Document E9Em48Xkr8zzYDdanNpaMdQL

^p&JCONSUMERNOTES A sbestos Warning Given for Spackle } By FRANCES CERRA "-S. ' Do-it-yourselfers who re- , tad liter fa January, 1974. i pair their own plaster or Product* found to be without ' plaster board walla should i be aware of recent research l indicating that some com . monty available speckling compounds contain asbestos, , a substance that has been : linked to fatal cancers and ; serious lung diseases. . The Environmental Sclen- ces Laboratory at Manhat- ; tan's Mount Sinai' Hospital, t under the direction of Dr. Irving J. Selikoff, recently , released the results of tests* , of 15 kinds of spackle fast < had been purchased fa New I York City. Five were found asbestos were Red Top, Mur* alo. Patch Paste, Schalk, U- G-L Cerfez, Kex, New Kex, and Dap. Dr. Selikoff cau tioned thatthe product* on the.mariet today might con tain different ingredients.. - . Persons wishing to mini mize any risk should use only pasta spackle and should wear a mask when sanding. Most labels on spackle products do not dis close the constituents that went into them. , . Freezer Tests ' to contain appreciable i amounts of asbestos. (Soma of the samples were dunli- cate brands bought at differ ent times.) ' According to Dr. Selikoff, the union of drywail Tapers and Pointers of Greater New York called his attention to [Consumers Union, the fit organization that pub- shes Consumer ReportsMa gazine, tested six top-freezer models and 10 side-by-side models, Ml frost free/ and foundVvast differencesAn en ergy consumption. I The \top-freezer /models - the possibility that the .spackle might contain asbes tos. John Alfarone, an official used an average of ft33 ki lowatt Hpurs a month, while the siderby-sides uped 162 ' of the union, said some of kilowatt hours, about 20 per ] the members became ill and cent more. The magazine f were found to be suffering noted that the eide-by-iides (from. . asbestos - caused provided' sSg"hittilyy mhre apace`, diseases. . but .not 2ft per dfcnt .more. . As a result of Dr. Selikoff* The one iooUtabblirf exception findings, he said, his union go these findings Philco was members will no longer work the ted only llfe kilowatt with any spackle that con- . hours, making it as ecoSomi- tains asbestos, end will only cal as the most frugal of sand the dried spackle a the top-freezel firpes. (When they are provided with others factor!/ were taken masks. The asbestos in into account, however, Con- spackle is released into the sumers Union/tiid not rate air, according to Dr. Selikoff, th e Philco as aidbest buy.) when the dry forms are The mode]* jetted were mixed with water to make aH targe, from 17tto 20 cubic a paste and when any form feet But the engineers at of spackle is sanded. Consumers AJnionY said that Long-Rangt Study Dr. David RaU, director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Scien ces, aaid it was doubtful that someone doing a' small amount of speckling work at home was in any danger. But he aaid that someone redoing the walls of an entire house might be taking "an unnecessary risk." Extensive research1 on the results of long-range, low-level asbes tos exposure is' fa progress, he said.' ' , : A spokesman for UR Gyp* the same general principal-- that the /side-bylside use more electricity than top- freezer types--should apply to other azes as well) * The engineers alsoVhad an energy-saving tip forlpeopto who already own refrigera tors. Some models, they said, have a switch that makes it possible to tnm oft the anti -/condensation beaters, which keep moisture off the ior cabinet in humid weather. Turning that switch off/ could cut electricity je by about 15 per cent, suit your owner's manual sum, the manufacturer of one of the spackling brands found to contain asbestos,1 said the company was phas ing out the production of spackle with asbestos. A spot check of several Manhattan paint stores found cans of U-$. Gypsum's Texohje,, fqh the location of the twitch, if one exists. Turning K off will cause iondensation to form on the lUtside of the refrigerator, larticularly fa hot humid leather. . j -^Consumer Booklet Which contains from 10 per cent asbestos, ttik Have you ever wondered white was the proper oooau- on the market Also found mer protection agency to call -was another VS. Gypsum -when Won have'* problem? product called ~ Durabond The NeV York City Depart Paste Speckling, fehich was ment oK Consumer Affairs labeled" Caution: Contains has just released an updated. - asbestos fivers. Avoid creat version ohf booklet that, ing dust Breathing asbestos can end youKquandry. Called -dust may cause serious bodi "Tele - help?'\becaused K ly harm." . giv-e--s---t-h-e----p-h--o--n--k, numbers of The other products found th- e vari'ous ag< ` along :by Dr. Selikoff to contain with )heir ' `' it is asbestos wen Perf A Tape, available for 35 cipts from Metro and Arvon. The Perf Dr. /Lilly Brock, director of A Tape was counted twice consumer education 'by D. Selikoff, because it department, at 80 1 'was purchased and tested Sgeet, New Yolk, H-Y- twice, once in 1972 or earlier. UCC 013153