Document zzyRgJenQp8RxDjogm3LZax10

HEMU) IIUOR MAR 24 1976 Congress moves on toxic substances WASHINGTON - (LENS) - Should new industrial chemicals be screened more rigorously , that those that re dangerous (o life and * kept off <* marketCongress thinks they should, and during the past m">uy lor export. It had produced narrow tremori, uver daman, xlurred speech end loss of memory among not only t-h.ve wrovoernkeertss wwnhOo hIIBaOd to wade in the stuff, but also in its production. Even the chemical com panies, which would have to carry out the closer checks for aafely, admit that there are gaps to be filled in protective [egislation. They argue five years both the Senate and the House of Representatives have adopted bills to provide tor screening of 'toxic sub stances." But none became law because the two chambers could not agree on how severe the restrictions should be. . ]Jlj yr committee* of both houses seem u> be mov ing along the same com promise path, after a series of health 0V*r darigeri to P"w,c AS9B&E however, that there is bound to be duplication of existing liw !fAswe?pin* Wl> * pass* ed and they fear (or say they .tu\fear) that their secrets may tp competitors and that the testing to be required may be so expensive that many small firms may be ,, Ihoirice offorced out of business. and Budget andMaCnoamgmemerecnet Department are sympathetic to this argument, which up to One occurred in Virginia over an insecticide called Kepone. another In New York where Uwm found Uut fill, in the Hudson river were being impregnated by carcinogenic now has been the mam stumbling-block in congress ? *,so * **Pcion that the EPA may be swamped if it gets all the additional regulatory duties that it is seeking. Wprcnyl.) from ,w,, General Electric plant.. In nil. over 125 chemlcala have been cited ** dangerous in congroseionel hearings, according to Sen John Tunney (O-Calif) The nallmul cancer Institute at tributes over M per cent of deaths from cancer to en vironmental factors -- and death rales from cancer rote steeply in 1974 and 197S. Kepone was manufactured ky,,A "5*" f,rm |r">ic*ny celled Ufe Science Products a,for giant Allied Chemical --------- among member! of their familiea. It got into the Jamea River, miking tin, and oysters dangerous to eat. The scandal has done much to improve the prospects of a law controlling tome chemicals. The truth is, however, con* gress long ago passed, and In ^_strMgthned. the InsecUcide. Fungicide snd Rodenticlde Act. under which the Environmental Protection Agency could have acted against Kepone (if Kepone had been classified as a registered pesticide, which it was pot at the time). This will remain true even if the toxic substances bill reaches the statute book. But there is no legislation covering PCBs and the federal agency has had to rely on voluntary co-operation from industry to reduce the risk. PCBs have been used for a long time, underscoring the argument of the bill's sup TTte result has been that the "H* now the committee stage require effective screening only of substances on a priority list that the EPA would draw up (though it could go outside this list if necessary). Every manufacturer would have to notify the agency three months before putting a new chemical on the market and more time for testing could be required The EPA would set requirements for the tests and publish the results. It could also call for tests of substances already on the market. President ^rd sign the bill if it reaches his desk at the height of the election cam* Pign, as seems likely' Recently he told the agency that looks after health and safety in workplaces to treat businessmen as friends, not enemies. Us new standards for the amount of asbestos arsenic, lead, beryllium and noise to which workers may be exposed have been porters that the risk may not be perceived until many years have passed amt irreversible damage done to those who have been exposed. Moreover 1deferred from before the elec tion until various dales in 1977 Thai was indeed a| friendly act towards business H is urged that it is better (and certainly easier) to limit or ban the use of a dangerous chemical before firms, workers and communities nave built up vested interests HUN 037134