Document KRnyRaobejY6m5Nd8LZ7JRbo6

Lyv_>VV 11-- October 1G, 1974 O . O. Tty.AS DIVISION FREEI'OItT. TrXAS 77041 Resin Specialists cc: E. T. Shallow D. J. Najvar THE USE OF ASBESTOS AS A THIXOTROPE IN DERAKANE APPLICATIONS Many of our customers have expressed concern as to whether the various regulatory agencies would continue to permit the use of asbestos as a viscosity modifier. A paper was recently presented at the Northeast Regional Conference of NACE by J. Myers, Union Carbide, dealing with the carcinogenic aspects of asbestos. Apparently there are four crystalline structures which are common to asbestos. Of the four, three are proven bad actors whereas the fourth (which they claim is the Calidria type) is much more innocuous. Union Carbide claims they have sufficient toxicological data that places Calidria in the nuisance dust category and dis tinctly separates it from emotional generalizations associated with generic asbestos. They have indicated that they will coop erate to any extent and would appreciate greatly if v.'e would refer any requests for this type of information directly to them. A contact address is as follows: Union Carbide Corporation P.O. Box 579 4625 Royal Avenue Niagara Falls, N.Y. 14302 Attn: Calidria Asbestos Derakane Technical Service Designed Products Dept. Resins TS&B, B-1603 ldm AN OPCRATING UNIT OF THE DOW Cl IEMICAL COMPANY r \ .> PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBIT DOW-41 Id ASBESTOS AND HEALTH Asbestos, used since antiquity, has widespread and important applications in our modern technological society. Approximately 3,000 different products containing asbestos are in daily use throughout the world. Its increased use in the 20th century has lent urgency to the need to cope with occupational health problems related to the excessive inhalation of asbestos dust. Such problems are not unique to the asbestos industry. Many substances and materials in common use today can be detrimental to the health and safety of industrial workers under uncontrolled conditions. A vital and widely used raw material, asbestos is but one of a number of potentially harmful substances used by industry. Basically, the known facts about asbestos-related disease can be summed up as follows: First, asbestos-related health risks today are almost exclusively confined to the occupational setting. Second, the effects of excessive inhalation of asbestos are both time and dose related. This means that asbestos-related diseases may develop, generally, only after the inhalation of substantial amounts of asbestos dust over a substantial period of time. Thus, there are levels of exposure that will not result in any increased risk of disease. Third, there is presently no evidence of risk to the general public from exposure to the minute amounts of asbestos that have been found in community air. Fourth, because of the long latent period of asbestos-related disease, the disease being found today among some long-term industry employees is not an indication of present day condi tions, but is a result of conditions existing decades ago, at a time when neither the industry, government, or the medical profession knew very much about the health effects of asbestos and even less about the proper means for their control. These facts are well recognized by the asbestos manufacturing industry, which has made substantial progress over the years in protecting those who work with asbestos and in eliminating emissions of free asbestos fiber into the community air. Known and Suspected Occupational Risks There are three primary diseases known to be caused or exacerbated by prolonged and heavy inhalation of asbestos fibers. They are asbestosis, bronchogenic (lung) cancer, and mesothelioma. Prolonged heavy exposure does not necessarily result in disease and death-- but there is little question that risks are significantly increased. Asbestosis This is an occupational disease characterized by lung scarring, and is one of the lung diseases called pneumoconioses. It is the most common of the three asbestos related illnesses and is found only among those who have worked regularly and continuously with asbestos under inadequately controlled conditions. The average time span from first exposure to the first clinical signs of asbestosis is 17 years, although some cases have been reported in as few as ten years. Asbestosis is neither malignant nor necessarily fatal. Many asbestos workers with minor cases can and do continue to work and lead normal lives without difficulties. The asbestos 1