Document 10Kno0KGbggL1DLwE7xVgKVQZ

Says a LiC./SO/? (j7At)J'iU Jokes') Jju; NEW YORK - The-Asbestos Information Association of North America, representing eight of the largest asbestos industries in this country, mid at a press conference Tuesday that their product is safe and poses no hazard to the public's health. President of the AIANA Harold McNabb told reporters that because heavy prolonged exposure to asbestos dust is an occupational health hazard "some scientists, government officials end writers have made ;m illr-'ival uvne that nava. if asbestos oust has a poh-nlini to cause tiiera.ee i:i those who work with it, then it must have a similar potential ter (ha general public." .Mr. McNabb who .also is the president of Certain - toed Products Correration. noted that " all of the scion1.,uc facts that v.n 'maw about, indwal-e thal....arhe-rtcs per *3 i:* l:::u;ud to the ceucral public." The Ai.'.N \ p: eoiti-r.t to-'.d reporters ft the Imuith hazard to '/,hees :v>. f ;ctuai:s and :u:u-` .au; a. run emr ; 'k. i r.'i i'-r; -a r.l industrial hy;;u:'.r pi a.rtu-v.. The a: : '.ns iudiis'ry, .n- parenily usyondi'-sg to public pres.-ure coming from sources such as Ralph Metier's office, called the press conference to denounce the claim that asbestos is "more dangerous than cigarettes." The AI.'.N A was formed to "correct erroneous im pression.-." of the nature of the problems associated with asbestos; .and to "com municate the facts about asbestos, ;mtl about industry efforts and accomplishments in identifying and controlling, asbestos health hazards". The organization says its * objectives are to "disseminate information on the uses of asbestos", and to "publicly rebut irresponsible criticism." Association members did much to discredit what they call "erroneous and damaging impressions" in the public mind. For example, said Bill Rcines secretary of the association and director of public relations for the Johns - Manville Cor poration, it is "not true" that asbestos is a major air pollutant. There is presently n > known evidence of hazard to the to the minute amounts of asbestos that may be present in the community air", said Mr. Heines. The association secretary noted that small quantities of asbestos from natural sources may have existed in (he am bient air fer "thousands, perhaps millions of years." Therefore, claimed Mr. Heines, since man has evolved into his present form in an .atmosphere containing some asbestos, "he obviously can to'crate sum.!'.. quantities ot the nmler:?.'. ir. the air wi-'eh ha I........ " "Tim (act is", real Mr. Heine:;, "that there is no evidence that i--yone in the genera', public Las eve.- ecu- l; acted r. disc arc from ex posure to minute r.v.~.w':s of r.sbcztcr. that exists in the community air. Mr. Itoir.cs turihcr discredited the "crronccus imprerrieu" thr-t oa.ee ar,!;:.;tes gets iu'.o me lunge, all of it rcir.oins fcrr.ver. "The vast maieritv of ti e axh'j:" :into Ike he"; : U far large to cr : r. ::s ::sr. Dr. i-'iv.l rru-'s.':;'!:, vice prcMf'.rn; of nsratek im.j ccwlcusmi-i for li;j Job::::- Manvitle Corp., said that the asbestos fibers which remain in the be:iy undergo a "biological change," but that it is im possible to determine what damage the f:bc:s inflict on the body. Dr. George V'right, director of research for St. Luke's Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, agreed with Dr. Fundsack that it car.nct be determined how much damage is done to the body by the fibers that stay in the body. All participating AIANA members spent much time explaining why the industry continues its research con cerning the asbestos dust hazard on public and oc cupational health. Mr. Heines, spooking for the AIANA, assured the reporters dial "asbestos concentrations in both the workplace and in the community air can, and in most cases are'being satisfactorily controlled, and there is therefore no reason lb ban the use of asbestos 'containing products."i Mr. Reines' concluded by saying that a ban of asbestos products "is completely un necessary and would serve only CAPCO KIN 0001186