Document 93qVbGkq2JDYJYmQMNmZKYx9q

~3 Cnviml nKin.it Action Murch 20. 1071 ^`GeCjtunking Madison Ave While asbestos protects against many hazards in our tcchnolotjical society, its use presents other serious hazards. Most vulnerable arc the miners anu factory workeis who have an ab normally high propensity towards lung and cancer diseases, presumably caused by long-term asbestos fiber inhalation. When asked why their ad fails to deal with this subject, or.o representa tive of Johns-Manvillc said, "I don't believe asbestos is hazardous to the general public." Current studies indicate, however, that the dangers of asbestos dust can extend to non-workers. One 1969 re port on pollutants by Litton Systems, Inc., cstimtttes that 100,090 asbestos workers, 3.5 million workers in related industries, and approximately 50 million other Americans have been exposed to asbestos and could have fibers in their lungs. Asbestos is unique. Given its strength, ht-2t rcsiance, flexible fibers, and adsorption powers, it is not surpt ising that industria lists h3ve found an estimated 3,000 uses for this material, many of which are found in the average household. Asbestos cement pipe and board are used for sewage pipelines, wallboards, and roof partitions. Asbestos plasties, friction products, and textiles can function as ironing board covers, floo1- tiles, brake and kiln linings, filters for beer or medicines, fireproof rugs and curtains, etc. As bestos spray arid paper insulation protect boilers, pipes, and even manhole covers from vibration, heat arid fire. But before other workers can put asbestos fibers to construc tive use, asbestos workers must ic-fine the mineral deposits into manageable, marketable forms. Anri fai from enjoying the protec tive qualities of asbestos themselves' they are continually ex pos-."! to possible inhalation cf asbestos dust. Once loose airborne libcis lodge in the l>.jng, they remain thcie permanently. Johns-f/ianville, the largest U.5. manufacturer of asbestos pro ducts, new admits that theie are occupational hazards associated with the continuous inhalation cf asbestos fibers. They have con tributed funds for a research program on workers health being lead by Dr. Irving Solikcff, Professor of environmental Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in Mew York and a leacing authority on asbestos hazards. But as late as 1962, Dr. Sciikoff wrote to many of the largest asbestos manufacturers in the L.'nited States and was unable to obtain employee health records from any r>( them. Only when he contacted the Asbestos Workers Union did he find co operation to begin extensive studies of workers. it may ccem odd that Johns-fvianvilie does not mention their research efforts in their promotional advertisement. But mention of any health hazards might interfere with Johns-Mcnville's cur rent efforts to disclaim any responsibility or even knowledge of possible hazards to those outside.of the work environment. Furthermore, in spite of recorded lung diseases in asbestos wor kers as far back as early Greek history, industry has rot succeeded in lowering tins high number of disease victims each year. As early as 192'1, Dr. W.E. Cocke, an Fnglish physician, coined the word "asbestesis" to describe .the unusual fibrous lung rear ring which' had been found in sweial asbestos workers. By 199'J, a susptiied link between ..sbestos fiber inhalation arid lung cancer v.-as strong ly supported by Diehard B. Dull's report that workers exposed to heavy concentration', ol asbestos dirst for over twenty years had approximately 13 times more lung cantv: than expected. Then, in ICtYJ, studies by Dr. .1. Ch:islonhar W.v r-.er in otv.-avl'Cvlos mining area in South Africa revealed 'lit cases of n-t-othriiom.-i, an extremely rare cancer uf the ci.vsl nr abdor.rnai cavity usually found in only nne . >ut of 10,009 rc.-topsies. (!y 1 391, Wagn-a h.i.J diagn;>:<<! mesoiiiefinttu cases, and all but i*v.i had hid .cent: exposu: e to ash -stes.In an article in Diviiotunuiii iTtagj/.i:ii: March 1969, Dr. Selikoff said that the mesothelioma tumors, i longer rare, arc so common among asbestos workers "as :o aims- constitute a tumor specific to asbestos exposure." In spite of Dr. Selikoif's bek:( that all asbe: tor.i; cop.'d !': ininnted, and in spite of Johns-Ma-nvillc's claim ill-" nv:y now !:; effective monitoring and ventilation ct;iri:;rnsnt, one our of r'l asbestos workers still dies of lung cancer, one out of *"c. of a-.lr tosis, one out'of ten of mesothelioma, and one-out oi tun of y. trninlestirul cancer. To deal with the increasing public awareness of dieie medic findings, Johns-Mnrivilia's. latest promotional effort was in j-. with sown other asbestos product; r.v.r.u'uclivias t'> for:'., the A bvstos lnioincitinn Ajsocialinii/i'.V.n'i A.-nrno.i It u operate hurt Hit! and Ifnn'.vkr.n, liu:., a l.'cgi: pul,lie re!-.-,: .ns t'u in New York. In their first press release dated March 2, l'--.7 AIA/MA expl-.ined thal"snme icientisf-, iiiaunm-.-n' i.f.i-.l.'l:a. wi itc-rs lave made an illogical jump" in .-ssuming that iu/artl-.iiis to the geneial public. bc-carisi' it is an ucirn.ai.vn CAPCO KIN 0000602 nan'th hazaid. Mr. i lorold f/.cN-.b'.i from Certain -Teed Products Corporation, now president of AIA/NA, said the formation of the iftvv group represents "th.-i industry's efforts to .doia our side of he information gap." Gut certainly a gap exists if the industry Joes not fu-ii obligator! to warn die public of the dangers associn- .cd with heavy :Lt ir inhalation. In a f.tc.t; folder on asbestos r,n.| health recently distributed by AIA/NA. usbevto-.-is is described rs a di-.cass `dial develops in wor-` .ns "only cfui ii'iiil.iiinr. of excessive concen!rat:ons of asbestos fust over a p'rlod t-'i-it .r:siage: 1 7 years....!'! t) does not occur a- long ll.pop'Ubili ju.' Gut ti.'S Staii'nliei.l ;S (t-.iollficcl by -its.- fact !::..c -. il--'t'.!:t.:<r-:i is mu yet possible:>: cannot d-v- -(.! the fine .-ivi,-;; i! l:-s up lets '.. twenty y.-.:. otli'sr wc. d<, ihui-ih the eondbiur: is I wr.-wd 'asne-s'.r.sis" :nlil it i- d-Antil.tin: lirst sc.'is begin years bi''.:.-v. Purth'.-ii-ir.ie. ii'.Vaii-ei's :.'u:!.es -.bowed -hat many of those with i!:soti'.;'ir:i.-e v/i-re not winkers tl.c:r.su!fi-.; -.0111: had liv*:'.; in t'-ker-,' oihi-is had t<v^<I raid j;.'.iyu! m.-ai mills and hnvironnwnu)/Action -t.Urch 20, 107i 9 "Jfi plants. It is entirely possible, then, that members o( the'general'< public may unknowingly inhale sufficient numbers of asbestos fi-t* ' bers to increase their susceptibility to cancer. - Legislation has not yet been very effective. The Occupational' Health and Safety Act of 1970 only pissed with modifications weakening its effect. And though a standard of five libers per cu bic centimeter is recommended, the threshold limit forairbourno fibers remains at five million-particles per cubic loot, an old stan dard incapable of reducing disease levels to expected rates. But .bhns-Manvillc can make some improvements without legislative assistance. At picscnt, there are approximately 15 hy gienists in four hygiene labs responsible for monitoring the environment of all of Johns-.Vbnville's 21,000 worker; and for controlling dust emissions. Such a staff is appallingly inadequate. Mr. Edward Hennar, Director of Environmental Control ct Johns- Manville, knew of no woiker education programslis such, though- they are listed by AlA/MAV-s a-control. Safety meetings are held,- but they may be as short as five minutes each week. Mo specifies were FV.iih-blc-from the company on the amount of monitoring ccjuipinc.it actually in use, the selection -'j.-i'l p; recti'age of . rnoriiidrc J, c-r the regularity of monitoring cr. each job. If Jolins-Mrinville, with an expressed interest in workers liealth, is unable to state specifically how-control procedures arc carried out, what protection is guaranteed the general public for which the company does not yet feel responsible?' Unprotected demolition of buildings can release large amounts of asbestos dust, ilncontioiled spraying of asbestos by insulation workers on construction sites is a potential danger to oth.r wor kers and passers-by. Several cities may fo'low Philadelphia's example and ban the process, altogether. Pet fifteen years, Mr. A'bcit Hutchinson, international nr.-sldc.ic ut the As bestos Workers Union, lis? br.::i pointing run ti-.t.I-.? sards o-! -si.si tes jv'.ocx:! inside air ducts a; inu-h-tic... Fibers v-:!i g.ad-.i.Ii; ...cde and be dispersed by the central air concl'tic-v'.-'j system to effect everyone working within the modern high-risn building. In foci, the prescnca of fibers ir. the lu.y: d-..ring rout!.-.-: autop sies led Dr. ?r:;i'<off to state over a year ago: "I can say ncv. that people who live in cities have asbestos in their lungs." Whit > most scientists currently believe that.lpw-lsvt.1 exposure to asbestos '> harmless, the possibility that portions of the public are highly ex posed r.oo'd further research. In several places in the facts folder. A!A/HA states that thcie is no evidence that anyone "in the genera! pub Pc lias ever contracted any disease from exposure to wearing or weathering of Irak.-. ings, floor tile, loofing, wall c.r ceiling pansis, or similar astc-Las-- contcinir.g items." True, most asbestos product', intended for u-.'iiaral public use, such as the clothing in the ad, are coated anti therefore not consi dered harmful. The fibers'remain "locked in" as long as the ma terial is not torn or ripped apart during u.r. Rut the products containing loose fibers which arc also mat k-:tesl to the public vs- never mentioned. And several cases of mesothelioma have- been .e- poited in people who have had only limited exposure to osh.-stus years before. One 14-year old boy had helped hi-, father cut plas terboard for a remodeling fob.. Another ni..n lutl sprayed a ,u.;s- tos on boilers in his home. Other times, asbesios v/orkvis lin-ught fiber; homo on llx-ir clothing. Insecticides, fertiliru.-s, ar.d talcum cosmetics l.-v/e all boon known to contain |n-iic- asbestos h'li-.-i t. It has cvei been reported that some kinrioigr.: ton children were al lowed 'v mix asbestos fibers with -v.ter as a clay -.ui-Kiituto. In all o! ih:so cases, the persons in com.:'.' v.-ilii loose a in.-' :os flurl could liava liven wam.-d to. use caution cud p.op'r vwi.i1..- tion. If JohiivM-.iivillc would admit possible harard to the pub lie and sung -st '-.fety prerautions, they wouid no' iiave to 1 ;';,it the public I'.-i.iuons battle they an: creating lor ilienvielves. Avery VavAr CAPCO KIN 0000603