Document 6wJ9nkOg6gwJB5D29DzQJwvjE

CONTACT: Nancy L. Battle Lewis & Gilman, Inc. (215) 568-3775 A/C Pipe ProducersAssociation 1600 Wilson Boulevard Arlington, Virginia 22209 ~ Telephone 841-1556 Area Code 703 A/C PIPE PRODUCERS SERVE A PUBLIC NEED In 1913, the coastal town of Genoa, Italy, needed water for fire protection and street washing. Ocean water, readily available, could not be transported because of the lack of an available piping material that could withstand the corrosive action of salt water for long periods of time. From this simple but vital human need came the development of asbestos-cement (A/C) pipe. Asbestos fibers were combined with cement to produce a reinforced pipe more stable and corrosion-resistant, durable and dependable, than any existing metallic water pipe. Today, there are over 2,000,000 miles of A/C pipe in use worldwide. A/C pipe manufacturing began in the U.S. in 1929. The industry estimates that there are more than 300,000 miles of asbestos-cement water pipe in use in the U.S. and another 50,000 miles serving the public in Canada. As the use of A/C pipe grew, there was a corresponding demand for technical and educational information. To fulfill this need, a group of manufacturers formed the Association of Asbestos-Cement Pipe Producers, more commonly known as the A/C Pipe Producers Association. The Association was incorporated in 1972 to promote, on an industry-wide basis, the acceptance - 1- CTD001540 and use of A/C pipe. All A/C pipe manufacturers in the United States and Canada, and corporations in Mexico, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Greece, Italy, India, Australia, South Africa and Kuwait are members of the Association. The Association's mission is undertaken through implementation of programs geared to the water and sewer utility industry, engineers, municipal officials and the water-consuming public. These activities are designed to provide industry, regulatory and consumer audiences with information about asbestos-cement pipe. PUBLIC AFFAIRS The A/C Pipe Producers Association has a number of "publics" to which it must be responsive: utility managers and operators, consulting engineers, elected officials, interest groups and the general public. The Association prepares publications and audio-visual programs describing A/C pipe products. It advertises on behalf of the industry and participates in conventions, meet ings and workshops. Along with outside public relations counsel, the Association prepares and distributes information to newspapers, magazines, and broadcast media. Public affairs activities also embrace government relations. The Association works closely with government agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and Provincial agencies in Canada, among others, to monitor research and regulatory activities - 2- CTD001541 relating to asbestos and A/C pipe. It issues reports describing and interpreting government documents and pending legislation. The industry group participates in administrative and rulemaking proceedings and offers expert testimony before state and federal agencies and legislatures on all matters relating to A/C pipe. The Association approaches health issues in a straight forward and objective manner. A major industry commitment is to provide healthful and safe work places for its employees and its customers who install A/C pipe. It underwrites in dependent research studies, and publishes the results as a public service to consumers, the industry, technical and en gineering communities, and governmental and regulatory agencies. Audio-visual training programs are also produced to educate customers about procedures for the safe handling of A/C pipe products. Through planned workshops/seminars the organization pro vides continuing information and state of the art education to water utilities and the general public. - 3- CTD001542 TECHNICAL AFFAIRS The Association collects and analyzes, through research or field surveys, data to substantiate the performance of A/C water and sewer pipe. Technical assessments of matters affecting the design, manufacture, field application and use of A/C pipe are made. The Association also conducts in-house and contract market surveys to keep current with new product uses, applica tions, changing design criteria and performance requirements. These activities provide input and support to public affairs programs. Bulletins about A/C pipe are published periodically, and contain technical data and references essential to the evaluation and selection process for the product. The Association also develops technically-oriented audio/ visual programs. Similarily, association literature on non technical matters common to water and waste water systems, re gardless of construction materials used, are made available at no cost to educational institutions. The Association participates in the development of national and international performance standards and specifications for A/C pipe. In fulfilling this role, the Association maintains a complete file of engineering design criteria for the testing, application and use of A/C pipe and competitive products. -4- CTD001543 Specifications for A/C pipe are also made available to a variety of interested groups including: the engineering community; national, international and regional associations; public utility officials who specify and use water and sewer pipe; and governmental and regulatory agencies. -5- CTD001544 John F. Welch Director-Public Affairs A/C Pipe Producers Association CTD001545