Document GKdGOB6MQwKRrm03zpDrK3NrV

FILE NAME: RT Vanderbilt (RTV) DATE: 1988 Nov 10 DOC#: RTV009 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Medical Tribune Newspaper Article Asbestos in Play Sand M edicai Tribune Volume 29.Number 31 INTERNATIONA!. MEDICAI - NEWS WEEKLY Thursday, November IO. 1988 ; Vi'. -' ' ,'t JS 1` ./ j i / f S d il Asbestos in the Play Sand bv Rick McC uihr I-a.5 Vkga.s When Jcrtold Abraham. M l) ., dumped a new bag of sand into lus children's sandbox, he was surprised by the "dense cloud o f smoky fine dust'' (hat hung in the air But lie was "shocked" when he took a sample of the sand intit Ins laboratory at the State University of New York (SUNY), Syracuse, Using .scanning electron microscopy irriti cneigy dispersive x-ray;.. Ut Abro tani found demolite nlit'Sios in the chil dren's play sand Continued on page !/ Asbestos in Play Sand Are children Imperiled? Experts say yes. CPSC says no. Continuedfrom page I Since then. (Ire pathologist at (be-SUNY Health Science Center has checked eight brands of sandbox "A ll ol these products have between lOO.fifKJ and I million as bestos fibers per gram of sand, which is sufficient in give rise to airborne concen trations way above occupational lim its." he said Presenting his findings at a recent meet mg here of the American Lung Associa tion, Dr, Abraham asked, "H ow can companies niarkef something like this loi kids to play in *" Noting that Itie health hazards of asbes tos-fiber inhalation are well recognized, he added. "W hh regard to long-term effects, we're particularly concerned with exposures occurring at a very young age ` ' While admitting Hut! many sandboxes are outdoors, where wind might help disperse asbestos fibers. I)r. Abraham is concerned with a trend toward indoor sandboxes in schools and day centers that aie located in donates; where outdooi activities arc often restricted. Dr. Abraham's data suggest that the potential indoor fiber concenlrutirwis are ^ ahmitTlNi well ahove recommended oc cupational and schoolroom asbestos expo sure limits. "Higher concentrations would no doubt be leached under actual play conditions m which children throw tiro sand up in the air and at one anotlwi. " lie said He has pioposcd regulatory actions to block die sale of asbestos-laden play sand, hut the Consumer Product .Safety Commission (C P SO hits refused to lake any action. Continual on uif'i' 5 tb& i/nc ) Tinifsday. Novembri 10. 'MR Mi na ai I khuss Charge CPSC Laxity on 11>in:niird from pttgc 14 "'they've known about the asliestiw problem wuh these products since Inst siimmer. hut they have refused to rake any action." he said. "H ie commission etui liimes to eoiisidi'i iTemnlili' libci tonnd in the smuls to be a mwluiiiniisf substance lh il is mil .il'fn-iahv i,f,wsil*".t v, > it.,,. imi known in be liazanJi adilcd. "nui scientists have been very calcini mu' to say that {lutuii brims tremo lite] is safe, because we don't know ." Ms I'.berh- a fl,n ,)w ieib;oil dim o; ' 10 ;,r<-;< ot some scientific utnlrover.sy. " Mark Cermioe, M 11 p,r , .......... Play Sand l'PX.* regarding whl ilicy call iionfibious iiemuliti-. Accoulmp to Kaye II Killnirn, M l) . professor of iiicdiVine ut the University of Southern C'.iliftmita and a spermfist >:t asbestos rei.tied Jung disease, Do. (le rumie and Abraham .ire iu r a Dr. Kilburn added, "\V,- shouldn't have U? wait 2ft year,-; (01 disease or di-alh in our children exposed (,, |Lon(iuiiinaied smu<!| to pio.scrihe that this is pot |v-aiil', to: our kids to plav in '' S-.iiil Dr. Abiahnm, " I propose tliai ilu( l'S( he pushed 10 take soon' a;.true, on Il ra* ilHL Are children imperiled? Experts say yes. CPSC says no. / I tmiMtay, November 10, J'rSK 1 R ja iJ lie added. ' Willi icgntd long >ctm cflcGs, we're paiticulatly eoncei imd with exposures occurring Ha very young aye ' While admitting lint! many sandboxes vaml, I kii (In- t' iiM iiik r t'i ii c t rsalciy (.'oilJliiissnm (Cl'SC' i lias lelilSed h> lake any action ( `inumu-J on //> MhOKwt I mmini- Charge CPSC Laxity on Play Sand i 'imiutui'd f>cn}>uy M CPSC regarding wht ihtry call ixmlibrous **, - , . f)r Kilbum added. "W e shouldn't ' `They've known about the asbestos- mil known In be hazardous. However, she ireiiuiiile. have to wait 21) years lor disease m death problem wilt) these products since last added, ` 'out scientists have been very According to Kaye II Kilburi, M l>,, m our children cxixwed lu |eonmmin;ued summer, but tliey have ret used in take uny Curcfiil not to say list! finimibiotix nemo pi idessor o f medicine at the University ol sand | to proscribe that this is not healthy action," he mud. `The commissiim con litej is safe, lieeuuse we don't know " Ms, Southern California and a specialist in lot our kids to play in " tinues loeoiLViiei tremolite liber found in liberie ueknuwkdyed (hut this is " an urea asbestos-related lung disease, fits. Said Dr. Abraham: " 1 propose that tire (In: sands in be a nouiiarmf'ul substance of sume scientific controveisy." Germine and Abraham arc cm reel CPSC be push! to luke sonic action on that is not utln tally classified .is ;i true Mark Genuine, M D.. lias a unique "There are variations tn the diseases pro this to require testing of such products asbestos '' background m Duality him us mi asbestos duccd hy v.mmii asbestos lyjws. and the before they are murketed so hat products However, lu: noted that a mnnbet of authority lie spent six years as a geologist |asbestos | industry bus made a lot o f these like film ones he has studied] can't teach studies on trcmolilc fiber ' 'cleaiiy show" doing asbestos research and is still a differences,'' he said. "B ill it's llie differ the market.'' he said, that it is m iniated with iiiesollteliimia, a research professm in die geology dc-pmt- cute between the medical consequences The white and lightest-colored sands ioitti of cancel that is caused by usbesttw sncnl at Kutgcts University I o f eating half a pound o f arvenie or a full aie the ones most likely lu derive from inhalation. However, he recently added a different pound. We're talking degrees here, and crushed limestone and thus eonudfi (Tremolite fibers arc a natural compo title to his t.'V: he received Ins medical they're both dangerous." iretnoliie. nent o f crushed limeslime and one of the degree and u now in residence at New mmcrials used lo produce play sand and 1Jersey Medical School. As a geologist unit ' i 1mm . . 1 other consumer products for lawns and ns a physician. Dr. Genuine called the 15 gardens ) CPSC position "complete nonsense '' In a telephone interview, .Sandra He charged that the ' CPSC consul ' Liberie, the program manager for chemical lants'` wink lor the stone industry, J:ur- hazards at the C PSC , said that Dr Abra thcrmorc, lie claimed, leaders in asbesios ham fails to differentiate between two research believe that the Iremulitc found in distinct forms of trcmolite Hie fibrous sand is indeed asbestos. f- li.imi is found in one type ol asbestos anil t 'They'ra Both Dangerous' is emistdered cwtctmigenic As she ex plained it, this form is dangerous because it breaks down into progressively ' Thinnei needlclike panicles or libers " This meUumicul breakdown is generally consid ered to be a key element to its ability to injure cells, On the other hand, she said, the non fibrous form of trcmolite found in sand is , " What Jilie CPSC] is saying i& not supported try any factual evidence wliatso ever," said Dr. Genuine., "A ll experimeula! evidence lo dale indicates that there is only otic variable relevant to the .carcinogenicity of a mineral fibct, and that's the IcngOi and width o f the fiher And these sands have abundant libers in (he ranges known to lie euremugemi- in animals." Cali tremolite asbestos just as carcinogenic .. M iM ffjM lg a ra L.. ;> Dr. Gcnninc added dial wtuii lie .uni jolliers are seeing under the microscojxLwhcu they look j| piny saiij;, ''futnily eonimdiets'' the claim.', made hv the Trcmolite fiber over 25 microns long. 0.1.0.2 microns wide. 1