Document 65v6L4e8pjoZ53nreNoMrKQ96

Johns-Manville Sales Corporation P. O. Box 9067 2430 East 223rd Street Long Beach, Calif. 90810 (213)775-3451,834-6471 July 31, 1975 Gentlemen: It is Johns-Manville's intention to eliminate valve bags for asbestos fiber by January 1, 1976. After this date only float grades of fiber will be available in valve bags. ~ The environmental issues have become very pertinent in the labor strike in Thetford and whereas Johns-Manville's Jeffrey mill is in good shape environmentally, the one major exception is the valve packaging area. We are of the opinion that the workers in this area might refuse at any given time to fill any more valve bags. . From the users viewpoint the valve bag offers few, if any, advantages. After many years of work we 'nave not been able to develop a valve bag that does not leak. Valve bags also make unstable unitized loads with considerable breakage and bag damage during transit. These factors create poor housekeeping conditions, a major contributing factor to unacceptably high asbestos dust counts. The development of shrinkwrapping and special pallets ha.*; lessened some of the oust problems with valve bags but we feel the additional cost to the customer for this special packaging could be pur to better use by investing in equipment for -hand ling and opening p'-essure packed bags. Other factors also justify a switch from valve bags to pressure packed bags, i.e., savings in time for unloading a car or truck, less warehouse space necessary, and ease of handling pressure packed bags. We are aware that this policy change places a considerable burden on our valve bag customers to develop a means by which they can handle pressure packed bags. To this end we have developed a considerable amount of information in this area and are prepared to work with you in making the conversion from valve bags to pressure packed bags. If one of our representatives has hot already contacted you to discuss this subject please do not hesitate to contact him. KMX 01683 2 We consider this program important to the continued safe handling of asbestos and consider January 1, 1976 as a reasonable deadline. Very truly yours. KMX 01684