Bulletin Board May 12, 2006

Bulletin Board

May 12, 2006
Contact us:

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70 Bambra Rd Caulfield North

Victoria 3161 Australia
*While Chemwatch has taken all efforts

to ensure the accuracy of information in

this publication, it is not intended to be

comprehensive or to render advice.

Websites rendered are subject to change.

Arthur’s Advice Line

List Screen Icons
Along side each chemical in the list screen are four icons.

1 Displays a gallery of templates for printing labels.

2 Locates all the stores in which this material is found, and allows

you to add it to new stores.

3 Displays Emergency Information for this material

4 Views the Collection of Suppliers’ Original MSDS. MSDS

may be selected and placed into personal folders.
See Appendix 1 for more details.

Hazard Alert

Vinyl fluoride
Vinyl fluoride Vinyl fluoride is a colorless gas with a faint ether-like odor.

It is insoluble in water and soluble in alcohol, ether, and acetone. Vinyl

fluoride is extremely flammable and will form explosive mixtures with air. It

can form hazardous polymers when heated. A fire containing vinyl fluoride

can generate highly toxic hydrogen fluoride gas. Vinyl fluoride reacts with

alkali and alkaline earth metals, powdered aluminum, zinc, and beryllium.

Vinyl fluoride was first prepared in the early 1900s by reaction of zinc with

1,1-difluoro-2-bromoethane. Modern preparation of vinyl fluoride involves

reaction of acetylene and hydrogen fluoride in the presence of a mercury-

based or aluminum-based catalyst. [1]
Vinyl fluoride is used primarily in the production of polyvinyl fluoride and other

fluoropolymers. Polymers of vinyl fluoride are resistant to weather and have

great strength, chemical inertness, and low permeability to air and water.

Polyvinyl fluoride is laminated with aluminum, galvanized steel, and cellulose

materials and is used as a protective surface for the exteriors of residential

and commercial buildings. Polyvinyl fluoride laminated with various plastics

has been used to cover walls, pipes, and electrical equipment and inside

aircraft cabins. [1]
Exposure: [2]

Occupational exposure to vinyl fluoride may occur through inhalation and

dermal contact with this compound at workplaces where vinyl fluoride is

produced or used. Surveys made at a vinyl fluoride manufacturing plant

and a vinyl fluoride polymerization plant showed that exposure levels

for production and control operations were generally <4mg/cu m, while

exposures associated with polymer operations ranged from 2-9 mg/cu m,

with a time-weighted average of 3.6 mg/cu m.
Health Effects: [2]

Evaluation: There is inadequate evidence in humans for the

carcinogenicity of vinyl fluoride.

There is sufficient evidence in experimental animals for the

carcinogenicity of vinyl fluoride.

Overall evaluation: Vinyl fluoride is probably carcinogenic to humans

(Group 2A). In making the overall evaluation, the working group took

into account the following evidence:

Vinyl fluoride is closely related structurally to the known carcinogen,

vinyl chloride. The two chemicals cause the same rare tumor (hepatic

hemangiosarcoma) in experimental animals, which is also a tumor

caused by vinyl chloride in humans.

Human exposure studies inverstigators reported polyvinyl

fluoride produced no skin reaction when evaluated for irritation and

sensitization on 215 human subjects.

Contact with liquid vinyl fluoride may cause frost bite, and exposure to

the vapor may cause headache or dizziness.

In chronic fluoride poisoning of human beings it has been said that

changes in the bones of the skull have sometimes led to optic atrophy

through compression of the optic nerves, but no direct toxic effect on

these nerves is known.
Personal Protection: [3]
Ventilation

Provide local exhaust ventilation system. Ensure compliance with applicable

exposure limits.
Eye Protection

Wear splash resistant safety goggles with a faceshield. Provide an emergency

eye wash fountain and quick drench shower in the immediate work area.
Clothing

Wear appropriate chemical resistant clothing.
Gloves

Wear appropriate chemical resistant gloves.
Respirator

The following respirators and maximum use concentrations are drawn from

NIOSH and/or OSHA.

10 ppm: Any chemical cartridge respirator with organic vapor cartridge(s).

Any supplied-air respirator.

25 ppm: Any supplied-air respirator operated in a continuous-flow mode.

Any powered, air-purifying respirator with organic vapor cartridge(s).

50 ppm Any chemical cartridge respirator with a full facepiece and organic

vapor cartridge(s). Any air-purifying respirator with a full facepiece and

an organic vapor canister. Any powered, air-purifying respirator with a

tight-fitting facepiece and organic vapor cartridge(s). Any self-contained

breathing apparatus with a full facepiece. Any supplied-air respirator with a

full facepiece.

200 ppm: Any supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece that is operated in

a pressure-demand or other positivepressure mode.
Escape

Any air-purifying respirator with a full facepiece and an organic vapor

canister. Any appropriate escape-type, self-contained breathing apparatus.

For Unknown Concentrations or Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health:

Any supplied-air respirator with full facepiece and operated in a pressure-

demand or other positive-pressure mode in combination with a separate

escape supply. Any self-contained breathing apparatus with a full

facepiece.
1. ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/ roc/eleventh/profiles/s188viny.pdf

2. http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/r?dbs+hsdb:@term+@rn+75-02-5

3. www.mathesontrigas.com/pdfs/msds/MAT24980.pdf

Legislation
Africa
Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA 2003) and

Elimination of Child Labour

2006-04-28

In March 2006,The Government in Tanzania enacted the Occupational

Health and Safety legislation, replacing the Factory Inspectorate Ordinance

of 1958. Factory Inspectorate Ordinance legislation was responsible for

workplace inspections, however it had significant limitation as it failed to

cover all workplaces and all categories of workers. All worksites without a

factory were not recognized as workplaces and therefore were not monitored.

It was this failing that lead to the intensification of child labour. Unfortunately

though, the government has not clearly indicated the role of Government

Inspectors in eradication of child labour within the new legislation.

JSP update, April 2006
Asia Pacific
AIP welcomes action to implement retail petroleum

market reform

2006-04-27

The Australian Institute of Petroleum (AIP) and its member companies

welcome the introduction of legislation into the Australian Parliament to

implement retail petroleum market reform. The repeal of the Petroleum

Marketing Retail Sites Act 1980 and the Petroleum Marketing Retail

Franchising Act 1980 is essential to ensure that costly and overly prescriptive

regulations are removed and that all participants can compete effectively

in the evolving retail petroleum market. These Acts will be replaced by

a mandatory Oilcode under the Trade Practices Act 1974. The Oilcode

provides for a national terminal gate pricing regime, requirements for new

fuel re-selling agreements including protection of the interests of franchisees

and commission agents, and a mechanism for the resolution of disputes. In

agreeing to the current Oilcode package, AIP and its member companies

demonstrate the industry’s ongoing commitment to transparency and fair

dealing.

Australian Institute of Petroleum, 30 March 2006

http://www.aip.com.au
Ag QA scheme leads to improvements

2006-04-29

Since 2004 the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority

(APVMA) has been actively monitoring the active constituents in agricultural

chemical products to ensure that they meet appropriate standards. Through

the AgQA Scheme the APVMA has required product registrants to keep batch

analysis results of active constituents and other records to demonstrate

the ongoing quality of actives used in the products they supply. Recent

inspections of company records on-site, data call-ins and product testing

are already resulting in some significant changes in behaviour of some

agricultural chemical companies. The APVMA has visited ten companies

to date to conduct on-site record inspections and is currently reviewing

records for 29 products as part of the total 100 data call-ins. In cooperation

with registrants, we have also sampled and tested 14 chlorothalonil and

16 trifluralin products. The requirement to keep records demonstrating

active constituent quality has led many companies to look more critically

at batch analysis certificates and documents demonstrating that sites of

manufacture are on the record of approved active constituents. Companies

are now insisting that raw material suppliers provide clear and unambiguous

documentation setting out the quality and traceability of these materials.

The APVMA has written to all manufacturers of approved active constituents

advising them of the introduction of the AgQA Scheme and informing them

that Australian purchasers of active constituents and formulated products

are now required to demonstrate compliance. Already some companies

have approached the APVMA have worked co-operatively to rectify any

non-compliance. We are also following up the results of product testing with

relevant registrants.

APVMA Newsletter, March 2006

http://www.apvma.gov.au
Productivity Commission Study into Standards Setting

and Accreditation

2006-04-27

An issue paper released by the Productivity Commission on the March 7, 2006

outlined the recommendations found following the research study into the

Australian Government’s relationship with Standards Australia Limited and

the National Association of Testing Authorities. Important issues discussed

in this paper include: the appropriate role for the Australian Government in

standard setting and laboratory accreditation; and funding of these activities

when they are in the public interest. This study looked at the history of the

relationship between the Australian Government and these organisations,

the cost impact on and benefits to business and the wider community of

standards, including those referenced in regulation, and models in operation

overseas. Submissions from the public closed on the April 21, 2006. The

Commission will present its final report by November 2, 2006.

http://www.pc.gov.au/study/standards
China: Restriction of Hazardous Substances

2006-04-28

In early March, China’s Measures for the Administration of the Control

of Pollution by Electronic Information Products were released. China’s

restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS) directive for the restriction of

hazardous substances, is intended to enhance environmental protection

by fostering the reduction or elimination of certain toxic and hazardous

substances in electronic products. The new regulations become effective

March 1, 2007 and a catalogue of products the new regulations apply to will

help determine what products will be affected. RoHS (covered products)

include: electronic radar products, electronic telecommunications products,

radio and television products, computer products, home electronics products,

electronic measurement equipment products, specialized electronics

products, electronic components and parts products, electronic applications

products, and electronic materials products. The new regulations will ban

six toxic and hazardous substances-lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent

chromium, polybrominated biphenyls, and polybrominated diphenyl ether as

well as an open-ended category of “other toxic and hazardous substances

or elements specified by the State.”

JSP Update, April 2006
WorkSafe caution on telehandlers

2006-04-27

WorkSafe has issued a safety alert on an increasingly common type of

heavy equipment being used on Victorian worksites, including farms,

building sites and in manufacturing. “Telehandlers”, also known as multi-

purpose handlers/cranes/tool carriers, telescopic forklifts and by a variety

of proprietary names have a telescopic boom to which implements can be

attached. Research by WorkCover NSW indicates that some telehandlers

are not designed to lift freely suspended loads, but are being used for this

purpose. Stability is also affected when operating on uneven or sloping

ground with a freely suspended load.

Owners of telehandlers and those responsible for their use should have all

applicable supplier’s information for the machine, including the maximum

operational slope and other limitations. They should ensure the machines

have been designed to accommodate the required attachments, are suitable

for the tasks they are to perform and the location where they are intended

to be used.

Where intended to lift freely suspended loads, written confirmation that the

machine complies with AS 1418.5 or an equivalent standard should be readily

available on site. If an inadequately designed telehandler is observed being

used as a mobile crane, or is likely to be so used, WorkSafe inspectors will

take appropriate compliance action.

Workcover Victoria, 22 April 2006

http://www.workcover.vic.gov.au
New Environmental Regulations in 2006

2006-04-28

From 1 January 2006, the EPA (Environmental Protection Administration,

Taiwan, will unfold numerous new policies and measures including

mandatory garbage sorting, changes to the motorbike regular testing system

and subsidies for environmentally preferable vehicles.

Enterprises will face revisions to regulations on levying soil and

groundwater pollution remediation fees, and two types of flame retardants

used in electronic equipment will be listed as controlled substances.

Stricter measures will be promulgated in the ‘Toxic Chemical Substances

Management Act’ concerning the use of octa-BDE and penta-BDE flame

retardants in electric and electronic products.

JSP Update, April 2006
Persistent Organic Pollutants

2006-04-28

The South Korea’s Environment Ministry (MOE) announced plans to submit

a bill later this year to the National Assembly, to implement the Stockholm

Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. The proposed Special Act on

the Control of Dioxin and Other Persistent Organic Pollutants would allow

the ministry to prohibit or restrict production, use, and exports and imports

of POPs listed in Annex A and B of the Stockholm Convention. Under the

draft rules, MOE would set tolerable daily intake levels and environmental

standards as well as limits on emissions and discharges for different

sources. MOE also may set aggregate ceilings on POPs releases for certain

geographical areas. The legislation also includes safety procedures for

POPs-contaminated waste disposal and rules for labeling equipment and

products containing POPs.

The law would take effect one year after its enactment. South Korea signed

the Stockholm Convention in 2001, but has yet to ratify it.

JSP Update, April 2006
America
FDA Says No to Medical Marijuana

2006-04-27

A statement released from the FDA said that it and other agencies with

the Health and Human Services Department had “concluded that no sound

scientific studies supported medical use of marijuana for treatment in the

United States, and no animal or human data supported the safety or efficacy

of marijuana for general medical use.” A number of states have passed

legislation allowing marijuana use for medical purposes, but the FDA said,

“These measures are inconsistent with efforts to ensure that medications

undergo the rigorous scientific scrutiny of the FDA approval process and

are proven safe and effective.” The statement contradicts a 1999 finding

from the Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academy of Sciences,

which reported that “marijuana’s active components are potentially effective

in treating pain, nausea, the anorexia of AIDS wasting and other symptoms,

and should be tested rigorously in clinical trials.”

Fox News, 24 April 2006

http://www.foxnews.com
EPA:Pesticide Tolerance for Pendimethalin

2006-04-27

The EPA’s pesticide tolerance regulation came into effect on April 12 2006

for combined residues of pendimethalin, [N-(1-ethylpropyl)-3,4-dimethyl-2,6-

dinitrobenzenamine], and its metabolite 4-[(1-ethylpropyl)amino]-2- methyl-

3,5-dinitrobenyzl alcohol in or on carrots; spearmint, tops; peppermint, tops;

spearmint, oil; peppermint, oil; fruit, citrus, group 10, citrus, oil; almond, hulls;

nut, tree group 14. Interregional Research Project Number 4 requested this

tolerance.

EPA Pesticide Update, 18 April 2006

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides
EPA: Pesticide Tolerance Technical Correction for

Cyfluthrin

2006-04-27

The final rule in the Federal Register for the pesticide tolerance regarding

the residue of insecticide cyfluthrin was issued on September 13, 2005. This

document contained omissions concerning the entry for wheat milled by

products, except flour. The new rule is effective April 14, 2006.

EPA Pesticide Update, 18 April 2006

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides
EPA: Registration Approval for pesticide product -

Avachem Sorbitol

2006-04-27

The EPA has approved the applications from AVA Chemical Ventures, L.L.C.,to

register the pesticide products, Avachem Sorbitol The manufacturing use

product; Avachem Sorbitol Octanoate 90.0%; LockDownretro, containing

active ingredients not included in any currently registered product pursuant

to the provisions of section 3(c)(5) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and

Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as amended.

EPA Pesticide Update, 18 April 2006

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides
FDA: Recall by Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics of VITROS

Signal Reagent

2006-04-27

Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics and FDA notified healthcare professionals of a

Class 1 recall of VITROS signal reagent. This reagent, a special chemical

used with the VITROS Immunodiagnostic ECi/ECiQ System to screen patient

samples and diagnose more than 40 diseases and conditions including

cardiac disease, hepatitis (A, B or C), thyroid disorders, HIV and pregnancy.

A decreased signal in the reagent may produce inaccurate results in some

cases, affecting the outcome of the diagnostic tests. Customers with the

affected lot numbers should discontinue using any remaining reagent and

should follow the enhanced Quality Control (QC) procedure provided by

Ortho-Clinical Diagnostic for each pack in all lots of VITROS Signal Reagent

until further notice.

Medwatch Update, 18 April 2006
EPA Ordered To Turn Over Key Documents On Mercury

2006-04-27

Magistrate Judge Robert Collings, of the U.S. District Court for the District

of Massachusetts, ordered EPA to release key documents relating to the

regulation of mercury emissions from power plants. Massachusetts Attorney

General Tom Reilly, last year, joined with several other state attorneys general

in challenging an EPA mercury emissions trading program for power plants,

arguing that it is inadequate and inconsistent with the Clean Air Act. (The

case is pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit). In March

2005, Reilly filed a separate suit against EPA in Massachusetts federal

district court, arguing that the agency has information about potentially more

effective regulatory alternatives to the proposal that it refuses to release. In

court filings, EPA argued that it had no obligation to disclose the requested

information under the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) because

the documents reflected the agency’s “deliberative process.” Reilly argued

that the agency did not have grounds to withhold the information. Agency

officials said they are reviewing the ruling.

Environmental Protection News, 20 April 2006

http://www.eponline.com
Water Board Adopts Bay-Delta Policy Principles

2006-04-27

On April 11, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California announced

that it has adopted a series of policy principles that emphasize the importance

of actions that assure the long-term sustainability of the environment and

fisheries in the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and the

critical role of a statewide commitment to greater water use efficiency. A

mission statement and 13 principles also stress the importance of improving

the quality and long-term reliability of existing Bay-Delta supplies through

facility improvements and the need to spread costs broadly across all

beneficiaries of Delta-related policies, officials said. Metropolitan’s principles

state that improvements in the Delta and California’s water reliability will

require cost-effective investments in water facilities in the Delta. At the same

time, a number of non-water uses also depend on the estuary’s health,

including transportation, communications, power utilities, along with housing

and industry, all of which would be expected to participate in a collaborative

solution.

Water & Wastewater News, 18 April 2006

http://www.wwp-online.com
Europe
New alternatives to animal tests approved by ECVAM

2006-04-27

Six new alternative testing methods that can replace animal tests for certain

drugs and chemicals have been developed by the EU’s European Centre

for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM), and approved by its

scientific advisory committee. The new tests use cell cultures rather than

animals to establish the toxicity of cancer drugs, and to identify contaminated

drugs. The new methods are also more accurate than the animal tests,

and will therefore make the products concerned safer. ECVAM now has

23 approved alternative methods and expects to have another four or five

methods validated during 2006. The new testing method decreases the risk

of a lethal overdose in the first cohort of patients that will receive the drug.

This risk cannot be identified with current preclinical testing strategies.

JSP Update, April 2006
Aquatic toxicity

2006-04-27

The “Upper Threshold Concentration (UTC) Step Down Approach” makes

use of the fact that in acute aquatic toxicity tests, fish are in many cases less

sensitive than algae and daphnia. Hazard classification of acute aquatic

toxicity of chemicals is based on the lowest toxic concentration obtained in

algae, daphnia, or fish. Thus, the lowest mean growth inhibiting concentration

in algae (IC50), or the lowest mean lethal concentration (EC50/LC50) in

daphnia or fish is relevant for classification. The UTC approach therefore

proposes a tiered testing strategy. In tier 1, tests on algae and daphnia are

performed and the lowest EC50/LC50 value obtained is defined as UTC. In

tier 2, the UTC is applied to fish. If application of the UTC demonstrates no

lethal effects on fish, testing is terminated and the chemical classified based

on the result of algae or daphnia from tier 1. However, if mortality occurs at

the UTC, a full LC50 test in fish should be performed according to OECD.

Based on this proposed strategy, the potential reduction in numbers of fish

ranged from 65.0% to 72.8%. The Committee therefore recommends that

the UTC approach should be implemented as a valid strategy to significantly

reduce the number of fish used in the assessment of acute aquatic toxicity

for hazard classification.

JSP Update, April 2006
Drugs precursors

2006-04-28

A new order of issuing of one-time permissions for import, export and transit

of narcotics, psychotropic substances and its precursors, which are under

special state control, has come into force in Belarus. According to the

decision of the Ministry of Health, transporting companies must obtain special

permission from the Ministry of Internal affairs of the Republic of Belarus,

along with the permission of the Belarusian Ministry of Health to import,

export or transit the most hazardous drugs. The document determines State

Unitary Enterprise “Center of examinations and tests in health service” as

organization, responsible for examining documents concerning drugs. It

also describes a list of necessary documents to obtain permission to import,

export or transit narcotic substances within Belarus and establishes terms

of the permission.

JSP update, April 2006