HL Deb 04 November 1976 vol 376 cc1438-40

3.13 p.m.

Lord HALE

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper and to correct the figure of 0.002 parts per million to 0.02, an error of transcription for which I am entirely responsible.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the control of 0.002 parts per million of air for the production of toluene di-isocyanate is still regarded as sufficient for safety and whether expert opinion suggesting a reduction by 97 per cent. is under consideration.

Lord JACQUES

My Lords, the current view is that control of TDI to 0. 02 parts per million in air is an adequate safeguard against sensitisation. However, in view of published evidence suggesting that certain groups of workers have become affected at levels below this threshold limit, the Health and Safety Executive is currently considering with the Medical Research Council the possibility of a study to evaluate any hazard when operating at or below the threshold limit.

Lord HALE

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that the British Rubber Manufacturers' Association, to their eternal credit, published an admirable hard-backed volume in 1941 which was devoted entirely to the safety problems of toluene di-isocyanate? Is the noble Lord also aware that I am intensely grateful to him for the information he has supplied to me since this Question was put down, as to the more recent researches of the Health and Safety Executive? While nobody wishes to over-exaggerate the matter, the Question is prompted by trade union anxiety which arises from a series of distressing reports concerning toxic hazards which may well be connected with the fact, as the noble Lord stated in his Answer, that this type of process, with a proliferating variety of di-isocyanates, is now taking place in several thousand different factories?

Lord JACQUES

My Lords, we are aware of these matters and the Health and Safety Executive has given very high priority to this question. There was a meeting on Tuesday of this week when the Employment Medical Advisory Service and the Medical Research Council spent the whole of the meeting discussing this problem. I must, however, point out that there are real difficulties connected with the research which we contemplate. The measurement of TDI in air is quite difficult and the success of the study depends upon our being able to develop better monitoring techniques than are available at the moment.

Lord SEGAL

My Lords, can my noble friend say whether the meeting held this week of the Medical Research Council bore any relationship to the tabling of this Question?

Lord JACQUES

My Lords, to the best of my knowledge and belief there is no connection whatsoever.

Lord WYNNE-JONES

My Lords, is my noble friend aware that this apparently extremely small quantity means that in every cubic inch of air there can be nearly 1 billion—and I mean the English billion—molecules of this material? Would not he agree that this can create a considerable hazard because the material is not immediately destroyed and will therefore accumulate as breathing goes on? Also, would not the Minister agree that my noble friend has raised a very important matter and that it is urgent that it should be looked into carefully? Further, would the noble Lord take up the question of the method of analysis, because there is no difficulty in analysing for this material?

Lord JACQUES

My Lords, I agree entirely with my noble friend about the importance of this matter. That is why the meeting was held last Tuesday. May I say that that meeting was arranged long before the Question was put down, so if any noble Lord thinks that it was held as a result of this Question I can say that that is not so. It is currently believed that repeated exposures to levels in excess of the threshold limit are required before people become sensitised, but once people are sensitised then much lower levels are sufficient to produce some kind of response. Therefore, once you get it you have got it for good.

Baroness EMMET of AMBERLEY

My Lords, would the noble Lord be kind enough to inform those of us who are lay members in this matter where these very dangerous materials occur, so that we may avoid them?

Lord JACQUES

My Lords, they occur where printing ink is used, where paint is manufactured and so on.