ACMA Continues Fight on NTP Styrene Listing

On June 10, the Department of Health and Human Services National Toxicology Program listed styrene as a "reasonably anticipated carcinogen." It is the position of ACMA, as well as leaders in the scientific community, including several authoritative weight-of-the-evidence assessments, that styrene does not pose a cancer risk.

With its industry partners, ACMA is campaigning aggressively to overturn the NTP listing.

ACMA Action on RoC

Did You Miss the Members-Only Briefing Webinar?

It's not too late! You can watch the full webinar recording of the June 16 briefing online. Learn what has happened in the wake of publication of the Report on Carcinogens, the impact on the industry, the real story on styrene and cancer and how ACMA is supporting the industry and its members.

This is a benefit of ACMA membership and offered only to our members.

To access the recording, click here.

12th Report on Carcinogens (RoC) Lists Styrene as a “Reasonably Anticipated” Carcinogen

ACMA President Monty Felix Disputes NTP Styrene Listing

“We are very disappointed that the National Toxicology Program failed to address the styrene industry’s and Congress’ legitimate concerns in its 12th Report on Carcinogens. It is the position of ACMA, as well as leaders in the scientific community, that styrene does not pose a cancer risk.

“European Union scientists recently completed an exhaustive review of styrene’s health effects and concluded that exposure to styrene is not likely to cause cancer in humans – a conclusion validated by a myriad of peer-reviewed studies in the United States. In addition, other federal agencies, including OSHA and EPA are aware of the scientific data on the possible linkage between exposure to styrene and development of cancer and have not concluded that there is sufficient risk to require additional regulatory protections.

“It is important to note that the RoC does not present quantitative assessments of carcinogenic risk. Listing in the RoC does not establish that styrene presents a risk to people in their daily lives.

“More than 750,000 Americans are employed in jobs that depend on styrene.  Historically, people have worked safely for 50 years with styrene in the United States and Europe.  Several long-term studies examined 60,000 health records of workers exposed to styrene. These findings showed no significant health problems linked to styrene exposure.”

For the latest breaking information about how this decision will affect the composites industry, go to the CM Blog, Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.

Media Release from Styrene Information and Research Center (SIRC)

Styrene Information and Research Center (SIRC)

Congressman Morgan Griffith Responds to HHS Report

Take Action by Conducting a Plant Tour for Your Member of Congress

Through constituent letters, phone calls and fly-in visits to Washington D.C., most Members of Congress have been made aware that the NTP’s listing of styrene would have a negative impact on composites businesses.  The next step is to show your Member of Congress how important your business is.

ACMA is asking composites manufacturers to invite their Member of Congress to their plants to show them the jobs and valuable products composites manufacturers provide to their district.  The idea of conducting a plant tour can seem daunting, but ACMA has the resources to help.

Click Here to view ACMA’s Plant Tour Guidebook

Click here for a template invite for your House Representative

Click here for a template invite for your Senator

Look up the names and contact information for the Members of Congress for your headquarters and each of your plants, here.

Please contact Jonathan Roberts for further support or for any questions.

Recent ACMA Accomplishments

Through ACMA’s coordination and the advocacy efforts of more than 250 composites industry companies, ACMA successfully organized a bi-partisan Congressional Letter principally authored by Representatives Rick Boucher (VA-D) and John Shadegg (AZ-R) and co-signed by 34 other Members of Congress and a joint CEO letter signed by 281 companies addressed to Senator Harkin (IA-D) and Senator Enzi (WY-R), respective chair and ranking member of the Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions Committee.  Both of these letters are significant accomplishments as ACMA continues to build the case against the unwarranted listing of styrene by the NTP.

Background Information

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) has proposed to list styrene as a "reasonably anticipated" carcinogen in the NTP's Report on Carcinogens (RoC).

The process used by NTP to evaluate substances for listing in the RoC has a strong bias toward considering only those “positive” data that support a decision to list as a carcinogen.  In the case of styrene, NTP ignored or minimized the large amount of data - plus the opinions of independent experts - that point toward a finding of “no concern” for styrene and cancer.

Also, NTP’s use of the phrase “reasonably anticipated carcinogen” will undoubtedly lead workers, community members and plant neighbors to believe that they are likely to get cancer from styrene exposure, when in fact NTP says that it has no position regarding actual health risk.

Further, the following five critical material errors occurred in NTP’s evaluation of styrene:

1. NTP allowed an Expert Panel member with a conflict of interest to influence the result.
2. NTP refused to address major scientific issues raised by outside scientists.
3. NTP held secret sessions of panels peer reviewing its work and published no results.
4. NTP violated its own policy by using non-peer reviewed data to reach its key decisions.
5. NTP changed rules so an independent panel no longer votes on the validity of the listing.

ACMA’s Position

NTP’s flawed review process, combined with NTP’s general bias toward positive data and use of descriptive language contrary to its everyday meaning, could lead to overwhelming job loss for the composites industry.  These material flaws have resulted in a scientifically invalid assessment that, if published in the RoC, will unnecessarily alarm people – workers and their families, plant neighbors, and product users – about the impact of styrene on their health. It will harm the small businesses that use styrene, and it will result in a significant loss of jobs in communities around the country.

Further information about this issue can be found in Questions and Answers about Styrene.