standard for perforated drainage pipe that uses recycled post-consumer PVC. This is a non-critical, non pressure application, which could consume all of the rigid PVC post-consumer waste. Peter Lloyd also reported that as a result of the BFGoodrich rationalization of its North American operations, he .is becoming involved in the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) which should provide a useful liaison with ASTM activities. Peter Lloyd reported that AWWA has a ballot going out for voting on C-907, a standard for large diameter (4",6",8") fittings. XIII. NEW USE AREAS Brief discussion was held concerning possible new use or marketing areas that PRO should be looking into. Mike Stickel suggested consideration be given to the large diameter (48" to 60") pipe market for storm sewers as this is a potentially large market. Companies currently in this market include Carlon, Scepter and Vasallo. It was agreed that this is a market area that PRO should become more knowledgeable about. Roy Gottesman will contact Fred Timpe of Carlon to see if Carlon can send a representative to the next PRO meeting. Mike Stickel will check with Larry Fleming at PWPipe regarding a PW Pipe representative attending the next PRO meeting to provide information on this market. Roy Gottesman will contact Peter Mayerhofer at EVC in Brussels to learn about large diameter (2 meters) pipe being made in Italy. CTL027164 8- - XIV. BUDGET The PRO budget for fiscal year 1991-1992 is as follows: Publicity Advertising Reprints/Fulfillment Account Administration/PR Counsel Sub-Total -- Communications $ 20,000 17,000 7,500 15.500 60,000 Uni-Bell Cooperative Program 50.000 Total Budget $110,000 As this will be a very tight budget year, strict adherence to these expenditure limits will be required. XV. NEXT MEETING DATE AND LOCATION The next PRO meeting will take place^on Thursday, August 29 at <^a Dallas XVI. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted. cc: All meeting attendees Dan Stanowick CTL027165