Rubber strike takes toll off chemicals The rubber workers strike apparently had a bigger effect on the chemical industry than originally was expected. In addition to heavy impact on pro ducers of rubber and of rubber mo nomers, the strike's effects eventually reached producers of industrial fibers, rubber processing chemicals, and carbon black. The strike began April 20 by members of the United Rubber Workers against the four largest tire makers. Opinion varies about the ef fectiveness of the strike on reducing tire output. But a typical estimate puts tire production at about 60% of prestrike output. As the strike began, inventories of finished rubber and monomers such as butadiene and styrene were rela tively low. Tire inventories, however, apparently were high. Initially, syn Strike-slowed tire production has hurt thetic rubber plants were kept oper sales of tire yarns, rubber chemicals ating at high levels. The intent was to build inventories of rubbers both to prices is expected to take some time, give freedom for production planning according to industry sources. Sty and to be ready for high levels of tire rene prices likely will have a slower output when the strike was over. recovery because this monomer goes However, because the strike ran into some nonrubber polymers that longer than most people in the in currently are facing weak demand. dustry forecast, rubber and monomer Although no official of companies inventories ended up overbuilt. Pro that make fibers and other products duction of rubber was slowed and used in making tires has been specific, then monomer supplies became several have noted the impact of the heavy. Discounting of prices for sty strike on their business. Adverse ef rene and butadiene was rampant this fects on tire yarn sales have been summer. Spot prices for these chem noted by most large producers, in icals are down at least a cent from cluding Allied Chemical, Celanese, most postings. Du Pont, and Owens-Corning Fiberα Recovery in butadiene and styrene glas.
Toxic substances: hope for small producers Small businesses' views on toxic I substances control legislation finally made an impact in Congress, thanks to years of perseverance on the part of Elmer A. Fike, owner of Fike Chemi cals Inc. In recent days, Rep. Ron Paul (R.-Tex.) has sponsored an amendment to House bill H.R. 14032 that would help small companies in a number of ways. The amendment will be offered during House floor action on the bill today. There is no indica tion of its chances of survival. Among other things, Rep. Paul's amendment would simplify the test ing requirements for small-volume specialty chemicals. Instead of the more costly animal tests, the amendment says that in vitro tests such as the Ames test could be con sidered adequate proof of safety with regard to mutagenicity, teratoge nicity, or carcinogenicity of specialty chemicals that are produced in quantities of less than 500,000 lb per I
year. A second provision in the amendment would exempt small businesses from paying a filing fee that, under H.R. 14032, can be re quired at the discretion of the Envi ronmental Protection Agency to "defray the cost of administration." The cost can be as high as $2500. A third provision in the Paul amendment would exempt from compliance with the Toxic Sub stances Control Act formulations that do not contain chemicals identified by EPA as those that should receive priority consideration in testing. And a fourth provision would exempt from compliance small-volume chemicals whose ultimate use is for research and which are used by trained personnel. The plight of small companies in coping with the act is succinctly stated in a letter that Fike sent to members of the House earlier this month. In his letter, Fike points out that the Manufacturing Chemists
Association was not thinking of small companies when it said it endorses H.R. 14032. MCA, Fike adds, repre sents 186 of the largest companies in the U.S. These companies have "le gal staffs and arsenals of lobbyists" to assist them in interpreting and complying with the act. However, Fike notes, there are some 10,000 smaller companies that are not so fortunate. Some of these companies may be forced to go out of existence, he adds. To this end, a number of these firms, under Fike's direction, have formed an Ad Hoc Committee for Small Chemical Business to plead their case before Congress. D
Kepone confirmed as long-term problem More than a year after the production of Kepone was halted by Virginia state health officials, the pesticide continues to pose a headache for both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food & Drug Ad ministration. At a press conference last week EPA administrator Russell E. Train said that the Kepone prob lem "goes well beyond direct human contamination. The Hopewell, Va., tragedy discovered in May of last year has proved to be a long-term problem also involving both food chain con tamination and safe disposal of con taminated materials." Train adds that "the continuing serious nature of the problem illustrates how danger ous chemical contaminants can be when introduced into the environ ment without adequate control." Train's words were underscored by the almost simultaneous release by FDA of initial results of a continuing three-month study to determine the levels of Kepone in fish taken from U.S. coastal waters. Kepone-containing effluent from Life Science Products Co.'s Hopewell plant con taminated the James River, which flows into the southern part of the Chesapeake Bay, a majorfishingarea. According to FDA, so far seven fish taken from Chesapeake Bay con tained Kepone residues ranging from 0.02 to 0.09 ppm. And the contami nation appears to be spreading. FDA says that Kepone residues in seven fish taken from the Atlantic Ocean off New Jersey ranged from 0.02 to 0.03 ppm. FDA on the recommendation of EPA has determined that fish or shellfish containing more than 0.1 ppm of Kepone cannot be sold in in terstate commerce. The old Life Science plant has been completely dismantled and disposed of in a special landfill, Train says. But the contamination continues. AcAug.23, 1976C&EN
7
