Ill 



Mr. Dear. Yes, I do. I know the State of Washington's Legisla- 

 ture recently engaged and funded a study of the issues you raised 

 with respect to exposure to multiple chemicals. An update on that 

 activity might be quite useful. 



Senator Reid. Dr. Rosenstock, I am particularly concerned about 

 that. 



How do you feel about the situation in Washington? 



Dr. Rosenstock, I also had first-hand experience. I was working 

 at that time as a physician at the University of Washington and 

 was treating some of the affected employees. 



I think in fact the situation raises the need for the discussions 

 that you are directing through these hearings, through reauthoriza- 

 tion. I think the real answer is to try to get better science and bet- 

 ter data. 



Senator Reid. But how do we do that, though? 



Dr. Rosenstock. I think we do that by trying to think about how 

 we do introduce new chemicals and composites of chemicals. I 

 think we should have some minimum criteria of a set of tests and 

 perhaps a hierarchy so that we are even able to go on and do 

 things that we tend not to think about for new chemicals, although 

 we accept them for drugs, which is actually to have some controlled 

 human exposures in some settings for certain chemicals or com- 

 binations in a laboratory setting at levels below what we expect 

 workers to encounter in the work environment to detect any ad- 

 verse effects. 



I think once the problem is there, we certainly can't accept that 

 because levels are within the allowable exposure limit that we are 

 satisfied. We know over and over again how many times we find 

 health effects at levels below understood limits. 



Senator Reid. That case has it all because it has chemicals, sen- 

 sitive data that the companies don't want to release because they 

 are building stealth airplanes and other types of what they feel are 

 commercially sensitive products. So it is really a case study on a 

 lot of the problems we have with TSCA. 



I do have to vote. I think it is unfair to have the three of you 

 wait. I know that two of you must leave. We have a long series of 

 questions that we would like you all to respond to. We will submit 

 those to you forthwith and we would ask that you respond in writ- 

 ing at your earliest convenience. 



Dr. GrOLDMAN. Mr. Chairman, I can also stay if you need to have 

 EPA present after the vote. It is up to you. 



Senator Reid. I appreciate that very much. We have the six other 

 witnesses. I hope there is someone here from EPA listening, as I 

 am confident they will be, during the rest of the hearing. But we 

 do have these questions that we would responses to in writing. I 

 appreciate very much your very important testimony. 



The committee stands in recess for about 5 or 6 minutes. 



[Recess.] 



Senator Reid. The committee will come to order. 



Panel two will consist of Peter Guerrero, Director, Environmental 

 Protection Issues, United States General Accounting Office; Mr. 

 Robert L. Hagerman, Research Associate, Dow Chemical; and Dr. 

 Ken G«iser, Director, Toxics Use Reduction Institute, University of 

 Massachusetts. 



