Document ExpN3pLQVa1DNMEywz2GLmyxV

R-rw.*. iI*l $ t tp % 2?. 4 MMiiM t=y. y7nrt -" F,U r _*^ MEMORANDUM 0^157347 December 5, 1979 TO: F. W. Eaton FROM: 0. M. Favorite RE: Sittenfield Associates Attached please find a letter dated November 29, 1979 received from Lisa Barrera in the Assessment Division, Chemical Review and Evaluation Branch of EPA confirming our meeting.on Tuesday, December^,!!, 1979 at 2:00 P.M. in Room * 1209/ E a s t'rOwerffi?0~1^^ eff1e 11 er*-als o*setsgy^a^j^aiy^. out the additional specificy.information EPA is requesting. Also enclosed please find a report submitted by Calculon entitled "Occupational Hazards of Vermiculite" prepared by i * Susan Hunsicker and Marcus Sittenfield dated November 4, 1979. Much of the report is devoted to Grace's vermiculite operations. OMF/rj Enclosures cc: E. S. WoodR. M. Vining R. Locke 0. 'M. Favorito M&i&iiii 061573*8 David C. Evans, Esquire 1150 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 900 Washington, D.C. 20036 N.W. Dear Hr. Evans, ThiSj.letter is to confirm our telephone conversation regarding the planned visit to the EPA by'representatives of WiR. Grace and Company. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 11, 197 9, at 2 pm in room 1209, East Tower. Our address is 401 H Street S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460. Topics to be discussed at the meeting will include: ^`^^^?'7lV^1pIl^n,t^lr{fbWaMbu^tfsiK:lr*d^s^c^ic"pr0cess^el;ate^|*nsalr3rtrr^ work areas. We are, interested in looking at process flow diagrams of your various plants. (2) monitoring data, especially available data on measured asbestos and vemiculite exposure levels at each work station. (3) employee information with regard to the 420 hourly employees mentioned in the Calculon report. For example, what process-related work areas are they invol'ved in, vriiat is the duration of their shifts, and are they rotated between work stations during shifts? (4) analytical methods, specifically, the methods you used to analyze the vemiculite samples. A copy of the report prepared by Calculon is attached. Any additional comments concerning this report are welcome. i Harry Teitelbaum, Ph.D., Robert Carton, Ph.D. , and I will beQ(jUl*736d attending the'meeting from our division. We look forward to meeting with you and discussing these issues. Please feel free to call me if you have any questions. Very truly yours, dW (iaxxexa. Attachment Lisa Barrera Assessment Division Chemical- Review and Evaluation Branch (TS-792) 222Z38ES JuTtegiM liar i \aas8r&(z7i g' Tt sar!: I' OCCCTATIOXAL TL'dJiknH or VZJeUCCIITS Kovcnhrrr 14," 15?9 ' ' COKXRACT SO. <58-01-3899 ..' ;'^:n S/ : ';XASK. SO. 29 . , (CALC -*601-123) * * ' * . \ 0*" * + ' ; 1. .Sobol LLed Co: s:- -. ; ' Mlehitel_ Weaver . v*-- Offlee: o .Toxic Snhsr.mccs HhwlronnfriiCii PXoc.ection Agency vr- ; >* * v; : J'repAred by: ^V'vV' >:' i.r-i.r'f.Z . \ . .:.v ` :.f- s.^'-V- . 'V yj>V ..'."-c :. '* "' >;>/....' . :V . -c Q615737C Fomwty... AUE28ACH Associates, Inc. 121 North Broad Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107 : v, ' - j;! . ' ?.:&fe'iiv :': J ':!:iiiiiSi:!:i:iMS2:.; !& 06157371 I. USES AKP OSERS (Ref. 1,2.3,4) Veraleullce Is used primarily la the building Industry, where it serves a number of functions. It is used as an aggregate in making light weight coacrees for construction besss and. roof decks. It is also used to make fireproof coatings and insulating materials. Sines 1976, it has basn used Increasingly as building Insulation, due to heightened demand for all forms of home.* insulation, and tightened supply of ocher insulating materials. Varcdccllte also serves as an insulatiny medium in steel mills to permit molcaa ingots to cboi slowly to prevent formation of a "pipe". Another important use ares for veraiculite is In horticulture and sericulture where.it* is a component: of special soil preparations and a f ertilissor carrier. Additionally,' It is-used, as a.component of sine sealants, an Table r'siicw consumption-patterns for exfoliated vemiculire by ' '- -- use category.v- In' addition',. about 21,000; tons of crude vernicullce were eot>*m*d in 1977 for various, end uses without exfoliation. ?-. - ' ' .................................................... ' ; S' r- : :* : - * v.:. .v*/ ...'..t * * * . :>.* - r k*... . ...--.v*.. . \; * yrr^rrr 06157372 -4 O' n <n o i 2g. O mo N 01 .' om mO*t V4)H ' to ino n. on O O CO OCS o\ m* >h :> ' ;-r r* O-. "T ' :>. 11. gO* VO r oo ao o co ca oVO m o f m m * r-m. CO c>r^ CO o o CO c V c *i5 mo r* !' *' * , . * -v*-. - V itno o-c"raft-n. '-":' S 2"1 >, ./ - v rv* ' * & o *oti r* o 3KCCQO PO n n tno r u CM u * * K *>v l ' .*fc "rn : r ..* 4f- -V- ... ' ^M A' . . M o n **. 'OO' oe oo oo o oo o o o O' mco N . '*;. *... r -v /*-** : - 'S4.V-V;. :. /*.ri . . ; r- svgi ;' oV . r . . * ^ y-,, ; ' - -\<y.-X" -.`V V tHa U 06 8 < utoo ttoo taXvo oc a- aa O H to O 6. 6. tOo O-* H3 e 9Oa .SUoC Jtuo< o -< a to n tm Ho .. a o to 3 e too eco >4 e" ttoo a u mm t9o 4to4 U a M. cn S3 u to 44 M K 99 3 ue tt O u Mz tHo => -4 o ttoo U. V .o H mS m* u Oo Oi M J2 OS . S- K -9HC-T4----~ L> V>S4 s HO Oteo C C k C6 k e a soa 4u to o t* 4X4 a oato o 3a. 9 o 44 s oto. > Oa3 > * ue .. KAKUFACTUHZRS 2,3,4) 06157373 There, are five companies dning verdculicc in Che Uni red Srncu. They ere American Versiculica, Southland Vemicolire, Virginia Vemiculita, V, R. Grace Co., and a one-nu operation in Travelers Rest, S. C. About 80S of Che carter a controlled by Crane, who calls exfoliated vemlcallte as well as ths crude ore. Is addition to Graced there-are seise 17 cocpanles located is urban areas throughout- the-United States where vezsleullte is exfoliated. They have scalier overall operations than Grace,., with gross businesses of $2 million, or lesa annually. '"V.--';.,.- : ^ - .. . ` ` '* 'i ; " ' Other prodiicts manufactured by: these-, cocpanles include the horti cultural and building materials prepared ac blending sices. Varying aaouscs of veraicullcc are mixed with;concrete, "pear coca, clay or other materials, depending on the finished product desired. - " . ;. . A-. V-:* Usage of -vezsieollte for agricultural purposes and building insolation .tends to be seasonsl^.vitjrsalcus'peaklng- in- the fall. Greater seasonality is evident is northern scatesbecauseof *a shorter-growing season and diminished - building .canscruetlon^durin.it,the` v: 'dons usually remain fairly-, eons tan seasonaall dosand.. '1 \ ________t&V^jStperntBCB&r a stockpile to oeec III. MAhUFACTURIKG PROCESSES >AKP' HAXDLIRG PROCEDURES <Se. 3) At'l?..R. Grace A- Cojspany'e Montana site, vezcicaUce Is dned by atripmining techniques using heavy: earth-,coving, equipment. The caterLai is brought free the nine in.- totally .enclosed containers to- the beneflclating plant, where iepurities are. reaoved-froc'--the: varneulite by-flotation. The purified crude verciculita Is then' shipped itn-.rfoliating plants throughout che United States in closed cans.- Sere icis< unloaded' onto an enclosed conveyor and carried to scorage silos.- The. cruder-yercioullee 1c then, fed into the exfoliating (expanding) furnace, which.- cay. be: eithear'e special design vertical furnace or a rotating horizontal kiln type unit^.-Moa-e^of the Grace exfoliating plants have blending units .with chea where.^the:various, building-and horticultural end-products are prepared.. : i~r -tv: s^ : J ,, vjf In a typical*exfnl'iarlng.plant, each shift would have three cen in operations and. two-sen for ocher work. per furnace.- In mining and beneficlacion, over half of che workers are non--opera ting support personnel. Three to four people per line work in blending operations.- ** Sidlar procedures would, be followed at Grace's South Carolina sits ' and by the other scalier vexdcullte mining and exfoliation concerns. IV, OT0SUR1 AXD SAKFIIHC (5ef. 2, 3) 06157374 The largest veralculite producer, V, R. Grace, esploys about 230 people at their two nine* and benefdelating operation. The greater cosher of these workers is non-operating support personnel. In their 30 erfoliaciag plants, Grace eaploys sene. 420 hourly workers. Thesa plants generally run on a 24--hour, 3 shift basin, with three nan in operations end puo sen for ocher work per shift, por .furnace. * A plane, typically contains one to four furnaces. Blending operations, use- three to four people per line. . t " ,*.. *. > v* . *. . * * . ..V According 'to the-Crace representatives^'easy precautions are taken to licit- employee exposure../.A*.described in Section IIIT the vertdeulite is transported; is-closed, containers-and conveyors.: At the nine, workers operace equipment frost enclosed sir. conditioned, cabs. -Zhe'cina site, la continually vet down and roads are oiled, to-sininire-doaeing.- At beneficiationr all equipment is enclosed..:- Vacuum cleaning syst keep equlpaant under .negative-pressure,, and' the vented.-air* is passed through a bag house filter!/ Siailar; procedures-. are. followed, at' the -expanding furnace locations between discharge* froa the. furnace and-, baggingl. . The verdculitejress. ted*sy8Cfe^ited,'<wi^^aculmi-3tair>%aflillig^e'quiptaeuc raS5^a DAg* house" filter to pravajic' duat. .ent aslori^- . /. :-.,v > . -:.lJustry-*:spokesat?sckced.thac.*a. *fot\of asbestos bss been, found- in. some- vernaiculice';.a*^Bned;!and?-af'caac::exfoliattiotui;. The- Grace apokesoen cotsaented _%chat the. asbestos.found./ixr tha-.veralcullte^ls. Jtbe:aineral. tresolite, structural! different, iron-and leas basjirdot: than rcbfysotile." the basic, mineral fora of asbestos. ' Zbe; industry'considers- cHe/ OSHA/KIOSBr ces ting oethod-' currently in use to be insdequsre/j bacause;.1c*.cacnoC distinguish, between- Che two types of asbestos fiher.'.V'.The-BU/Sli-Bureso. of Kipes- technique Is- considered sore sophistj catad, being,capajble^of.-evaluarlag- .!rcrua,V asbestos, concsncnxcioa. * :: : -*7' - i--------' .f *"** --r I nn JwenieiiMt< *&. its, asbestos content have been, cade by the % T-*>>3.' fCincinnati)'. of: OSHAlv'OTIOSH'Q'.-rStudies were-also done for the -Vernicu! Association by 1 the 'Ontario Research: Foundation, .which found the asbestos content of vcrri.ru11 ta-. to- be' well; within. OSSA liaics or non--existent. The Cracs spokss concurred with this:-f inrtingJL Thrir contxal.ncthods-. keep ther asbestos- level well below the OSHA T*iA-level ofjfc'fibers per. ccc air per 8 hours. Their- final pre Beets E?A standards of noCtaore.thaa 1Z. asbescoew - ,' - *' *,m *-"****t '*il -i".'' -r\ ~*-*.**' Ho - dats were- located--on. concentrations. or exposure to veraiculice its* or on expanded versus- unexpanded' verniculite. . - 'i.IVj -> l " ' 4- Mr ............ tssassr. BIBLIOGRAPHY 06157375 1. CA Search (ca-lina' dau baso) . 1972 - present. Chcnlcal Abstracts. Service, Coltr=bu*, Ohio. 2. Cody, Jack. 1979. Technical Director. Vernicuilte Associa- . cion, and American Versiculite Cocpaay, Atlanta, Ca. Personal : .. . cotsaunicaclon, October 24th. * . .. . *... * *: ' *. . 3.' VI. R,,' Grace & Conpany, 1979.- Building Products Division. Meeting, Dovesber.8. . ... . >. 4. Haines, Stanley- K. *1976. and 1977.' Vergiculite in: Minerals ' Yearbook.'- - U. S.-Buraatr of Hines. D. S. Government Printing Office,. Washington, D.l C. . '* ' * - . ;. A. . %*... ; .'rv1; iy4-}\. J ... ...--'V . -. .- \ . .". . * . ` / .. Vs *.\.v.-. / ; * ',* . * .v. ,*} : . t .* : *, . .. - ,.r . ... * .. .u.. , ^ .*. ... . - . . '^ '* . *." -- " r J*. " ;V . V _ .-. *.. . s . v; . . . ' .-1"' . : . * - Vvj> . .. . f ,, . '* , . * .- ..* .... * . . . * , *' . , 7. ` .% . v * .*'j*.1.:. .* u;-.-.... -* . '- -- ** * *./ : .'A ./** *. ' . . .'.1V..1?..iV...V..*,'..