§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on investigations by the Health and Safety Executive into the effects of ethylene dichloride on workers in the petroleum industry, and the extent of exposure of the public to this chemical.
§ Mr. John Grant, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 7 March 1979; Vol. 963, c. 675–76], gave the following information:
I am informed by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that the Health and Safety Executive has studied the reports on the carcinogenic and toxic properties of ethylene dichloride which have originated from the United States of America and Italy, and has also discussed the implications with the manufacturer who supplies the substance to the petroleum industry in Great Britain.
The reports of animal experiments which involved the forced feeding of ethylene dichloride to rats and mice indicated that there was a raised incidence of tumour formation in these species. Other studies based on inhalation in both species and on skin application tests on mice showed no such long-term effects. The Executive has no evidence of any similar effects among persons working with ethylene dichloride in the petroleum industry.
Information available to the Executive indicates that the atmospheric levels to which employees currently are exposed during manufacture are within the range of one to five parts per million. Extensive health precautions are always adopted in the handling of ethylene dichloride in the petroleum industry because of the highly toxic nature of the lead compounds with which it is used in the preparation of antiknock additives for fuel.
I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment that such measurements of atmospheric levels that have been made both here and in the United States of America indicate concentrations of the order of a few parts per thousand million.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on investigations by the Health 14W and Safety Executive into the effects of ethylene dibromide on workers in the petroleum industry, and the extent of exposure of the public to this chemical.
§ Mr. John Grant, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 7 March 1979; Vol. 963, c. 675–76], gave the following information:
I am informed by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that the Health and Safety Executive has studied the reports on the toxic and carcinogenic properties of ethylene dibromide which have been published by the National Cancer Institute, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in the United States of America and has also discussed the implications of these with the sole manufacturer in Great Britain.
The report of one series of animal experiments which was based on the forced feeding of ethylene dibromide to rats and mice indicated that there was a raised incidence of tumour formation in these species but the Executive has no evidence of any similar effects among persons working with ethlyene dibromide in the petroleum industry. Other animal experiments, notably with bulls, have indicated toxic effects resulting in lowered fertility, but again there is no indication world wide of any similar effects in persons exposed to ethylene dibromide. A study of the records of male employees working at the plant in Great Britain which has manufactured ethylene dibromide for approximately 25 years also has shown no evidence of lowered fertility.
Information available to the Executive indicates that the atmospheric levels to which employees currently are exposed during manufacture of this substance are of the order of one part per million. Extensive health precautions are always adopted in the handling of ethylene dibromide in the petroleum industry because of the toxic nature of the lead compounds with which it is used in the preparation of antiknock additives for fuel.
I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment that such measurements of atmospheric levels as have been made both here and in the United States of America indicate concentrations of a few parts per thousand million.