Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 35 / Friday, February 21, 1997 / Notices 8023

Wilma G. Johnson,

Acting Associate Director for Policy Planning

And Evaluation, Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention (CDC).

[FR Doc. 97–4005 Filed 2–20–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4163–18–P

National Institute for Occupational

Safety and Health; Request for

Comments on the Toxicity of

Carbonless Copy Paper

AGENCY: National Institute for

Occupational Safety and Health

(NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention (CDC), Department of

Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Request for comments.

SUMMARY: NIOSH is requesting

comments from all interested parties

concerning possible adverse health

effects among workers who have used

carbonless copy paper. Interested

parties may submit medical case

reports, experimental data, or other

information relating to the effects

caused by such exposures. This

information will be used by NIOSH to

evaluate whether exposure to the

chemical substances in carbonless copy

paper poses health risks, and to

determine the need for preventive

health measures or additional research.

DATES: Written comments to this notice

should be submitted to Diane Manning,

NIOSH Docket Office, 4676 Columbia

Parkway, M/S C–34, Cincinnati, Ohio

45226 on or before April 22, 1997.

Comments may also be faxed to Diane

Manning at (513) 533–8285 or submitted

by email to: dmm2@cdc.gov as

WordPerfect 5.0, 5.1/5.2, 6.0/6.1, or

ASCII files.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Technical information may be obtained

from Dr. Paul A. Schulte, NIOSH, CDC,

4676 Columbia Parkway, Mailstop C–14,

Cincinnati, Ohio 45226, telephone (513)

533–8303.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant

to sections 20 and 22 of the

Occupational Safety and Health Act of

1970 [29 U.S.C. 669 and 671], NIOSH is

authorized to gather information in

order to develop recommendations for

improving occupational safety and

health. NIOSH has been concerned

about reported undesirable health

effects in workers occupationally

exposed to chemicals contained in or

released from carbonless copy paper. On

June 12, 1987, NIOSH published a

Federal Register Notice (52 FR 22534)

requesting comments and secondary

data on the toxicity of carbonless copy

paper. At that time it was determined,

based on the submitted information,

that insufficient data were available to

conclude that the relationship between

exposure to carbonless copy paper and

the suggested health effects was a causal

one.

Carbonless copy paper is used to

simultaneously make multiple paper

copies of an original document. This

system eliminates the need for carbon

paper by using paper with a

microencapsulated undercoating

containing dyes and solvents. Writing,

typing, or printing on the top sheet

breaks the microcapsules immediately

underneath, releasing the dyes and

solvents to form the image on the paper

surface below. Some substances used in

carbonless copy paper include aliphatic

compounds (C10–C14), aromatic

compounds such as alkyl substituted

biphenyls (polychlorinated biphenyls

have not been used in carbonless copy

paper in the United States since the

early 1970’s), phenyl methyl benzenes

and hydrogenated terphenyls, diaryl

ethanes, alkyl benzenes, benzyl xylene,

isoparaffins, diisopropyl naththalenes,

dibutyl phthalate, glutaraldehyde,

formaldehyde, organic dyes, phenolformaldehyde resin, kaolin, starch,

styrene, butadiene-latex, hydrogenated

aluminum silicate, mineral oil, and

sanatasol oil.

Carbonless copy paper chemicals can

be absorbed dermally or by inhalation.

Several factors such as chemical

composition and volume of the paper

used, ambient temperature and

ventilation rates in work or storage

areas, and work practices may affect the

extent of exposure. Adverse health

effects in exposed workers were first

reported in the scientific literature in

the late 1960’s. The signs and symptoms

attributed to dermal exposure have

included dryness, redness, irritation,

eczema, tingle, and itchiness of the skin.

The signs and symptoms attributed to

inhalation exposures have included

nasal congestion, drainage, bleeding,

and irritation; upper respiratory tract

irritation; asthma; throat tickle and

hoarseness; and joint pain, fatigue, and

headache.

In order to update the information on

carbonless copy paper, NIOSH is

interested in obtaining existing and

available information published or

developed since 1987, including reports

and research findings, to evaluate

whether recommendations for health

protection or further research on

carbonless copy paper chemicals are

needed. Examples of requested

information include, but may not be

limited to, the following:

1. Adverse health signs or symptoms

associated with occupational exposure

to carbonless copy paper or its

components.

2. Epidemiology data assessing the

incidence of health effects associated

with occupational exposure to

carbonless copy paper.

3. Medical case reports and studies of

adverse health effects associated with

occupational exposure to carbonless

copy paper. These medical case reports

and studies should be submitted

without personal identifiers.

4. Industrial hygiene data and reports

from work places where carbonless copy

paper is used or handled.

5. In Vivo or In Vitro toxicity data and

studies on the components of carbonless

copy paper.

All information received in response

to this notice, except that designated as

trade secret and protected by section 15

of the Occupational Safety and Health

Act, will be available for public

examination and copying at the above

address.

Dated: February 12, 1997.

Linda Rosenstock,

Director, National Institute for Occupational

Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

[FR Doc. 97–4280 Filed 2–20–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4163–19–P

Availability of Draft Guidance on

Childhood Lead Screening

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC), Department of Health

and Human Services.

ACTION: Notice of availability and

request for comments.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the

availability for review and comment of

a draft document entitled, ‘‘Screening

Young Children for Lead Poisoning.’’

The document was prepared by CDC

staff with advice from CDC’s Advisory

Committee on Childhood Lead

Poisoning Prevention, a group of nonFederal experts on childhood lead

poisoning prevention. The document

also reflects the comments of many

other persons involved in scientific and

programmatic aspects of childhood lead

poisoning prevention and child health.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written

or verbal comments on this draft

document must be received by April 7,

1997.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the

draft document must be made by calling

the toll free telephone number: (888)

232–6789. Verbal comments on the draft

document may be made by calling the

same toll free telephone number.

Written comments on the draft