U N I O N

C A R B I D E

C O R P O R A T I O N

P .O . B O X A 7 1. T E X A S C IT Y . T x 7 7 5 9 0

F OR RELEASE:

FOR MORE

Wednesday, November 11

INFORMATION:

Bill Hoerger
713-948-5548
in Texas City

UNION CARBIDE INFORMS TEXAS CITY EMPLOYEES
ABOUT RESULTS OF EPIDEMIOLOGY STUDIES

TEXAS CITY, Texas— The Texas City, Texas petrochemical plant
of Union Carbide Corporation has informed its employees that
epidemiology studies could find no correlation between brain cancer
cases and employee exposure to chemicals used or manufactured at the
Texas City plant.
Both Union Carbide and the National Institute of Occupational
Safety and Health

(NIOSH) have been conducting separate studies— using

the same data base— to determine whether there might be an excess of
deaths due to brain cancer among the plant population and, if so,
whether the excess could be associated with occupational exposure to
chemicals.
The results of Union Carbide's investigation indicated that
1)

the overall mortality rate of employees working at Texas City since

1941 is significantly less than the national average
923.82 expected);
employees,

(765 observed vs.

2) of the 765 deaths which occurred among 6,588

12 were due to primary malignant brain cancer.

with national rates, 7.42 would have been expected;

By comparison

and 3) no

correlation could be found between brain cancer cases and employee
exposure to chemicals used or manufactured at the Texas City plant.

-more-

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 In a letter mailed to each employee of the Texas City facility,
plant manager Damon L. Engle and plant physician Dr. David H. Glenn
stated that they believe the four to five cases of brain cancer "may
represent a chance occurrence and that these cases are not due to
chemical exposure at our plant."
this:

The letter listed three reasons for

"First, we have not been able to associate these brain cancer

cases with any particular chemical exposure.

Second, the types of

brain cancer are present in the same percentages as that seen in the
general population.

Ordinarily, chemically caused cancer is a specific

and often unusual type, different than those seen in the general populate
Finally, excessive brain cancer has not been confirmed in chemical plants
similar to ours in other parts of the country."
Commenting on the epidemiology study and the company's internal
communications efforts, Engle said, "In any study of this nature, our
foremost responsibility is to the employees.
there is no cause for alarm.

My message to them is that

However small in number, deaths due to cance

have and will continue to receive our attention and concern.
"Our exhaustive studies," Engle continued, "neither indicate that
any deaths due to brain cancer have been caused by occupational exposure,
nor do they suggest any changes to our existing employee health programs
or production procedures.

We do, however, plan to continue our

investigations as well as our cooperation with NIOSH.
"We firmly believe the present standards and practices employed by
Union Carbide at Texas City provide adequate protection from known health
hazards," Engle added.

"In the unlikely event we learn of a hazardous

exposure, we will take whatever action necessary to further protect
the health of our employees."
-more-

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 >

U n i o n C a r b i d e and N I O S H b e g a n t h e i r T e x a s C i t y e p i d e m i o l o g y stud i e
in 1S79.

The NIOSH report(j.s expected t(0reflect similar conclusions

as those of Union Carbide.

The two parties have cooperated in the

development of a data base that includes the health and work histories
^ ---^53
o f / 6 , 5 8 8 /employees who are working or have worked at the plant since
its start-up in 1941.

###

UCC
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