Document M30ygExdxEOyVzDnxxqaVYvM

PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBi ASBESTOS INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION (Limited by Guarantee) 6S GLOUCESTER PLACE, LONDON WiH jHL, ENGLAND MEMORANDUM TO: Member Associations FROM; Director General MA/20H/16/HAS 25 April 1985 Doll/Peto Report - "Effects on Health of Exposure to Asbestos" As you may know, the Doll/Peto Report on Asbestos "Effects on Health of Exposure to Asbestos" was published on 24 April 1985. Single copies of this Report have been sent to a number of addressees. Should you want one please let us knew. Bulk orders (at 5-00 per copy) should be put direct to: H.M. Stationery Office, PO Box 276, London S.W.8. Please find enclosed the following (a) AIC(UK)'s Press Release on the Report. (b) HSE's News Release on the Report. (c) Personal cement on the HSE Press Conference by Mr. Wilfred Penney, Director General, AIC(UK). Sir Neville Stack cc Executive Gaimittee MAP AIA/20/1/HAS UCC 017495 AO 1231 Tne AsDvstos Into'mauon C*nlr Hc-jss. 1C P:ccoii!!y ' L-~Jon iV!V 3PA Teieonone Oi 439 9231/2'3 Tei 2)120. ref 2526 ASSOCIATES PRODUCT GROUPS r~ asbestos I I information l-1 . centre 24th April 1985 ASBESTOS Doll/Peto ReDort PRESS RELEASE \i l|i 2 4 APR 1985 ft The protection of people from unnecessary risk to their health is most important, and the origin and purpose of this report reflects that level of concern. The distinction between risk from exposure to asbestos fibres at work, and the risk from exposure to asbestos in the environment (such as living in buildings with an asbestos product presence) has been confused for some time. The report emphasizes the difference and provides a best estimate for environmental risk that is reassuring (ie such exposure would cause approximately one death per year in the whole country). The report places in sharper focus the potential risks from work exposure, identifies the most hazardous type of occupation as insu lation work, the higher risks from exposure to appreciable amounts of amphiboles, and the risks for textile workers. For other sectors of the asbestos industry, the report confirms the view that hazards associated with different branches of the industry are different; differences in concentration of asbestos fibres in the air; configuration of fibres, and the treatment they require,* shows some product workers are at less risk. The report gives emphasis to the limitations of optical microscopy and that results are not precise and accurate. Industry in welcoming the report believes it confirms the present basis of UK approach to asbestos for control, information, education, training; consideration of replacement only when safer, technically competent alternatives, are available; and a prudent approach to asbestos removal. Further enquiries to: Wilfred Penney Director General Asbestos Information Centre Sackville House 40 Piccadilly London W1V 9PA Tel: 01 439 9231 WP/jb 23/4/85 UCC 017496 h0 1232 Health & Safety Commission Regina House 259/269 Old Marylebone Road London NW1 5RR Telephone 01 723 1262 News ^ej Release 24 April 19S5 DOLL/PETO REPORT ON AS3EST05 PUBLISHED TODAY The Health i Safety Commission today publishes the report by Sir Richard Doll and Professor Julian Peto on the effects of exposure to asbestos. The report endorses action by the Commission over the last two years to reduce occupations 1 exposure to asbestos. It also indicates that t.oe environmental health risk from asbestos in bui Idmcs is of an extremely low order. John Rimington, Director General of the Health & Safety Executive introducing the report said "The report broadly confirms the HSC decision of August 19S3 to reduce the control limit for asbestos and, in providing a best estimate for environmental risk, endorses HSC's and HSE's attempts to emphasise the difference between occupational exposure and environmental exposure. "This report will help people to get the risks from asbestos in perspective; for after all we have lived, we do live, and for some purposes must continue to live with asbestos. It confirms the rightness of the action we nave taken so far and helps us to know that the risk in daily life is one that, with suitable precautions and common sense we can live with. It will be of major help to the Health & Safety Commission in considering comments on their Consultative Document on the Control of Asbestos at Work regul at ions . *' The report was called for by the HSC at their meeting in August 1982 which at the same time set up a more immediate review of the medical evidence. This review (Asbestos; The Control Limit for Asbestos by Acheson and Gardner) was presented to the Commission in August 1983. AO 1 233 UCC 017497 More . . . / Doll/Peto Report .../2 The Doll and Peto Report concentrates on those aspects that have been most in doubt and are important for the practical purposes of control,in particular: 1. They review the types of cancer other than lung cancer and mesothelioma caused by inhalation of asbestos and conclude that asbestos does not increase the frequency of gastro-mtesunal cancer apart perhaps for cancer of the oesophagus. But they conclude it may well increase the incidence of cancer of the larynx. Evidence suggests that chrysctiie does not produce peritoneal mesothelioma but causes both pleural mesothelioma and more frequently lung cancer. The risks of both are less than for exposure to crocidolite land probably less than amosite). 2. Information on the relationships between the amount cf chrysoti1e exposure and the frequency of asbestos related disease is analysed in detail. An assessment of the life long risk from exposure to 0.25 fibres/ml for a period of 20-30 years is made (a reasonable estimate of prevailing conditions when the current control limits of 0.5 fibres/ml is enforced). The risk is considered to be increased by about 0.5% (i in 2G0) above that expected in the absence of such exposure. This corresponds to a loss of expected life of about one month average over the whole workforce. The authors discuss the factors which influence the accuracy of this risk assessment. 3. The authors conclude that there may well be a threshold in excess of the current control limits below which asbestosis should be ignored when estimating the long term effects of exposure. 4. The report concludes that the risk to non-smokers is relatively small even after quite heavy asbestos exoosure. A01234 More . . . / UCC 017498 Doll.'Peto Report .../3 Asbestos in buildinas While giving due weight to the even greater uncertainties of deriving predictions for environmental situations from occupational data, Doll and Peto suggest that exposure to chrvsotile asbestos of 0.0005 fibres/ml (which will be seldom exceeded in practice) for 40 hours a week for 20 years would produce a lifetime risk of approximately 1 per ICO,000. But, well aware that figures like these are difficult to grasp, they demonstrate that this risk is very small compared with other hazards of life. NOTES TO EDITORS 1. The report was requested by the Health & Safety Commission m 1932 as part of its programme of action on asbestos, in order that future decisions on control would be based on up-to-date medical evidence. Other key elements of the programme have included:- i) A reduction in the control limits for asbestos to:- Chrvsotile (white asbestos) C.5 f/ml Amosite (Brown Asbestos) 0.2 f/ml Crocicolite (Blue asbestos) 0.2 f/ml (no change) ii) A proposal to ban the import and use in manufacture of brown and blue asbestos and the marketing of products containing them. ill) The introduction of licensing regulations for work with asbestos insulation and coating. iv) Proposals for regulations to implement two EC asbestos directives covering worker protection and on the marketing of asbestos products. v) The setting up of two specialist working groups one dealing with asbestos manufacturing, the other dealing with asbestos in the construction industry, to provide practical guidance on reducing exposure to asbestos. 2. NB f/ml (fibres per mililitre) is the unit in which atmospheric levels of asbestos are measured. Further press enquiries on 01-723 3418 C22:85 UCC 017499 Ore To From 24th April 1985 Executive & Associates W Penney asbestos J information centre Health & Safety Commission - Press Release - 24 April 1985 ASBESTOS Effects on Health of Exposure to Asbestos Richard Doll and Julian Peto The Health and Safety Commission today published the report by Sir Richard Doll and Professor Julian Peto, and a copy of the News Release is attached hereto. The platform was chaired by John Rimmington, Director General of the Health and Safety Executive, and Sir Richard Doll, C D Burgess, and Dr Tim Carter were on the platform. In introduction John Rimmington referred to a remarkable product which had made a considerable contribution to the quality of life. UK had lead the world in knowledge and regulation resulting in the Asbestos Regulations 1969 and following the major study of the Advisory Committee on Asbestos 1976-79 had moved ahead of Europe. Further controls were on the way ie Prohibition Regulations, Licencing Regulations, Control of Asbestos at Work. The asbestos experience and the introduction of controls would lead to the control of more and more toxic substances with the objective of allowing no more human experiments on a grand scale. John Rimmington suggested it was difficult to judge how far to go and it was important to enable a sense of perspective on degrees of risk. He thought the latest report helped in achieving that objective. Sir Richard Doll ran through the major issues of his report dealing in particular with types of cancer, quantification of exposure, best estimates on degree of exposure for both occupational and environmental situations. He said that cancer of the lung, mesothelioma of the pleura and peritoneum, cancer of the larynx and cancer of the oesophagus were identified with asbestos exposure. During question time the press were obviously reluctant to accept that there was no significant hazard from asbestos fibres in the environment and continuously shifted back to the question as to the degree of risk for the ordinary man in the street when work was being carried out within buildings. AO 1236 . . ./. .2 UCC 017500 2 A number of recognisable campaigners were very much involved in this area, ie, Nancy Tait, Des Wilson, Alan Dalton and Bill Wainwright (Morning Star) . Under pressure the Panel appeared to shift its feet and to lose some of the positive image it had created in the opening minutes. Two remarks from the Chairman were, to say the least, unfortunate 1. "We must rid ourselves of this evil material". 2. "If a plumber comes across asbestos in a house he must retreat until the details of fibre content etc are confirmed I came away somewhat depressed with the thought that the report may have created more problems than it solved. At the best the press reaction was sceptical. W Penney Director General Enc UCC 017501 *01237