Document KM77NvDp2vvVmQzpnXLmko2o

[pLAlNTIFrS EXHIBIT EPA to Ban Nearly All Uses of Asbestos by 1997 By Juhft Lumattr Eaduig nearly two decide* rf debate over one of the nation'* meat pervarive environmental be*Wi hazards Environmental Pro tection Agency Adtantamor Wi liam K. RriQy yestenfoy ganouaced pfom to bsa rirtualy *U uses of * bestteby 1997. The ben wifi profebif (be uaportaboo, manufacture end procaawg rfnbeetoa.a6broao.htil mittwr material widefr need m construction aod ndastry for moat rf this cen tury. Aebtetot fibers. which ere tight tod easily Mated. have been linked to wwa mpirstary admeats inthating hug cancer and mfynthehomi, an iacwsbh cancer rf the cheat aod abdomen. "TNt it potation prevention. We're iHrakatiag a known cancercreamg aofaaianca (iron the market place.* Hetty said In a amamenc A key agntast in everyday items from brake Uunga to insula boo. aabeatoe fcaa become one rf the nation'a moat pwrniag environ* mental health threat*. Coaatteaa shipyard and eonilrDCtion workers have bean opoHd to the aubataaoe since World War JI. and (he federal government ia spending nulliom rf dollars to identify and remove it from the nation's schools. Asbesioo workers filed a massive personalfetay lawsuit against one rf the world's largest manrfactiirera rf aabeatoe inauiibon. forcing the Denver-baaed Kamrifle Corp. tom baakniptey in 1983. The oation now uses about 94.000 toot rf aabeatoe each year, for beta the 700,000-ton annual levels rf the mid-197Qs bet nil came for worry, according to EPA official*. KjfUy noted liar ilesphe pan ef fort* to control asbestos, "our health and that rf our diddren ia still threatened by the crmthtued release oitu tbe environment rf vir tually mdestructible asbestos fibers from products being sold today." He said asbestos is revponaible for 3.000 to 12,000 cancer deaths each year. EPA officials estimate that the asbestos ban wifl coat ennsumen about 8460 mil1km over the next 13 years, mostly in tbe form rf higher prices for substitute muteckh, tod wrli save 200 lives m the sams.pe riod. That works out to about 124 mifiion per life saved, the EPA not ed Bob Plgg. presideat rf the Asbes tos fefbraatioa Aasoasoan. a trade group, questMocd the logic rf that equiOra. "When yon look at 50.000 autoaobde deaths and 140.000 hug.cancer deaths from smoking each year, this gives you a perspecbve on the mhumal risk from cur rent * b 1980. a cmgrrtanail tapfry concluded that the Office rf Man agement and Budget had delayed efforts to faan aabaatna by exerting undue pressure on EPA officials. At a news conference yesterday. Keifly appeared to acknowledge the daisy, tdfoxg iepos ten. "The first question | had (warf why has due been around for so long? We don't specific, widely The EPA has used its regulatory power b a amrfar meanerjurf onoe before, whan it banned the mamsfactura rf "nun insmiiP aeroarf sprays coatiiafeg cbkttflnorecarbona fCFCa) ia 1978. rffiefoia laid. "We view it as a very poritiyn step;' said {Efren Florin*. so-attar-* nay with tbe Environmental De fease Fund. *We think it taficatre that Administrator freffiy putting Into practice his statemaina about rhs importance rf potation preven tion. Our only regret ia that it didn't happen- several years ago.* she added. The government aod the EPA in particular have tang been accused of dairying action on lahaotm desprte competikif evidence rf its cancer-causmg properties. Ths EPA first identified asbestos m a ~h*aardous air potatant" in 1972, aad ihe one rf Hamm's moat oefid prod ucts. A miaanl tamed principally in g constaa rf tiny fibers, that are extremely strong, durable | and heat resistant. These proper ties once seemed to make it ideal1 for imelUine in bafidtegi and steps, in firsi irn'rfanr rlnrtaag inrt in 1`rir During tbe 1960a. aabeatoe va commonly iprayed on the ctiimfi The. ban. wifi occur in three stages, which KdUjr said are neeimsty to ataw intaatries to devrf- matt for-readung effect wfil be on (he.pqfoaobile industry, which must rederiga brakes to accommodata substitute material* by tbe 1994 model year. Ante manufacturer! must find an akeraaove material for engine gaakets after 1993. aad fee aobatanen mil be bnanrd io cemeot pipe, shingksandrorf coariagiia 1996. ban will not apply THE WASHINGTON POST ~ JULY 7 1989 ftetty stressed that arbemoa is moat biantoee whan distutfaed md that "consumers aknuH not attempt the unnecessary replacement rf OSHA, in Asbestos Case, Fine e..w 1 WA mtnt Inc., i NJ.. I to sue bestos At tanea cupatt tratioi noclce tbe co nun mutt and * caken and e Atl stand In all due Tbe fine Is tbe largest ever proposed by OSHA tor health violations, tnd tne Inunioeot-danger notices only tne tMid set ever posted In healtn cases, said Alan McMillan, seting chief ot OSHA. Friction Division Products couldn't he reached for comment. Mesnwblle. OSHA standards were a focus of a House subcommittee heulnf on eUecattont that tbe White House budget office Ins blodted or seriously diluted' many federal regulubms. Some OSHA officials sad ocber wit nesses told Use House leftslatlon and na tional security subcommittee, a Govemrnent Operatlans Committee unit, that the Office of Management and Budget has frequently used provisionsoftbe Pa perwork Reduction Act In a way tbat un dercut their regulatory efforts. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL FRIDAY. JULY a. 1989 O' + > G ft O'.J Q S' a1 s S' n t) CD cn co cn