Letters

Your October 1981 article by A. Lin Neumann concerning the U.S. pharmaceutical industry in Puerto Rico recently came to my attention. ["U.S. pharmaceutical giants move to Puerto Rico for tax breaks" MM, October, 1981] Because of some specific and altogether unfounded references to the activities of Merck, Sharp and Dohme Quimica de Puerto Rico (MSSDQ), I believe that some corrections are in order.

The caption below the photograph of our plant on page 20 alleges that MSDQ pours waste effluent into sinkholes. This allegation is patently false, and Mr. Neumann had little basis upon which to make such a contention. MSDQ disposes of its waste by sewer to a treatment facility in Barceloneta. This facility recently was expanded at a cost of $23 million to include a secondary treatment capacity, so as to render harmless the by-products of pharmaceutical production. Eight firms in our industry participated in the construction of this facility at no cost to the people of Puerto Rico.

Prior to the start-up of the Barceloneta waste treatment facility, MSDQ, as well as several other firms, engaged the services of an ocean dumping firm to get rid of wastes. These wastes were barged 40 miles to sea, under a plan approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. We ceased barging operations in August of 1981 almost five months before the date required by the Marine Protection Act of 1972. The U.S. Coast Guard fully monitored these operations to insure that dumping was carried out in designated areas. No disposal was detected outside of those designated areas.

Mr. Neumann may have travelled down Route 2 to write his story, but he didn't stop at our plant to discuss the issues or verify the facts with me or my staff. If he makes the trip again, I would be pleased to show him what a responsible, multinational company can do to protect the environment while providing meaningful employment and economic growth for Puerto Rico itself.

- John L. Ashby
Vice President
Merck Sharp & Dohme
Quimica de Puerto Rico, Inc.
Barceloneta, Puerto Rico

A professor at the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, Tomas Morales Cardona, has done extensive research on environmental pollution in the pharmaceutical industry of Puerto Rico. He is the primary source, although there are others, of allegations that Merck is disposing of waste via sinkholes after allowing the waste to settle in open tanks.
As to ocean dumping, Ashby asserts that "no disposal was detected outside of... designated areas, " 40 miles to sea. The fishermen and local residents that I interviewed during my visit told me they personally detected and reported dumping outside of those areas, close-in to port. Fishermen, who were concerned about their catch, told me they followed the barge on a number of occasions and noticed that it began dumping soon after leaving port, miles short of the 40-mile distance Merck claims.

I would have loved to have visited the Merck plant. I sought entry to the plant via the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association in San Juan, to which Merck belongs. Jose Sierra, the director of the Association, first assured me that visits would be arranged. Later, after several phone calls and a meeting with Mr. Sierra, I was told that a visit to any of the plants was not possible. My departure was then imminent. I should be happy to take up Mr. Ashby's offer next time I am in Puerto Rico.

Thank you for my first issue of Multinational Monitor, which I recently received! I have already found it to be useful in my work, which involves trade union organizing.

I only have one complaint: my copy of Monitor arrived a bit chewed up. . . which ultimately is the fault of the postal service. But I thought I'd make a suggestion in order to avoid this problem... which would be to secure the magazine, either by a staple or tape.

Thank you very much and keep up the good work!

- Fraternally,
Edward Haase
Kansas City, MO

We'd like to hear from any other subscribers whose copies have been mangled in the post. Taping or stapling every copy would be prohibitively expensive, but if the problem is widespread, we will try to remedy it some way.
- The editors

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