Document MG5RJQ63gDyRG1BjEknk46Bvx

Asbestos Information Association/North America 22 East 40th Street New York, N. Y. 10016 212-689-3378 January 30, 1973 Gentlemen: As mentioned in my memo of January 17, attached are two documents concerning the Bill introduced by Congressman Dominick Daniels to repeal the Federal Metal and Nonmetallic Mine Safety Act and to transfer standard setting and enforcement responsibilities for U.S. mining operations, including asbestos, to OSHA. The two documents are (1) an excerpt from the Congressional Record of January 11, and (2) an analysis of the situation by our government affairs consultants. . I In recent weeks, we have received a sizable number of news paper clippings concerning a recent paper by Dr. M_earl Stanton of the National Cancer Institute on fiber size being the main determinant in the causation of mesothelioma in test animals. Both the UPI and Lcs Angeles Times articles on the study (a copy of the latter is attached) contained the statement that "asbestos is second only to cigarette smoking as a cause of lung cancer." We are trying to track down the source of this comment (it is unlikely that it came from Dr. Stanton himself). The L.A. Times attributed it to the Institute, the UPI story did not. On the other head, a story (also attached) from the Occupational Health and Safety Letter did not use the quote at all. In any case, attached is a copy of Dr. Stanton's paper as presented at the Lyon Conference last October. Far.from being a damaging study, Dr. Stanton's research indicates that electron size asbestos fibrils are of little or no concern in the causation of cancer. Since it is fibrils of this size that are being found in community air, in drinking water, beverages, drugs, wine, beer, etc., his findings could prove a valuable weapon in defending attacks in these areas. Also enclosed is .a copy of an article from the December issue of Occupational Hazards magazine, consisting of an interview of Dr. Selikoff on various occupational health topics, including asbestos. Mike Isser of Cunningham & Walsh contacted the magazine on behalf of the Assocatioh, 'and they agreed to do an article on the efforts being made by the asbestos industry UCC 011759 A 1954 3 2 to comply with the OSHA standards. Arrangements will be made within the next few weeks for a writer from the magazine to interview both me and an environmental control expert from the industry. We will keep you informed on the progress with this article. The final item enclosed is a clip from the Occupational Health and Safety Letter concerning an automatic asbestos fiber bag opening device recently developed by Johns-Manville. The announcement was made in a speech by E. M. Fenner at a safety conference in Olympia, Washington, late last year, and was publicized in a press release put out on behalf of the Association by Cunningham and Walsh. . Sincerely, Matthew M. Swetonic Executive Secretary Enclosures t UCC 011760 A 19544 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD --HOUSE January 11, 1973 Statencnt by Rep. Dominick V. Daniels (D-IJ.J.) intro ducing HR 1720, a bill to repeal the Federal Metal and iionmetallic Mine Safety Act. Mr. DOMINICK V. DANIELS. Mr. ment of Labor. That is what my bill does, Speaker, I am today introducing ieykrt- and (t injures that the Department of tion to repeal tlie Fctittal Metal mid Labor will have sufficient experience in Nonmetaliic Mine Safety Act because, the mining field by transferring to that paradoxical as it may sound, that is the Department the personnel m the Interior best way to promote health and .safety Department who have been engaged in in these mines. The eject of the repeal is the administration of the law. not to leave metal and r.onmetallic min We have, as I said before, learned ers without the protection of Federal much about the relative efficacy of dif safety law: rather it is to make them ferent enforcement procedures in occu subject to the Occupational Safety and pational safety and health laws. The Oc- Health Act of 1070, a much stronger and cupationai Safety and Health Act of 1970 more effective statute than the Metal is the distillation of that experience. It and NonmetalUc Mine Safety Act. improves in many ways the procedures ox The Metal and Nonmetallic Mine Safety Act was a forward-looking, pro gressive piece of legislation when it was enacted, and I am proud to have been a member of the subcommittee that de veloped It. But we have now had C rears " of experience under that act, and we have also--through the enactment of the Federal Coal Mine Health ar.d Safety Act of ir?;J and the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1370--acquired a great deal more experience in writing safety and health legislation. The Select Labor Subcommittee's hearings last year demonstrated at least two major weaknesses in the Metal and Nonmctaliic Mina Safety Act--and my the Metal and Noiunctallic Mine Safety Act. and I am attaching to my state ment a memorandum outlining the weaknesses of that act which are im proved in the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Mr. Speaker, death and injuries in the mines are not inevitable. Effective safety and health laws effectively acministered, can make a difference. It is time, that the metal and nonmetallic miners of this country received the protection that they deserve--and that my bill will provide. I include the following: Weaknesses of Ptmaic Law 83-577--Fedesai. METAt. AND NONUETALUC MINE SAS Air Act . bill Is designed to correct both of them. STANDARDS The first weakness is in the administer Tliere ore no mandatory Interim standards. ing agency. We placed enforcement of safety and health responsibility in the Bureau of Mines because we thought that its tech nical expertise in mining operations made it the logical agency to protect trie worker's safety and health. But we were There Is no tlme^Utr-ic within which per manent mandatory" standards must be set. The Secretary of Interior is bound fcy for mal rule-making procedures which, can eften be lengthy. Under a state plan, standards do not have to be at least as cuuctlve as the federal ones. There Is no provision for a variation in wrong. The Bureau of Mines' basic char ter is to promote production and that, we have found, is inconsistent with rigorous enforcement of safety laws. Safety and maximizing production are not always consistent goals--ar.d the Bureau of Mines has shown that workers will not be adequately protected while their lives are In the hands of an agency that is "pro duction first" oriented. The failure of the Bureau's enforce ment program Is evident from the fig ures. The injur*- frequency rates have not declined in the industries subject to this act. while experience under the Longshore Safety Act, administered by the Department of Labor,, demonstrates conclusively that a well enforced safety law will bring injury ratc-s down. standards and for the employees to be in formed of one. There are no emergency temporary stand ards. There Is no general duty to cover unique circumstances where no standards have been promulgated. There Is no distinction in the standards between gassy and nongassy mines. ENFORCEMENT Inspections The Inspector is required to visit each mine only once per year. There la no prohibition against advance notice of an inspection. There is no provision for the employee rep resentative to accompany the inspector. There is no provision for the employees to get the results of an inspection. There Is no reo.uirement for an Inspector The most appalling evidence of the in to re inspect to determine if an employer has effectiveness of the Bureau of Mines pro corrected a violation of a standard. gram in the metal mining area is the Penalties disaster at the Sunshine Silver Mine in There are no mandatory penalties. Kellogg. Idaho, in May 137`J. The interim There are 00I7 permissive civil penalties! report of the independent hearing exam (11 if the Secretary of Interior chooses to iner on that disaster is a tragic indict bring a civil action for failure to correct a ment. Let mo just quote a few sentences violation of a standard; from his report: (2) If the Secretary of Interior chooses to It Is evident that a large number of bring a civil action iu the District Court for deaths ar.d the magnitude of the disaster are failure to abide by a reporting requirement: a direct result of inadequate safety stand- (3) If the Secretary of Interior chooser to ants, industry-wide peer safety practices, the . Jack of training of the miners in the event of a disaster, ar.d the fact that uo one expected a disaster or -ms rr'-aitud? to occur. r-.-.r- SAFETY- AND HEALTH IN METAL AND tiirr. re: only are some s:a:idards inade- NON Mi- i'ALUC MLNiwi or.are. but they have been diluted and ren (Mr. DOMINICK V. DANIELS asked dered liltgtvti.vc Lh- iui-jr;.:tuluu. bring a civil action for an employer's refusal to permit an inr-pectiou or for mtcrtcreiice with an inspector. There are permissive criminal penalties if: (1) the Secretary of Interior wishes to bring an e.clion for refusal to comply vuh a Withdrawal order m casts of il.ur.ua.ac dan and was s'tvr*: t: ucu tb extend Ins We tvil! not have rt vigorous enforce ger causing death or serious physical li..rm; remarks at tins in the Decoro and ment program in :h:-; iiKiu-.ii-y until wo (2) or refusal to comply with an order of to Include cxti'uiiqoitii utallcr.; transfer rcspoii.*.ibtlity to tno Depart debarment. A 10 5 4b UCC 011761 MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH Policy Developments Metal and Non-Metallic Mine Safety: Congressman Dominick Daniels (D-N.J.), chairman of the house Seiect Subcommittee on Labor, has introduced legisla tion which would strip the Department of the Interior of its responsibility for the Metal and Non-Metallic Mine Safety Act of 1966. Daniels' bill would transfer this responsibility to the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Such action has long been favored by organized labor, particularly the United Steelworkers, who have most of the metal and non-metal mines under contract. The Steelworkers demanded the transfer of responsibility last year following the Sunshine Silver Mine disaster which killed 91 miners! ' During the oversight hearings held on the disaster by Daniels' subcommittee, Steelworkers legislative director, John Sheehan, said that the Department of Interior's Bureau of Mines was too cozy with the private mining interests to adequately enforce the law. In commenting on the disaster. Steelworkers President I.W. Abel demanded that "Congress act to shift responsibility for enforcement of metal and non-metal mine safety to the Occupational Safety t and Health Administration. . . " . The mechanism of the Daniels' bill which would effect the transfer is the repeal of the Metal and Non-Metallic Mine Safety Act, thereby placing the mines under the -jurisdiction of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The bill ensures that the Department of Labor will have the necessary expertise in the mining field by transfering to OSHA the Bureau of Mine's personnel who have been engaged in the administration of the mine safety act. On the day he introduced his bill (HR 1720) Daniels stated that "The Bureau of Mines basic charter is to promote production and that, we have found, is inconsistent with the rigorous enforcement of safety laws. . . the Bureau _ of Mines has shown that workers will not be adequately protected while their lives are in the hands of an agency that is 'production first' oriented." The bill has a high priority wdth Daniels, and his subcommittee can be ex pected to hold hearings sometime during the spring, if not sooner. According to a subcommittee spokesman, the bill will probably be the second order of business following the committee's work on public service jobs and manpower policy. Since the subcommittee has not yet organized itself, this time schedule may change over the next few weeks. Forecast/Assessment GRC expects a similar bill to be introduced -shortly in the Senate and it will probably be initiated by Sen. Harrison Williams (D-N.J.), chairman of the Senate Labor and Public Welfare Committee. There is a good possibility that this legislation will pass during the 93rd Congress. UCC 011762 A 19 54 o Scientist says chemical make-up not to blame UCC 011763 A 1 954 Occupational Health & Safety Letter, January 8, 1973 NEW STUDY DEMONSTRATES MECHANISM OF ASBESTOS EFFECTS: The carcinogenic activity of asbestos is due entirely to its fibrous structure, regardless of the chemi cal composition of the fibers, according to a scientist of the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Mearl F. Stanton of NCI's Laboratory of Pathology reported on his asbestos study in laboratory' rats at a conference in Lyon, France, on the biological effects of asbestos. The series of experiments was undertaken to test the ability of various fibrous and non-fibrous sub stances to cause cancer of the pleura. Results showed that very fine fibers of asbestos, glass or sapphire caused a high incidence of pleural cancers in the rats, while coarse fibers or powdered material of the same compositions only rarely caused cancer. The carcinogenic fibers were between one-half and five microns in diameter and less than 80 microns long (less than one-hundredth as thick as an eyelash and under one-tenth as long, says NCI). He and his colleagues used surgical methods to implant asbestos-covered glass-mesh pads directly against the pleura of rats. The pads remained in place until the rats were autopsied; then the pleura! mem branes were examined for cancer at the site of asbestos exposure. t High rates of mesothelioma, ranging from 58 to 75 percent, were found in 450 rats treated with asbestos fibers, regardless of which of three chemically distinct types of asbestos (crocidolite, chrysotile or amosite) were used. The rate of cancer production by various asbestos samples did not depend on the presence or absence of impurities, and neither of two common metal contaminants of asbestos tested separately produced any cancers. Treatment with fine particles of silica, the major constituent of all types of asbestos, caused oniy one mesothelioma among 48 rats. Thus. Dr. Stanton said, neither the chemicai composition of asbestos nor the presence of impurities could account for its carcinogenic potential. . In one experiment, a sample of asbestos was ground to reduce its fibers to submicroscopic size and very short lengths. This treatment reduced cancer incidence in test rats to less than half the rate in ruts exposed to natural fibers of asbestos. The glass-mesh pads alone did not cause cancer, but mesotheliomas occurred in rats exposed to glass that had been treated to reduce it to small fibers, making it comparable to asbestos in size. At the Lyon conference. Dr. Stanton described more recent studies designed to test whether particle size and shape are the critical factors in causing this type of cancer. In these experiments, rats were ex posed by the same technique as before to particles of asbestos, glass or aluminum oxide of many different sizes and shapes. After two years, fibers of all three materials have been found capable of causing high rates of pleural cancer in rats. Two standard samples of asbestos, two of very fine fibrous glass, and a sample of fine sapphire (aluminum oxide) "whiskers" caused cancer in more than half of the 150 rats that have been autopsied so far. Lower rates of cancer, between 5 and 40 percent, occurred in rats treated with either long, thick fibers or short, thin fibers of glass or asbestos. None of the 150 rats exposed to two samples of fully pulverized asbestos, non-fibrous aluminum oxide, or two samples of glass with large fibers have so far developed any cancer. "We know that asbestos libers cause cancer in man," said Dr. Stanton. "We have no evidence on whether other kinds of fibers will aiso prove hazardous. It's rare to find other substances with fibers ike same size as asbestos, and few people are known to have been exposed to them. But the results in am- mals suggest that it would be judicious to avoid inhalation or ingestion of any finely particulate fibrous material." 1 UCC 011764 A ! 0543 BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF ASBESTOS LYON, October 2-5, 1972 Paper 43A Some Aetiologic Considerations of Fiber Carcinogenesis Mearl F. Stanton '* * (With the technical assistance of Constance Wrench & Eliza Miller) UCC 011765 A 1 0543 43A - 1 SOME AETIOLOGIC CONSIDERATIONS OF FIBER CARCINOGENESIS by Mearl F. Stanton * (with the technical assistance of Constance Wrench and Eliza Miller) The Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, U. S.A. SUMMARY . Various structural forms of asbestos, fibrous glass, and aluminum oxide have been tested for carcinogenicity on the pleura of rats. Preliminary results indicate that all three materials when composed predominantly of durable fibers between 0.5 and 5 microns in diameter and lengths of less than 80 microns are more carcinogenic than fibers smaller or larger than these dimensions or non-fibrous materials of similar composition. The carcinogenicity of asbestos, glass, and aluminum oxide is primarily related to its structure rather than to physicochemical properties. UCC 011766' A : nkJ 0 '-J 43A-2 The exogenous agents which contribute to the cause of cancer generally fall into 1 of 3 major groupsJ ionizing radiation, - chemicals, and viruses. There is a vealth of speculation as to how the members of these groups act to induce cancer, but the mechanisms of their action remain unknown. Asbestos is of particular Interest as a carcinogen because it has attributes of two of these groups. In all its forms, asbestos contains chemicals that are carcinogenic under certain conditions. At first hand, the various metallic ions or the polycyclic hydrocarbons that are either inherent^ or acquired through processing would seem the best explanation for i, asbestos carcinogenicity. On the other hand, asbestos particles that are within the dimensional range of viruses are abundant in all forms and conceivably these submicroscopic particles could act in a ^ fashion similar to viruses, whatever that may be. However, there is reasonably good evidence that neither of these attributes are related to the carcinogenicity of asbestos. The evidence for this conclusion can be summarized as follows: 1. There is no indication that any of the asbestoses are contaminated sufficiently with known carcino genic hydrocarbons to account for their carcino genicity, and rigorous extraction of those hydrocarbons present in asbestos does not affect It* carcinogenicity for the pleura of the rat (Wagner, J.C. et^ al_. 1970). 2. Variations in inherent metallic content of various types of asbestos are great, yet these various types of asbestos show only slight differences in carcino genicity (Harrington, J.S., 1965; Timbrell V., 1970; Wagner J.C. et_ al_. 197CB; Stanton et al. . 1972). UCC 011767 A 1 955 1 43A-3 3i Finely particulate metallic nickel, stainless steel, or non-crystalline silicon dioxide applied to the pleura of the rat are not sufficiently - carcinogenic to account for the carcinogenicity of asbestos through mill contamination (Stanton et al. 1972). I j 4. Reduction of fiber size by partial pulverization t<t of asbestos, a process which increases contami nation by metallic particles and increases the ' number of submicroscoplc fibrils in asbestos, reduces its carcinogenicity (Stanton, et al. . 1972). 5. Hand-cobbed crocidolite ore, hand milled without f . metallic contamination^ is equal in carcinogenicity * to machine-milled crocidolite (Stanton et al.1972). 6. Non-asbestiforn fibers such as fibrous glass are increasingly carcinogenic as they approach the size range of milled asbestos fibers (Stanton et al.1972). f One thereforenust consider that the structural features of asbestos may be the critical factor in its carcinogenicity and it is toward this hypothesis that' we have directed our attention. If the structural features of asbestos are important, then it follows that similar fibers, if sufficiently durable, should also induce tumors and on this reasoning we have based a large series of experiments. These experiments are still in progress; only preliminary results of part of them are available at this time. For this reason interpretations are limited* . A95o2 UCC 011768 4 3A--4 The interpretations of tumor incidence are reasonably conservative and may need to be revised upwards in the final calculations. The analysis of fiber distribution by size is admittedly crude and subject to considerable error, but again we have tried to be . conservative in our interpretation. Materials and Methods: ._ Various specimens of crocidolite, chrysotile, fibrous glass, and fibrous aluminum oxide were applied by open thoracotomy to the left pleural surface of 30, 11- to 14- week-old, female Osborne- Mendel rats at a single standard 40 mg dose level by a method previously described (Stanton at al. 1969). The single unique aspect of these experiments is that all test materials were applied to small 45 mg fibrous glass pledgets prior to application. The * glass pledgets are composed of large-dianetered fibrous glass which when intact has no apparent carcinogenicity in itself. We use it simply as a convenient and accurate means of uniformly applying the test material to a wide surface area of the pleura. The test materials are listed in tables 1-4. The U1CC standard reference sample? of crocidolite and chrysotile A have been previously described (Timbrell V. 1970). These samples were treated by grinding in a stainless-steel ball mill (Spex model 5000) to produce the three pulverized samples, and the crude fibers were stripped by hand from hand-cobbed ore specimens, with an attempt to retain bundles of fibers as long as feasible without contamination by extraneous mineral. This processing was previously described (Stanton j: al.1972). The fibrous glasses were obtained from both the Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, and the Johns-Manville Research and Engineering Center, Manuille, New Jersey. fa 1 9 55 3 UCC 011769 i39G l V Vk Hh9f6iO$ 9h99* O O P(Q>. d P <-OH- OM <b6 V2 P. vt d O * 44h*J hP a^j <9 HI fot * 9 9 -l I+> a o ao *aa 4ohJ 5 a P O H TAat XrI* O & o&f 4 e p. s a a S* \ ' < 0\ -YV7 UCC 011770 L !I i I I l j i i i 1t i ! i t 43A-M . TABLE 1 MESOTHELIOMA INCIDENCE IS RELATION' TO DISTRIBUTION' OP FIBERS BY SIZE HIGH INCIDENCE CROUPS ( >501 MES0TIEL1CMAS) Length -p >.5 > 2.5 > 5 > 10 rD, ie**neteJr 2.5 ** 5 10 20 * >20 > 40 ** 40 80 * > 80> 160 <r 160 320 ^ if1 01a > 20-40 CR0C1D0LITE > 10-20 UICC > s-io 4444 l' 11 22 > 2.5-5 1 <1 1 3 3 17 11 >.5-2.5 3 i 5 t 7 1 4 1 4 2 i 1 a a4 1 > 20-40 CKRYSOTILE > 10-20 UICC > 5-10 4444 11 > 2.5-5 4 4 > .5-2.5 8 15 14 11 17 7 1 t I- I 1 1 5 i 3 0 <7 1 O CM A AAA GLASS > 10-20 CRUDE FIBER > 5-10 4444 2.5-5 l 37 > .5-2.5 <1 <1 1 11I 22 1 5 I 13 1 65 > 20-40 AAA GLASS > 10-20 SEPARATED 1 '>10xlj* II > 5-10 4444 > 2.5-5 1 3 > .5-2.5 8 3 6 17 18 10 23 12 1 t 1 1 ia > 20-40 ALUMINUM > 10-20 OXIDE WHISKERS > 5-10 4444 44 3 1h8 26 > 2.5-5 \ 1 1 5 2 12 6 > .5-2.5 < 1 v 1 l 2 5 4 4 6 t f I 1 V 1 1 1-- UCC 011771 a 19 55 b 43A- TABLE 2 . MESOTHELIOMA INCIDENCE Hi RELATION TO DISTRIBUTION 0? FIBERS BY SIZE MODERATE IN Cl DIE: C GROUPS (40-25X MESOTHELIOMAS) j i f i < t I I I i 1 UCC 011772 A 1 055 J 43A-13 TABLE 3 J MESOTHELIOMA INCIDENCE I'A RELA7ICM TO DISTRIBUTION OF FIBERS BY SIZE ; LOW INCIDENCE CROUPS (20-5Z KESOTEZLICiAS) > 4! ii i i J \ 1 *3t j ; j i i * *i .l1 J ] f ] ii i ii i ii A 1 9 ( W ^ "7- l UCC 011773 t 43A- I# V TABI.S 4 i HESOTKELIOMA INCIDENCE i:J RELATION TO DISTRIBUTION OF FIBERS BY SIZE i . ZERO INCIDENCE GROUPS (NO MESOTHELICHAS) * I ; t i I i ( i I \ A 9 553 i if t UCC 011774 ]! 43A-5 We are particularly indebted to the latter Institution for the size ) i separation of fibrous glasses, which were carried out through a series of millings and sedimentation of exceptionally fine-diametered glass fibers. All of the glasses were of the usual borosilicate type with mineral oxide contents previously recorded (Stanton elt al. 1972). The non-fibrous aluminum oxide and aluminum oxide whiskers were commercial products obtained from the Artech Corporation, Falls I Church, Virginia. These are single crystal fibers that are more than 99.5Z pure AI2O3. The method of counting fibers was previously i described (Stanton e al. 1972). Samples of the materials suspended iii in Formvar were air-dried on glass slides and photographed at 1000 j j magnifications. From the photographs, 1000 consecutively counted ' t particles were assigned to the 30 ranges of dimension indicated in I I | text-figure 1. Assuming that the particles in a given range were normally distributed around the mean size of that range, the total mass of all particles could be calculated, and the percent of the total mass occupied by particles in a given range or size compartment 1 I are the figures tabulated in tables 1-4. In the tables, the first 1 and H the second entry in each row i entry of each row/zconsists of particles that are non-fibrous. The plus figures below the designated specimen indicate the extent of i j pleural fibrosis most commonly observed in the rats of each i*j i experiment. The rats are being observed for 2 years following application. All dead or sick rats are necropsied and histologic sections taken from the site of treatment and any other abnormal i lesion. There is a limit to how precisely one can interpret results in terms of tumor response, because rats die at various times and from various causes during the 2-year period. A i 955J UCC 011775 [ i if iI i i ! i it i i t 43A-6 Nevertheless, from the present rates of mesothelioma development ve can estimate the final incidences of mesotheliomas in broad terms of whether the incidence will be high ( i.e. ,^50%; table 1), moderate to low ( i.e.,<C40% but>5Z), or negative (table 4). Results and Conclusions: The data are arranged in 4 tables according to our preliminary estimates of mesothelioma incidence. In table 1 are the 5 specimens that have yielded a tumor incidence greater than 50%. These are the UICC standard reference samples of crocidolite and chrysotile A, two samples of very fine fibrous glass with diameters of 3 or less, and the aluminum oxide whiskers. All of these samples are composed almost entirely of fibers, and further have in common a predominance of fibers below 5 p. in diameter. The t ai2o3 fibers are of particular interest because they are totally different from asbestos and glass, both in internal structure and chemical composition, yet their size distribution is remarkably like that of UICC crocidolite. However, one-third of the fibers are slightly longer and thicker than the crocidolite fibers and, since the density of A120-j is greater than asbestos, approximately one-sixth as many fibrous particles are present. The AI2O3 fibers are very durable and do not fragment to submicroscopic fibrils as crocidolite does. Whether this persistence of optically visible AL2O3 fibers relates to increased carcinogenicity remains to be seen. Tables 2 and 3 list the 7 samples of asbestos and glass which fell in the middle ground of carcinogenicity. ^ These materials may prove more carcinogenic than we predict at present, but all show a lesser carcinogenic response than those of table 1. These groups show no single outstanding difference in fiber distribution from those of table 1. A ` 95OO UCC 011776 -7" 3 i 4 \ I ! iit 1 43A-7 Both extremes in the dimensional ranges of fibers are ^represented. For example, the two crocidolite samples show similar incidences of mesotheliomas, but one is composed almost entirely of long(largediametered fiber bundles while the other has less than half as many fibers all of which ere short and small in diameter. Oft* explanation for this result is that fragmentation of fibers in vivo may play a role. The distributional array of fibers in the glass specimens would strongly indicate that carcinogenicity is decreased if fibers exceed 2.5yu in diameter. Finally, table 4 lists 5 samples including asbestos, glass, and AI2O3. which thus far have not yielded mesotheliomas. Except for the whole-fibered commercial glass, which is the type used as a vehicle in all experiments, none of these experiments with nonFibrous materials have progressed sufficiently to assure that no mesotheliomas will occur. However, the expected incidence in the remaining 4 groups i far lower than the materials in tables 2 and 3. I one analyzes the experiments in terms of individual types of material, some additional points are evident. Comparisons of the 4 samples of crocidolite (sections 1 of tables 1-4) indicates: that none of the 3 extremes in fiber distribution yield as high an incidence of mesotheliomas as the more evenly distributed UICC standard reference sample. Either progressive pulverization to noa-fibrous form by optical standards or preservation of the test sample in large bundles of fibers clearly reduces carcinogenicity. In considering the 3 samples of chrysotile (sections 2 of tables 1, 2, and 4), it is again apparent that the presence of * . A1956'. UCC 011777 i f rI f Irl . I' ii l ii l 1 iii i i I i 43A-8 particles smaller than 0.5 x 1.5 i}. (i.e.f the clumps and masses of s'ubraicroscopic fibrils represented in the distribution of fully pulverized chrysotile) decreases carcinogenicity and that fibers with diameters of more than 2.5 and lengths of more than 80 ^ reduce carcinogenicity. . . In considering the 8 glass samples (sections 3 and 4 of tables 1-4) conclusions are not as easy. It is apparent that samples composed over 90% by weight of fibers with diameters of 2.5 or less are the most carcinogenic and as this diameter is exceeded by more and more fibers carcinogenicity is reduced .^.^Length does not seem critical here since the crude AAA fibrous glass applied ii virtually intact yield^ more mesotheliomas than the same glass reduced to shorter lengths (section 3 of table 1 vs. sections 3 in * tables 2 and 3). However, reduced carcinogenicity in the glass samples may have resulted simply from reduction of the fibers to a non-fibrous form or to fused masses of glass of greater than 5 in diameter. Final conclusions on this interesting series of sized glass fibers must await more accurate tumor-incidence figures. Nevertheless, it is certain that in the pleura of the rat, fibrous glass of small diameter is a patent carcinogen. Finally, the contrasting results with the fibrous and nonfibrous forms of AI2O3 reemphasize the importance of structure to carcinogenicity. These exceptionally pure, inert fibers composed of materials foreign to asbestos and glass seem to carry the dame carcinogenic hazard for the pleura as asbestos and glass. A 95S2 UCC 011778 . i i t < t ' j | j i j .. ` 1 j <. i ] t l i $ i 43A-9 ` . It would therefore seem that carcinogenicity is in some way related to the presence of a durable particle of fibrous configuration in the dimensional range of optical recognition but presumably very near the limit of this range, and that carcinogenicity of asbestos, glass, or AI2O3 has little relation to the chemical composition of these substances or their potential contaminants. *....... . . ' ' 1 tj a i i 4<4 i A 9563 UCC 011779 i> l * 43A - 15 i. { REFERENCES iit 5 1* Barrington, J.S. (1965) Chemical studies of asbestos. Annals of the Hrv York Academy of Science 132. 31-47, 2. Stanton, M.F., Blackwell R. and Miller, E. (1964) Experimental pulmonary carcinogenesis wtth asbestos. American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal 30. 236 - 244, } 3. Stanton, M.F. and Wrench, C. (1972) Mechanisms of mesothelioma induction with asbestos and fibrous glass. Journal of the i National Cancer Institute, 48^ 797 - 821. * 4. Titnbrell, V, (1970) Characteristics of the International Union t Against Cancer standard reference samples of asbestos. Pneumoconiosis: Proceedings of the International Conference. Johannesburg 1964. Cape Town, Oxford University Press pp. 28-36. 5. Wagner, J.C., Berry, G.and Timbrell, V. (1970A) Mesotheliomas in rats following the intrapleural inoculation of asbestos. Pneumoconlosi?: Proceedings oS the T.nteme.tjonnl Conference. i Johannesburg 1969. Cape Town, Oxford University Press pp,216*219 6. Wagner, J.C.(1970B) The pathogenesis of tumors following the Intrapleural injection of asbestos and silica. Morphology of 1ii Experimental Respiratory Carcinocene^is AEC Symposium Monograph j Series #21, Oak Ridge,Tennessee. Oak Ridge National Laboratories % i1 pp. 347-358. iI s* . i A 19 5 8 4 . UCC 011780 Science center's 1973 targets heal'd! In 1972, a surge of activity in occupational health was triggered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act. 1973 should prove an even more eventful year. In this exclusive interview, Dr. Irving J. Selikoff, a prime mover in occupational health, out` lines his plans for the year ahead. by Richard I. Snider Jr., Assistant Editor t Dr. Selikoff, in 1972 your study on asbestos workers provided impetus for the development of a permanent OSHA standard on asbestos dust. Will you be completing a study of com parable importance next year? Yes, one on coal tar pitch and asphalt, which should have exten sive application, notably among roofers and steelworkers. It is a mortality study, similar to the one we did with the asbestos workers. We drew on data covering all 1 S.000 members of the Roofers' Union and charted cause of death in 3.000 con secutive deaths that took place from 1959 to 1971. Wc'rc also doing a study with the cooperation of the Printing Press men's Union on inks and oil mists which may be completed by the end of next year. Of course, there arc others. Tell us a little about them. What subjects do they cover? We arc studying the health effects of pesticides am! detergent enzymes with the International Chemical Workers', titanium with the Oil, Chemical, and Atomic Workers' and the Painters' Union, polychlorinated biphenyls with the Papermakers' and Union, cotton dust and carbon di sulphide with the Textile Workers' Union, cement and adhesives with the Tile Setters, epoxies with the Painters' Union, a bone disease called caisson disease with the Tun nel and Caisson Workers', and lead and other substances with the Ty pographers' Union. Wc will also be continuing our studies on asbestos with the Asbestos Workers' and the Tapers' Union. Dr. Irving J. Selikoff joined the fac ulty of Aft. Sinai in 1941 and contin ues his tenure in the Medical School us a professor of medicine and commun ity medicine. In 1955. he received the Albert I.inker Award from the Amer ican Public Health Association for his Studies on tuberculosis. When Ml. Sinai formed the Environmental Sci ences l.aboratory in fWi.f, Dr. Selikoff was appointed director. Doctor, what are your thoughts on the present permanent standards for asbestos promulgated recently by OSHA of 5 fibers longer than 5 mi crometers long per cubic centimeter of air, dropping to 2 fibers in 1976? I call it the 20-miIIion-fibcr stand ard. That is how many asbestos fib ers a worker can inhale during a workday if the air contains 5 fibers per cubic centimeter. 1 he Job Safe ly I.aw requires OSilA to assure as far as is practicable that no worker A 1 956b tUccmbcr I972/OCCUPA7IONAI HAZARDS 39 UCC 011781 '1 i :: i I I p, 'h i 3 1i ->.* .-I "4. >r ;s > fe .r v IT: *i < j Dr. Irving J.Selikoff (right) discusses his heolth targets for 1973 with Occupational Hazards' assistant editor Richard Snider in his office at the Environmental Sciences Laboratory in New York. suffers ill health from his work en vironment. This has not been done under the present OSHA standard. Our study indicates that, if past experience is an index and if the situation remains the same 95.000 of the 250,000 asbestos workers in the United States today will die of occupationally related cancers. Be fore the standard drops to 2 fibers in 1976, perhaps another 100.000 new workers will have been exposed to asbestos dust. If there is no chance we can expect that 25.000 of them will die of occupationally related cancers. All of these deaths are unnecessary. There is a 20-vear or greater lapse between the first exnosure to . asbestos and the onset of asbestosinduced cancer. If we want to con trol this disease in the year 2.000, we must start now. The case, however, is still not closed. The Industrial Union De partment of the AFL-CIO has tiled petitions and briefs in the U. S. Court of Appeals in Washington D.C. to contest the standard. How doer it happen that so mony of your studies are done with labor unions? All our studies arc clinical, that is, based on workers who arc ex- posed to the agent we are studying; and all our studies are epidemiologi cal, that is, based on large popula tions of exposed workers. This is where the labor unions can make a significant contribution to the study of occupational medicine. The labor unions are large; built-in control populations allow the study of a broad spectrum of health effects from exposure to a substance. The unions cover a large geographical area. A company usually concerns itself only with its own employees, and is thus often limited in popula tion and geographical range. The unions have long-term health information about their members, including workmen's compensation, records, post retirement health in formation, and death certificates. Companies, on the other hand, usu ally have records for only as long as the worker was employed by the company. Union records, in some cases, go back as far as the Civil War. thus enabling us to trace the health effects of new materials and new processes from the very first day thy came inlo use in the work place. The unions arc usually able to follow a substance in process from raw materials to finished product, a process often spread over many companies ami industries. Cooperation from the workforce is sometimes essential for a success ful study. Working with the labor union can usually guarantee that co operation. Finally, and perhaps most im portantly, we work with the labor unions because this is where the ac tion is. The initiative for the study of hazardous substances in the work environment is coming more and more often these days from labor leaders. . - Are the workers as enthusiastic os the'lobor leaders? Isn't there consid erable conservatism on their part, a disinclination to cost company man agement such large sums of money that their jobs might be at stake? Yes, many of them feci that way. and I understand their position. For older workers. leaving the job does not mean leaving the dust. They carry it with them in their lungs. For them, the potential gain is lim ited, and their job is precious. For many younger workers, especially those working in small communities, there might be no other jobs avail able to them. I can understand why such workers might choose a steady job over good health and a luneer life. This is not conservatism but realism. According to the law, however. 40 OCCUPATIONAl HA7AE0S/Dcmber 197J A 19580 UCC 011782 Dr. Arthur Rohl, research minerologist at the Environmental Sciences Labora tory, identifies mineral particles with a polarizing microscope. demonstrates a Geiger counter. employers are required to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards. Workers should not have to choose between health and a job. Besides your health hazard studies, do you cooperate with unions on any other projects'? Yes, we conduct courses, educat ing workers to recognize, avoid, and eliminate the hazards in their work place. In 1971, we ran a 5-day course on occupational health hazards for 75 trade union representatives. We ran a course for 50 shop stewards In the Textile Workers Union of America on occupational health haz ards in the manufacture of viscose fiber and film. Later this month, we'll begin the first of three sched uled courses on occupational health hazards in the asbestos industry. Each course will be attended by 50 shop stewards. The course will be given in New York this month, and later, it will be given in St. Louis and Los Angeles. Docs Industry ever participate in your occupational health projects? Wc work with industry whenever we can. Johns-Mnmiile Corp. co operated with us in our study of asbestos. The Printers' League is cooperating in the study wc are con ducting with the Typographers' Union. Industry experts are often fea tured lecturers or panelists in our health hazard education courses. Johns-Manville supplied lecturers for a graduate course on asbestos which we ran for doctors at Mt. Sinai. FMC Corp. helped us in the course we ran on viscose fiber and film for the Textile Workers'. Industry' is also a source of some funding. One student on our staff doing research on asbestos is sup ported with a Ford Motor Co. grant. Mrs. Samuel Rosen demonstrates au diometry at a Mt. Sinai conference. 'v. W/iaf are the other source! of your funding? . They arc many: Our Environ mental Sciences Laboratory has a budget from Mt. Sinai Hospital. We also get funds from die National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, the Environmental Protection" Ag ency, the Department of Air Re sources and Health Research Coun cil in New York C'itv. the American Cancer Society, business, and labor unions. Dr. Sclikoff makes liis point with one union leader attending a conference. A i 9567 Dt(amber 197J/OCCUPATIONM HAZARDS 41 UCC 011783 f 't< i SI .i .'.4C if. '% A -v v i Research mrnerologist Anne Wackier operates the electron microprobe analyzer. Mt. Sinai's Environmental Sciences Lab oratory is one of the most extensively equipped in the country. Our costs this year were approxi specializing in occupational medi take it you have some reservations mately SSOO.OOO. In 1973. that cine. The doctors chosen will spend about the efficacy of threshold limit figure will probably rise to $1 mil one year in residence with a major values and instrumentation for en lion. - labor union where they will come to forcement of OSHA health standards? grips with real life problems of Are some funding sources, such as the labor unions; drying up? No, I sec no indications of that. The labor unions have never been a major source for funds, and I don't think they should be. We're not hurting for funds. If a study is important, funds are us ually forthcoming. Our primary need is manpower. There are so many studies so urgently needed, but so few hands to tackle them. workers and learn to speak their language. Candidates have already been lined up for the AFL-CIO, Textile Workers', Oil. Chemical and Atomic Workers. The residency will be supplemented with classroom work and ward, laboratory, and field training under the supervision of Dr. Harry Hcimann of our staff. How would you rate the perform ance of NIOSH in occupational health? I do, indeed! When you consider that there are only 44 industrial hygienists on OSHA's staff and that they have to cover 4 million work places, you suddenly appreciate that it's mere idle chatter to talk about TLV's and instrumentation for en forcement. We asked 11,000 members of the Asbestos Workers Union if they had ever observed a dust count being taken in their workplace. Averag ing the total response revealed that workers had observed only 1 dust Count for every 20,000 manhours How large is the staff here at the worked, meaning the individual Environmental Sciences Laboratory? Very high. I know many of the worker had seen a dust count being men working at NIOSH. They arc taken only once every ten years. .1 Wc have 49 scientists on our staff. well qualified and do excellent work. Unfortunately, they are tied down T think wc need less discussion about dust counts and more discus by underfunding. sion about engineering controls. I Are you doing anything to attract ani confident that industry's re i people? sourceful engineers will find some The recommendations attached to means of control if industrial lop Next year, we hope to hegin a your study an asbestos played up the managements will give (Ikiii that residency program to train doctors importance of engineering controls. I assignment, fct 4a OPCUP AT I ONAt MAZA*OS/0.cenbf I97J A 1 9560 UCC 011784 Occupational Health & Safety Letter, January 8, 1973 AUTOMATIC BAG OPENING STATION FOR ASBESTOS FIBER DEVELOPED: Johrts-Mauville Corp. has reported the development of a completely automatic fiber bag opening station to protect workers from the hazards of asbestos dust. The development was announced by Edmund M. Fenner, corporate director of environmental con trol for J-M but representing the entire asbestos industry at the 23rd annual Governor's Industrial Safety Conference in Olympia, Wash. He explained that J-M is currently testing the design of the station. When it is fully developed, bags of raw asbestos fiber will be cut open and disposed of, with the fiber being removed and introduced into the manufacturing process without exposing any employee to significant love's of asbestos dust. Fenner spoke of the importance of effective dust control systems, as well as regularly schedifted industrial hygiene surveys and properly planned plar.t/cquipmcnt maintenance programs. Asbestos fiber is widely used in the manufacture of floor tile, asbestos-cement pipe, brake linings, clutch facings, roofing, siding and flooring, insulation, textiles, paper, felts, pias tics'and fireproof clothing Nearly 750,000 tons of asbestos arc consumed each year, according to the Asbestos Information Associa tion/North America. . At0563 UCC 011785 'r>( 'AIA/NA MEMBER COMPANIES BU eoe, -is ` / 7) r -tt. > George Barge E. C. Bratt H. Randolph Brown J. D. Christian A. H. Fay W. E. Gatewood A. R. Hooker J. H. Marsh C. G. Morgan C. A. Neuman J. L. Rainey J. W. Rawlings Wes Sauerland Kurt Schwarz F. J. Solon, Jr. J. R. Stetson S. D. Weaver Paul Weiner J. K. Whittaker Atlas Asbestos Company H. K. Porter Company, Incorporated Uvalde Rock Asphalt Company Cassiar Asbestos Corporation, Ltd. National Gypsum Company Certain-teed Products Corporation The Flintkote Company Raybestos-Manhattan North American Asbestos Corporation Kentile Floors Incorporated Amatex Corporation Union Carbide Corporation Jim Walter Corporation Supradur Manufacturing Corporation Johns-Manville Corporation Congoleum Industries, Incorporated Cement Asbestos Products Company GAF Corporation Nicolet Industries, Incorporated AIA/NA ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL SUB-COMMITTEE E. M. Fenner W. J. Dickson W. Fassuliotis Ralph Lanz , John Myers 7 Wes Sauerland Ike Weaver Frank Zimmerman Johns-Manville Corporation Flintkote Company GAF Corporation Nicolet Industries, Incorporated Union Carbide Corporation Jim Walter Corporation ' Raybestos-Manhattan National Gypsum Company I AIA/NA LEGAL COUNSEL Joseph W. Burns Burns, Van Kirk, Greene & Kafer AIA/NA PUBLIC RELATIONS COUNSEL Tony Federico C. L. Forbes Mike Isser Jack Steinberg - Cunningham & Walsh -" " -" " -" " AIA/NA ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL CONSULTANT C. L. Sheckler ^ A 1 957O UCC 011786 -2- CC: A, E, Alpine G. M. Armstrong James Armstrong I. C. Campbell Richard Carter C. Nelson Codding A. A. Cross Hugh Dawson-Walker Mike Donovan Doris M. Fagan Lyman Field J. A. Gossip Joseph Hall Stephen Holmes Wilfred Howard Michael F. Howe Ellsworth F. Marriner, M.D. S. Monoky Art Neilson P. V. Pelnar, M.D. F. L. Pundsack Ivan Sabourin Martin Sendecki George P. Vogel Hans Weill, M.D. G. W. Wright, M.D. Les Haas Bruce Phillips Certain-teed Products Corporation Amatex Corporation Bendix Corporation Q.A.M.A. Johns-Manville Corporation Jim Walter Research Corporation Cape Asbestos Company, Ltd. Hill & Knowlton (UK) Limited Johns-Manville Corporation Asbestos Textile Institute Rogers, Field, Gentry, Benjamin &-Robertson Q.A.M.A. GAF Corporation Turner Brothers Asbestos Asbestos Information Committee (England). Turner & Newell , Johns-Manville Corporation Certain-teed Products Corporation! Fireman's Fund American Insurance Company Institute of Occupational & Environmental He a Johns-Manville Corporation Johns-Manville Legal Counsel Congoleum Industries Incorporated Ertel Engineering Tulane University St. Luke's Hospital Certain-teed Products Corporation Certain-teed Products Corporation UCC 011787 ft i 957 1