Document 107dRYBJoQpq58Xqd5YOby4dm

FILE NAME: Asbestos International Association (AINT) DATE: 1978 Dec 19 DOC#: AINT008 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: AINT Letter to Grace Industry Chemicals RE Problems with Labeling Initiative [Note - Many originals are on legal size paper so text looks small when reprinted on 8.5x11 paper] (o ; ASBESTOS INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION 68 GLOUCESTER PLACE, LONDON WiH jHL, ENGLAND E.E.C. ADVISORY COUNCIL OF THE A.I.A. World Trade Centre-Box 37, Bd. E. Jacqmain, 162, B --Brussels Tel: 318 . 63. 29 Telex: 21696 Finter B Telephone: 01-486 3528/9 Telegrams: lntag London Teiex: Inti G 298618 December 19, 1978. Ref. : A.IA/EEC/B-9.I. GRACE INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS, Rue M a r te r e y , 5 CH - 1005 - LAUSANNE. INC. To t h e a t t e n t i o n o f Mr. A . E . DAMBACH. Dear Mr. Dambach, ' I h a v e b e e n i n f o r m e d by Mr. Schwermer (WVAZ, ^Germany) that the problem which arose around your la b e llin g in it i a t i v e i s now s a t i s f a c t o r i l y s e t t l e d a f t e r c o n t a c t s you had w i t h him and w ith Mr. Mohr ( S w i t z e r l a n d ) . In confirm ation of the inform ation M essrs. Schwermer and Mohr, and in order to g i v e n moment I g o t i n v o l v e d i n t h i s m a t t e r , my s i d e w o u l d , I t h i n k , be h e l p f u l . g iv e n _to you by explain why, at a a few words from - Some t i m e ag o I was a s k e d by t h e A s b e s t o s I n t e r n a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n , L o n d o n , t o i n q u i r e ( i n my q u a l i t y o f S e c r e t a r y to th e EEC A d v is o r y C o u n c i l o f th e A . I . A . ) , about a r e q u e s t _ fo r l a b e l l i n g by a d is t r ib u t o r in Europe of asbestos containing goods m anufactured in the U . S . A . by Union C arb ice Corn. - The i n f o r m a t i o n I g ot was t h a t th e d i s t r i b u t o r had r e q u e s te d t h e m a n u f a c t u r e r t o l a b e l , from J a n u a r y 1979 onwards, a s b e s t o s goods s h ip p e d to th e EEC, w ith th e EEC l a b e l f o r harm fu l substances. - As a s b e s t o s i s , h o w ev er, n o t ( y e t ) i n c l u d e d in The EEC l i s t _ o f ( a b o u t 700) h a r m f u l s u b s t a n c e s , A l A ' s EEC A d v i s o r y C o u n c i l ( A IA / E A C ) was o f t h e o p i n i o n t h a t t h i s i n i t i a t i v e was i n a p p r o p r i a t e , th e more so as th e AIA/EAC i s i t p r e s e n t p r e p a r i n g an ad h o c i n t e r n a t i o n a l a s b e s lOS l a b e l . - I th erefore trie d to contact the d is tr ib u to r , and, in the b e l i e f ( b a s e d on a p p a r e n t l y wrong i n f o r m a t i o n ) t h a t i t was a _ f ir m based in Germany, I asked our German AIA/EAC_r e p r e s e n t a t i M r . S c h w e r m e r , t o a s s i s t me t o h e l p and l o c a t e t h i s f i r m . - Meanwhile i t became c l e a r t h a t the m atter had evolved in such a way t h a t i t was f i n a l l y a U . S . f i r m w a n tin g t o _use a U . S . l a b e l (OSHA) on i t s a s b e s t o s b a g s , s h ip p e d t o S w i t z e r l a n d , so th a t i t became a m atter f u l l y beyond the competence of AIA s EEC A d v i s o r y C o u n c i l , s i n c e i t i n v o l v e d n e i t h e r an EEC l a b e l , nor an EEC m a n u fa c t u r e r o r d i s t r i b u t o r . ` JHM 074 11 Page 2 of our l e t t e r dated 19.12.78 t o GRACE INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS, I n c . - A s , no d o u b t, Mr. Schwermer and Mr. Mohr w i l l have p o in t e d out to you, most North American f ib r e producers a r e , at p r e se n t, s h i p p i n g a s b e s t o s bags t o EEC which c o n t a i n a w a r n in g , but not a la b e l. - The a s b e s t o s l a b e l A I A ' s EAC i s now p r e p a r i n g , i s i n t e n d e d f o r b e in g ^ u se d , as a f i r s t s t e p , i n s i d e the EEC, but AIA i s endeavouring to gain world wide acceptance o f th is la b e l, so as t o make i t a t r u l y s t a n d a r d i s e d and i n t e r n a t i o n a l o n e. The d e c i s i o n on when t o s t a r t t h e use o f t h i s l a b e l i s l e f t to each in d ivid u al country. j - In view o f th is future use o f a standardised asbestos la b e l unanim ously approved by the i n t e r n a t i o n a l a sb e sto s in d u s tr y , A IA f e e l s t h a t t h e use o f any o t h e r k i n d o f l a b e l on a s b e s t o s bags by i n d i v i d u a l companies s h o u l d , in th e meantime, be a v o i d e d . We f e e l i n d e e d t h a t t h e g e n e r a l i s e d use o f a t r u l y i n t e r n a t i o n a l l a b e l i s th e o n ly way to a v o i d th e EEC a u th o r i t i e s fromjimposing upon the a s b e sto s in d u s try the use o f the EEC " t o x i c s u b s t a n c e " l a b e l ( i . e . th e s k u l l and c r o s s - b o n e s ) . I hope t h i s summary c l e a r s up A I A ' s and E A C ' s v ie w s on b o th y o u r l a b e l l i n g i n i t i a t i v e and on l a b e l l i n g i n g e n e r a l . I n ^ c a s e you would l i k e t o ask more i n f o r m a t i o n on any s p e c i f i c p o i n t in c o n n e c tio n w ith t h i s m a t t e r , p l e a s e f e e l f r e e to do s o . ' Gur s e c r e t a r i a t i s a l s o a t y o u r e n t i r e d i s p o s a l f o r any EEC j matter not concerning la b e llin g . Yours f a i t h f u l l y , The S e c r e ta r y , c c . S i r N e v i l le STACK, D ir e c to r General A . I . A . , London. J HM 074 12