Document BR4VMDOeYRr8qwgGLv5pKdaQE

Horticultural Products CAMBRIDGE 06151035 TO: 0. M. Favorito FROM: M. DiBenedictis DATE: November 8, 1978 CC: J. R. Becker, Jr E. M. Hagerman V. R. Hanlon D. M. fCirven Recently, the Schundler Corporation, regional expanders of African grade vermiculite, while exhibiting at trade shows has alluded that Terra-Lite Vermiculite contains an asbestos contaminant and the African grade is "asbestos free". On display in the Schundler booth were various grade samples of expanded African vermiculite in shallow containers. Above each container was the caption, "vermiculite, no asbestos". In addition, Schundler has displayed clippings from news articles; specifically an article where Peter Grace responded to questions on the vermiculite/asbestos issue saying that Grace "would divest it self of vermiculite interests" if asbestos became a major problem. The highly visible samples, clippings and comments by Schundler has created confusion among distributors, their customers and our own sales force. Until recently, the contaminant issue was low key. Suddenly, the posture of the African expander to focus attention to this problem is of immediate concern to us. Furthermore, their position is no longer regionalized, but is widespread as evidenced by the attached article. The perplexity of the issue is predicated by our research through independent sources that a contaminant as defined by OSHA 1910.1001 is evident in deposits of African vermiculite. If they (African) are oblivious as to our conclusions, then some action necessitates apprising them of our findings. Should you require any further assistance from me, please call. MD:dpr Attachment M. -dictis J 0(s151036 j FLOWEfC NEWS/QROWERS DIGEST '`3 > -W i i, 8 a. -S tu ?Q-o* S.& oSj: * 9-0 c - ( :S 1.* sis' * c >*g_ - COTJ-OS = c a >2-c S i-1 =-a! =->>!K(' rcocooSdrSa3 OVgi3 oa --Oft <D Sgmm << ;' o> a. 5?e! ;=X<o j' la^ s. r C35 >.g.C. Lf UI^SJ =--a Srr m oE< : g-gjr sss: lillll 4J O) W t5^ o-o "ot o"* -- C -- -- gj <20 5 ao -co--m c -#o c aw cE _ ao 5 <n jc O j3J 2ax*oxj ua-. x -2 il-SSSI.!!? f-o t*-"**- `Skills?.-3bS i^*.-v5sS 5S 5 g . * g = -8..S&*=1 ?SS iJf'aS'88 . t, . *Zf'i** I,'* , < ' `.5 I'* '5 *s O) . cJ - 1 CD .is ., S* a> 3 ^o>2 co S5 SOyH . ' .-- 0 is; S^ * 1 ii , .S liljs J 1 fll> 2 I *. %.. ..*V ' * i 4*+v* r*. !*'?. * . r 5Ss5-!5 S^-Sc-^aSPos-S?3*s3i-vs6 ! co sl!il!lif4 -1 . " , Ui uj s Q>1ijXm5" l_</>0;cS2 os*" -z . 4 1= z -- October 14.1978 . ' '