Document 0qjZ7kYpXyyMYr8jejBLOm6Nx

MEMORANDUM Calsillte Pipe Covering and Block 1. Product Formulation Ruberoid's efforts to develop calclun silicate insula tion vere Initiated by Ruberoid President Herbert Abraham in the early 1940's. His goal was to develop a product similar to 85X Magnesia -- at that time the principal thermal Insulation material for piping and pressure vessels -- which would be able to withstand temperatures of up to 600 F., rather than the 200 F. or so that Magnesia could withstand. Although some "paper" research wa6 done between 1943 and 1945, it wa6 not until 1946 that a portion of Ruberoid's existing plant in Gloucester was dedicated to Calsillte research and development. From 1946 until 1949 Calsillte was classified as a "research project." Although there jitesumably was some production of Calsillte during this period, there is nothing to confirm that this production was anything'other than either (1) experimental or developmental or (2) for inventory-building pur poses. M1CH09057 At best, any production or sale of the product prior to 1949 was minimal. For one thing, prior to 1949 there were only a few molds in which to pour ths slurry to make the pipe cover ing^ More Important, a successful Calsilite formula was not developed until the end of May 1948. The basic Calsilite formula contained 131 asbestos which, after 1954, was composed of a blend of amosite fiber, Canadian 4T fiber and Canadian 3R fiber. The other ingredients in Calsilite, in their approximate percentages, were as follows: Pulverized Quicklime 23.47X Silica Sand P.H. Dolomite Celite F.C. Magnesium Sulphate Bentonite Calsilite Waste .30.231 2.191 10.571 2.961 5.001 14.251 2. Period of Manufacture Calsilite was manufactured on g "commercial basis" from March 7, 1949, until October 1971, when the plant was closed. --^ From 1949 until 1964, Ruberoid used a "'pan molding" process, which involved pouring Calsilite slurry into a 3-foot long mold for a given pipe size and putting the mold into an autoclave, where a chemical reaction took place. The pan molding process resulted in substantial breakage and an inconsistent product. The Filter Press process, put into operation in 1964, improved results on both scores. 2- MICH09058 Prior to March 7, 1949, Calsilite was classified by Ruberoid as a "research project." There was thus no use at all of Calsilite during World War II, since the product did not even exist in the laboratory until 1946. 3. Non-Asbestos Calsilite In 1969, GAF began developing, and later perfected, a Calsilite product that did not contain asbestos, at least partly at the urging of some government agencies and departments. The development of non-asbestos Calsilite was a closely-guarded secret and few people at GAF were aware of the progress toward non-asbestos Calsilite. In the asbestos-free product, sulphite pulp was substituted for asbestos. The resulting product met all criteria of federal, military and industry standards, except for weight loss during heat soaking. The Government, however, refus ed to place the non-asbestos product on its "Qualified Product List," and GAF thereupon determined to close the Calsilite opera tion. 4. Sale of the Calsilite Plant About a year after its closing, the Calsilite plant, equipment, patents, tradename and records'Were sold to a group . which planned to continue manufacture of the non-asbestos product. The equipment was moved to Brunswick, Georgia, and two former GAF executives, Richard Henry and Reed Hughes, went to -3- MICH09059 Brunswick to start the operation. After several years' delay, the plant has become operational. It is now owned by a division of Dresser Industries, a major oil tool manufacturer and sup plier. Only non-asbestos Calsilite is manufactured. Paul A. Zevnik -4- M1CH09060 7. Bon-Atbestos Caliilitc In 1969, GAF began developing, and later perfected, a Caleilite product that did not contain asbestos, at least partly at the urging of aone government agencies and department#. The development of non-asbestos Calsilite was a closely-guarded secret and few people at GAF were aware of the progress toward non asbestos Calsilite, outside of the Quality Control Laboratory. In non-asbestos Calsilite, sulphite pulp was substituted for asbes tos. The resulting product met all criteria of federal, military and industry standards, except for weight loss during heat soaking. Zn 1970 and 1971, William Schwingen and Richard Henry attempted to obtain Navy approval of GAF's non-asbestos Calsilite for use on the Navy's ships. GAF demonstrated the product's safety and suitability and even had an independent laboratory per form tests for the Navy's benefit. However, the Navy, through the Naval Experimental Station in Annapolis, refused to adjust the weight-loss-during-heat-soaking criterion, and rejected non- 13/ Naturally, organic material such as sulphite would not experi ence the same weight loss during heat soaking as would inor ganic material. Weight loss during heat soaking, however, did not affect insulating ability. -12- MICH09061 Pai l Hastings. Janofsky & walkkk asbestos Calsilite. Thus, the Kavy in affect required the use of asbestos in pipe covering and lagging as late as 1971.--^ The Navy's rejection of non-asbestos Calsilite cane at the sane tine another era of the Navy -- the Naval Ship Engi neering Canter in Philadelphia -- was attempting to obtain non- asbestos products for use on the Navy's ships. An astonishing letter, dated Nay 5, 1969, addressed to GAP, provides a frank discussion of the asbestos problem, as well as revelation of the late date upon which the Navy's concern for the use of asbestos seems to have developed. The three-page letter begins as follows: "The serious hazards of asbestos have re cently received widespread publicity and have generated a high level of interest concerning its use by the U.S. Navy as an insulating mate rial. There are many varied uses of asbestos in the Kavy but the most disturbing, from a health hazard viewpoint, is that for piping and boiler insulation and lagging. The chief hazard exists wherever there is a possibility of dust evolution during operations such as fabrication, installation and especially during rip-out. "In order to minimize the hazards associ ated with the use of asbestos and therefore re duce the possibility of deleterious effects to the workers, a comprehensive study has been ini tiated by the Naval Ship Engineering Center, Hyattsville, Md., to investigate the feasibility of substituting alternate materials for asbestos used as lagging, piping and boiler Insulation."IS/ Nevertheless, after GAP successfully developed a non asbestos produet in response to such concerns, it was rejected. 14/ A file of 75 or so GAP documents confirms this result. 15/ The letter is attached as Exhibit S. -13 MICH09062 Pail Bastings. Jaxofsky & Valkea Without Wavy approval of the non-asbestos product, GAF determined ( to cease manufacturing Calsilite, and closing of the Calsilite plant was announced by GAF on October 14, 1971. I. Bale of the Calsilite Plant About a year after Its closing, the Calsilitejplant, equipment, patents, tradename and records were sold to a group beaded by George W. E. Foster, which planned to continue manufac ture of the non-asbestos product. The equipment was moved to Brunswick, Georgia, and two former GAF executives, Kiehard Henry and Heed Hughes, went to Brunswick to start the operation. After some delay, the plant apparently became operational, and was successful enough to have been purchased by Dresser Industries, a major oil tool manufacturer and supplier. It is now known as Calsilite Insulation, Inc., a Division of Dresser Industries. < Henry has since died, but Hughes is still with the operation. MICH09063