Document G6VdG38GgQ7D0MnNBDRXEmbmN

FILE NAME: Union Carbide (UC) DATE: 1973 July 25 DOC#: UC378 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Letter RE Potential Usage of SG-210 in Fertilizers UC-' -1 RECEIVED -^xs 1etter is written m response "to ycur duly l8 correspondence concerning the potentxal usage ox SG--210 in suspension fertilisers by TVA. Before taking the discouraging course of action it seems we want to take here, i would like to offer an appeal from a sales and marketing point of view. First of all, the potential here of this one product for this one customer from a sales standpoint represents, should we he successful, the'total pounds of our whole CALiDSIA product line sold in the Southeast during 1972, We have neither encouraged nor discouraged the use of asbestos ir, tiiair study work so far, and TVA initially discovered CALIDRIA on their own and came to us for samples. My only personal meeting with TVA people was to lay out the hard, cold facts of both the 03HA and EFA standards on the use of asbestos, and it was presented to them in such a manner that our product would certainly have to have some real advantages for them to get involved with the required dust counts, medicel exams and registration needed as an asbestos userf Despite this negative selling approach, it appears they still feel that our material merits continuing their.work even though they could easilv uce sttsprigite clay without any restrictions. My feeling is they fully realize the political questions involved here, having been in an internal battle among thsmsslves on asbestos, so I sure wouldn't want to be the guy who presents the final death blow to the project. Part tf the consideration also involved here is the fact that Conoco now has a patent using asbestos in almost the same ap*pj.ica.tion, and TVA feels that if they are still proceeding forward with asbestos, why should Conoco get all the glory when TVA, which is the fertiliser research center for the U. S . , also having a very valuable contribution to offer the industry step tneir work. To sum up, my appeal is based on the potential asbestos we can sell the fact that we have not offered them any encouragement at all. Let's also not lose sight of the fact that perhaps the TVA management, who are more familiar in dealing with government people tran ve may be and would have a Dr. B. B. Rhodes - 2 - July 25, 1973 tetter feel for the political aspect of the problem, may best be left to 'v u s e a h i i C ^ t u a rather than our running in and killing off the project for them, it is hard enough to sell asbestos today and it sure doesn't make it easier if new markets axe uncovered end ve must consider what Dr. Selikoff might think about it. If we are not questioning the safe use of asbestos in the applica tion, I feel the moral or political decision should he made by the potential user and not by us. Very truly yours JEW/cs