Document LKmgnEY5xokGXrQX4e4n56OO5

^FEATURES 8002 0001 Latest word on asbestos represents a whopping 17% of all cancers detected annually in the U.S. won't be the last The joint study's figures on expo sure for workers are taken from HEW estimates (the department believes that 1.5 to 2.5 million U.S. workers, are Scientific evidence against asbestos continues to still being exposed to asbestos), while the fatality percentages are borrowed accumulate, and OSHA's much-delayed exposure standard directly from a World Health (Organi zation (WHO) position paper is-sued in goes on bringing criticism .from all concerned parties. early 1977. This link with the WHO Meanwhile, millions of workers remain exposed to document is confirmed by Joseph Wagoner, special assistant for carcino asbestos dust in plants throughout the world. genesis with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (osha), who was a member of the group of health experts that authored the who Q Bad news about asbestos continues study estimates that between 8 and 11 study. to make headlines. In September, for million U.S. workers have been Meanwhile,, a spokesman for instance, Joseph A. Califano, Secre exposed to asbestos since the beginning NCI/NIEHS says that the joint report is tary of Health, Education, and Wel of World War II. Of these, about 4 basically an update of epidemiological fare (hew), drew attention to an million have been "heavily ex data on' asbestos, in the light of new alarming statistic in a new study by the posed,"--i.e., worked directly with the information uncovered in the past National Cancer Institute (NCl) and material most of the time--and 4 to 7 year. the National Institute of Environmen million have received "peripheral" Whatever its origin, the NCI/NIEHS tal Health Sciences (niehs): An aston exposure--e.g., of the sort that a ' work is attracting its share of criticism ishing 17% of all cancer deaths in the maintenance worker would get in a by way of an attack on Califano's U.S. over the next few decades will be plant where asbestos was being recent statement. Some claim that the linked to some previous exposure to installed. HEW secretary is unnecessarily alarm asbestos. Tim nci/niehs report assumes that ing the public. Asbestos no longer Speaking at the AFL-CIO National 20 to 25% of those in the first, group causes widespread sickness because Conference on Occupational Safety will die of lung cancer, 7 to 10% of working conditions have changed, they and Health, Califano said that the pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma (a say. NCI/NIEHS report definitely rejects the particularly lethal cancer), and 8 to Dr. Irving J. Selikoff, a well-known conventional estimate that 1 to 5% of 9% of gastrointestinal cancer. Assum authority on asbestos, and director of all U.S. cancer incidence is related to ing that the risk to the second group is Mt. Sinai Medical Center's Environ occupational exposure to carcinogenic 25% that of the first one, the report mental Health Laboratory (New York agents. Estimates of 20% to as high as concludes that a total of 2.15 million City), notes that "Califano's remarks 38% are not unreasonable, he added. workers will die over the next 30 to 35 are projections based on limited data, EXPOSURE THAT KILLS--The joint years, or about 67,000 per year. This and probably represent an upper limit." But he warns that even if Cali fano's figures are off by a factor of two, the problem is enormous. However, a spokesman for the American Cancer Soc. (acs), New York City, feels that the NCI/NIEHS report does overstate the problem. INDUSTRY RESPONSE--The Asbestos Information Assn, (aia), Arlington, Va., an organization of asbestos processors, says that the NCI/NIEHS data are being analyzed by the group's scientific advisors, and that a statement will be issued when the study is complete. Meanwhile, an AIA press release calls the report "simply anoth er extrapolation in statistical terms from the same data which have been available to the international scientific community for some time." Another aia press release, issued in response to a Califano statement (made in April) regarding a large 76 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING NOVEMBER 6, 1970 HFM - 003708 SCF-FA-7295