U.S. masterplan to combat cancer

Press, 5 October 1977, Page 8

U.S. masterplan to combat cancer

NZPA-Reuter Washington

The Carter Administration has unveiled a masterplan to limit or ban worker exposure to cancer-causing chemicals in industry — the most comprehensive Government regulatory effort yet to prevent cancer. Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials have predicted the proposal will have more impact on industry than anything the controversial agency has done in its sixyear history. Industry is expected to fight the plan, which would strengthen O.S.H.A’s legal power and hasten the regulation of carcinogens. The

courts probably will be asked to decide the matter once the plan is made final, probably late next year. The proposal sets forth three model rules that O.S.H.A. can issue by simply “filling in the blanks” with the name of a carcinogen. It would classify any chemical as a “confirmed carcinogen” on the basis of animal or human data.

Officials acknowledged that the plan would require [them to consider regulating [cigarette smoking in the workplace, but hinted that they would shy away from such a controversial step. The plan was condemned .by the Society of the Plastics Industry because it

i would accept two positive (animal tests as proof that a substance was a cancer-caus-ing agent in people — a principle that came under fire in the saccharin debate. “The sad fact is that over 1000 Americans die every da. from cancer — 370,000 a year,” said O.S.H.A’s chief, Eula Bingham. “Cancer researchers have attributed over 60 per cent of these cancer cases to environmental factors.”

The Labour Secretary (Mr Ray Marshall) declined to ■ estimate how much the plan [Would cost the industry, but [said it would “greatly rejduce” the $15,000M spent on cancer each year.