From: harelb@math.cornell.edu (Harel Barzilai)
Subject: IBM Women Chip Workers / Glycol Ethers / Miscarriages
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: ?
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 05:24:03 GMT


    "vast majority of workers at risk from exposure to glycol ethers
    are women and workers of color"
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    "[..] similarly, non-whites account for 53.9 percent of the
    operatives, yet they held only 27.4 percent of the overall high
    tech manufacturing jobs in 1990.

[Via misc.activism.progressive from LaborNet's labor.toxics]
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Topic 98        Glycol Ether & Electronics Industry 
toxicsdesk      Resources for labor re:toxics   11:09 am  Oct 20, 1992 
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From: Econet Toxic Issue Desk <toxicsdesk> 
Subject: Glycol Ether & Electronics Industry 

                  Campaign for Responsible Technology 


                            PRESS ADVISORY  

October 19, 1992                                       For more info:  
                              Ted Smith, Chair (San Jose) 408-287-6707 
                           Rand Wilson, Director (Boston) 617-391-3866 


    OVER 20 MILLION POUNDS OF GLYCOL ETHER RELEASED BY ELECTRONICS 
                      INDUSTRY IN LAST FOUR YEARS 
                                    
                CHEMICAL LINKED TO MISCARRIAGES AT IBM  


In response to a recent report that IBM women chip workers had highly 
elevated rates of miscarriages, the Campaign for Responsible 
Technology (CRT) surveyed the volume of glycol ethers used in the 
electronics industry and the number of workers at risk.  

I. Chemical Release Data for Glycol Ethers 
Toxic Release Inventory data provided to the EPA (mandated by the 
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act passed in 1986) 
shows that over a four year period, the electronics and semiconductor 
industries released huge quantities of glycol ethers to the 
atmosphere, publicly-operated water treatment systems, or hazardous 
waste treatment facilities.  These release volumes are indicative of 
how and where the toxic chemicals are used.   

Glycol ethers are known to cause miscarriages, birth defects, 
testicular atrophy and other illnesses.  

CRT found that the electronics industry uses large quantities of 
glycol ethers:  1987    ---     4,721,563 pounds released 
                                1988    ---     5,899,064 pounds released 
                                1989    ---     5,894,597 pounds released 
                                1990    ---     4,530,170 pounds released 
                                TOTAL -- 21,045,394 pounds of glycol ethers released             

In the semiconductor industry (SIC 3674) where IBM did its study of 
miscarriages, CRT found: 
                                1987    ---      586,357 pounds released 
                                1988    ---      854,176 pounds released 
                                1989    ---      675,510 pounds released 
                                1990    ---      751,174 pounds released 
                                TOTAL -- 2,867,217 pounds of glycol ethers released              

Health and safety and environmental organizations have urged the 
electronics industry to phase-out these deadly chemicals for many 
years.  Effective chemical alternatives have been well establsihed.  
Yet the data show no discernable trend toward any serious reduction in 
the volume of glycol ethers used by the industry.



In specific states the releases of glycol ethers from the 
semiconductor industry may be of special concern.  CRT has obtained 
data on 1990 glycol ether releases for the following states. 

        Arizona         ---      65,850 pounds released by Intel and Motorola 
        (Phoenix) 

        California      ---      91,804 pounds released by AMD, LSI Logic, NEC, 
        (Santa Clara Co.)       Raytheon, Seeq Technology, Trend Circuits, and 
                                        VLSI Technology 


        New Mexico      ---      24,005 pounds released by Intel 
        (Albuquerque) 

        Texas           ---     189,769 pounds released by AMD, Hitachi, SGS- 
                       Thomson, Sony, Texas Instruments, and VLSI 



II.  VAST MAJORITY OF WORKERS AT RISK FROM EXPOSURE TO GLYCOL ETHERS   
ARE WOMEN AND WORKERS OF COLOR  

New research shows that large numbers of women and people of color who 
work in the electronics industry may be at risk.  The Campaign for 
Responsible Technology (CRT) sponsored a study of 1990 employment data 
in six manufacturing categories in eight major U.S. high tech 
manufacturing areas.  Women workers comprised over 63 percent of 
"operatives" (assembly workers) most likely to be at risk of exposure, 
yet they comprise only 38 percent of the total high tech manufacturing 
workforce.   

Similarly, non-whites account for 53.9 percent of the operatives, yet 
they held only 27.4 percent of the overall high tech manufacturing 
jobs in 1990.    



[Continued] Topic 98    Glycol Ether & Electronics Industry 

Employment data for specific geographic areas follows:  


                              Albuquerque 
High tech  
employment      % women % women oper.   % non-wht.      % non-wht. oper. 
          4,320    36.9         63.0         34.4                                56.9 

                                Austin 
High tech  
employment      % women % women oper.   % non-wht.      % non-wht. oper. 
         15,711    37.1         58.2         31.6                                59.6 


                                Phoenix 
High tech  
employment      % women % women oper.   % non-wht.      % non-wht. oper. 
         42,936    40.9         67.1         20.1                                37.3 


                            Silicon Valley 
                         (Santa Clara County) 
High tech  
employment      % women % women oper.   % non-wht.      % non-wht. oper. 
        136,909    38.1         60.7         37.4                                74.6 

---------------------------------------------------------------------- 


RESOURCES 
For more complete TRI data on glycol ether releases contact: 
Rand Wilson, CRT   (617) 391-3866 

For more complete information on glycol ether toxicity contact: 
Mandy Hawes or Flora Chu, SC-COSH  (408) 998-4051 

For more complete information on alternatives to glycol ethers and the 
glycol ether toxic timeline contact:   
Ted Smith, SVTC    (408) 287-6707 

For more complete data on semiconductor employment contact: 
Lenny Siegel, PSC  (415) 969-1545 


COMMUNITY CONTACTS 
AUSTIN: Susana Almanza, Sylvia Ledesma, People Organized in Defense of 
Earth and its Resources (PODER) (512) 474-0811 

PHOENIX: Tupac Enrique, Maricopa County Organizing Project (MCOP)  
(602) 254-5230 

ALBUQUERQUE: Richard Moore, Southwest Network for Environmental and 
Economic Justice (505) 242-0416   
Aida Franco, Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP) (505) 247-8832 

SAN JOSE (SILICON VALLEY): Ted Smith, Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition 
(408) 287-6707 
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive