Document MJBRXaJGDXxbGz3114vbBgj4x

HWBUI0004824 Asbestos and Health QUESTIONS & ANSWERS Much has been printed and said about asbestos and health, much of it inaccurate, misleading or completely false. Some of the more prevalent of these fallacies are discussed in a question and answer format in the following pages. QUESTION Is asbestos a major air and water pollutant in our society? ANSWER Asbestos exists naturally in small though detectable amounts in serpentine rock formations throughout the world and is constantly being released into the atmosphere through erosion by wind and water. Asbestos is thus natural to our environment, and -- as analysis of dated ice from the polar caps have revealed -- has been for thousands or even millions of years. Man therefore probably evolved into his present form in an atmosphere containing a natural background level of asbestos -- both in the air he breathed and in the water he drank. While precise comparisons are impossible, today's atmospheric levels of asbestos, even in urban settings, are still only marginally higher than in the distant past and are many thousands of times lower than any levels known to result in disease in occupational settings. There is no indication that levels of asbestos in community air and water have been increased significantly by modem uses of asbestos. The only exceptions that have been found were in the past in environments close to manufacturing and mining facilities, and in applications where simple controls were not implemented -- such as unrestricted spraying of asbestos fireproofing in construction. These emissions are currently under control, in accordance with federal, state and local standards that are designed to help keep asbestos in ambient air everywhere at levels that are not injurious to health. 1 HWBUI0004825 L p9A[0Aui sailed aqj oj juas oje guiujBM jo sjajjaj ajBudojdde `panuijuoasq) uaaq jou seq aarpBjd siqj aaaqM saauBjsui jo siueaj uoijspossy aqj uaqAV sojsaqse jo asn jBjnoijjBd siqj anuijuoosrp oj pajaBjuoa sdnojg aqj jo Aubui Aq uaqBj ajaM sdajs ajEudojddE `jajjaj siqj jo jjnsaj b sy ,/pajBuiuiqa aqsaso&ind Aqqoq joj sojsaqsB jo asn aqj jBqj juapnjd si ji jBqj paj aM uossaj siqj jo^j,, ssauqi jo asnBa b aq ubd sguijjas jBuoijBdnaao ui sojsaqsB oj aansodxa AAsaq jBqj Mouq op aM `qjjBaq oj pjBzsq ou juasajd pus qBuis AjaA AjqBqojd ajB pasodxa aq Abui uajpqqa qaiqM oj spAaj aqj qgnoqjjy panuijuoasq) aq ppoqs sojsaqsB jo asn siqj jBqj AjSuojjs paj a^,, aqoBui-jaidBd puB Abp Suqapoui joj ajnjijsqns aAisuadxaui ub sb jaqij sojsaqsB pasn aABq sdnojg Ajiaijdb qjnoA jo sjapeaj aqj uoissaao uo jBqj uoijuajjB jno oj auioo sBq jj,, : jJBd ui piBs jajjaj siqx aja `s.VOMA PUB stVDIMA `sipunoa jnoas piS puB Aoq `uoijBanpa Z jbod aqj jo aajBaM aqj oj pjBzsq qjpaq b asod jou pjnoM `suoijipuoa auiajjxa japun uaAa `jbod b qons uiojj pajEjauaS aq ppoa qaiqM jsnp sojsaqsB jo junouiB aqj jBqj paMoqs sjsaj uoijBJjsiuiuipy gnjQ ^ poo^j jnq `pajjnsaj Ajajno jBuoijouia uy sjBoajaAO s.uauiOM 000*002 aqsui oj pasn sem puB jaqij sojsaqsB juaaaad 8 pauiBjuoa jBqj Ajbjj uiojj qjop pajjoduii jajnjDBjnuBui Suiqjop b `xi6X ui U3MSNV ioijqnd pjauaS aqj Aq ujom Suiqjop jo aanjDBjnuBui aqj ui pasn sojsaqsB sj Nousand snopjBZBq AqBijuajod pajapisuoa aq ppoa qaiqM spAaj unqj jaMOj sauiij jo spuBsnoqj Aubui pus `spAaj punojgqaBq jbuijou usqj jaqSiq AqBUiSjEiu Apo aJB spAaj jsnp sojsaqsB jBqj UMoqs aABq juanbajj Suijpjq puB AABaq si aijjBJj ajaqM suoijbooj pajaaps Aqnpads jb Ajiq qjoj^ Majyj ui pajanpuoa sjsaj `uoijippB uj ; Abp ajSuis b ui sapSuy soq jo azis aqj Ajp b ui jajjBui ajBjnaijJBd jo suoissiuia jbjoj aqj jo %oz usqj ssaj si jBaA ajijua ub ui sajBjs pajiuQ aqj jnoqgnojqj jbbm Supq aqBjq Aq pasBapj jaqij aajj jo junouiB jbjoj aqj `jdbj uj jaqij sojsaqsB aajj jo (juaajad aajqj oj auo) saaBJj Ajuo suiBjuoa jsnp Suiuq aqejq jBqj UMoqs aABq upjijg JB3JQ puB sajBjs pajpfl aqj ui pajanpuoa saipnjs ajuajsoj paqBa puajBui aixoj-uou `snojqij-uou b Supnpojd snqj `Suiuq aqj ui sojsaqsB aqj jo ajnjBU paiuiaqa aqj saSuuqa qaiqM `pajejauag ajB jBaq jo sjunouiB snouuoua `paqddB ajB saqBjq uaq^v sjauiApd puB suisaj snouBA qjiM sSuiuq aqj ojui paqaoj si jaqij siqj jnq `jaqij sojsaqsB juaajad gg oj dn uibjuod sajaiqaA uoijBjJodsuBJj ui pasn sSuiuq aqBjg U3MSNV ijib Ajiunuiuioa ojui jsnp sojsaqsB jo sjunouiB pjuuBq asBajaj sajiqouiojnB pue sassnq `sqanjj uo pasn sSuiuq aqBjq SuiuiBjuoa-sojsaqsB oq NousanO HWBUI0004826 ounce in the total United Kingdom beer production of over a thousand-million gallons a year. In addition, a concensus report from a 1972 international meeting on asbestos-health sponsored by the World Health Organization found no "evidence of an increased risk of cancer resulting from asbestos fibers present in water, beverages, food or in the fluids used for the administration of drugs." QUESTION Is the atmosphere being polluted by asbestos sprays used to fireproof the superstructure of buildings under construction? ANSWER The use of asbestos-containing, spray-on fireproofing compounds in high-rise building construction has been banned in the United States by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) because the methods developed for the control of emissions of fiber from these sources proved to be ineffective. Once this fact became established, the asbestos manufacturing industry concurred with the EPA that the use of spray fireproofing compounds should be prohibited. QUESTION Are asbestos-containing modeling compounds still being used by school children in art classes in the United States? ANSWER From time to time, a newspaper will carry a report that children in a local school or YWCA are using asbestos as a modeling compound to construct puppets or sculpt heads. This normally results in excited denunciations by local politicians and others, who demand that the practice be stopped. Simply speaking, the asbestos industry agrees with them -- the practice should be stopped! In November 1971, the Asbestos Information Association sent a caution letter on this subject to nearly 5,000 teachers associations, hobby and craft publications, state boards of 6 The FDA, nevertheless, decided to ban the manufacture of such "general use" garments in the future because they felt it constituted an "inappropriate use of asbestos fiber, one in which none of the special properties of the fiber that contribute to the welfare of the public are utilized." The Asbestos Information Association officially concurred in this decision. Garments in which the special properties of asbestos are utilized, such as fireproof suits, barbecue mitts and aprons, etc., were not banned by the FDA because the asbestos fibers are "locked in" the garments by chemical agents or other means. QUESTION Will there be an "epidemic" of asbestos-related mesothelioma in the future among people who worked in United States shipyards during World War II ? ANSWER Despite the predictions of some doctors to the contrary, it appears highly unlikely that such an "epidemic" will occur. Predictions of this nature have been based primarily on the experience of workmen in British, not United States, shipyards, where a relatively small number of mesothelioma cases have been reported among yard employees not known to have worked directly with loosely-bound asbestos products in their jobs. There are several important factors, however, which do not make the British experience comparable with that in American shipyards. These are: 1. The prime method of applying asbestos-containing insulations aboard British warships was by spraying, a notoriously dusty method of application. Dust counts taken dur ing spraying in British shipyards have been recorded as high as 1500 fibers per cubic centimeter of air (300 times higher than the current United States standard for asbestos exposure). Counts taken during the sweeping and bagging of asbestos debris have reached the astronomical figure of 3815 fibers per cc (more than 750 times the U.S. standard). This resulted in very high dust levels throughout the shipyard area. 3 HWBUI0004827 2. Spray application methods were never used in United States shipyards during the Second World War. The alternative methods used in this country, while creating dusty conditions for the men doing the actual work, did not result in hazardous conditions throughout the yard, as was the case in Great Britain. 3. The type of asbestos fiber most used in British shipyards for insulation purposes was crocidolite, the variety of fiber most medical experts agree is the most likely to cause mesothelioma. Crocidolite was not used in U.S. shipyard work. 4. The actual number of shipyard mesothelioma cases reported in Great Britain, while of great concern, cannot be considered of "epidemic" proportions. In the Scotish yards, for example, 49 cases have been reported in the 18 year period ending in 1967. 5. Millions of men were employed in United States and British shipyards during the First World War and in the intervening years down to World War II. Asbestos insulations were used extensively during this period. The practices employed for the application of these insulations were similar, if not dustier, than those used in U.S. yards during World War II, yet no "epidemic" of mesothelioma occurred as a result of these exposures. If thousands of cases had developed, this disease would certainly have come to the attention of asbestoshealth experts much earlier than it did (early 1960s). This is not to say that a few cases of mesothelioma will not develop among indirectly exposed United States shipyard workers, however the printed medical and exposure data does not support the prediction that a hundred thousand or more will die as a result of their World War II exposures. QUESTION Are cosmetic talcum powders, including baby powders, contaminated by excessive amounts of asbestos fibers? 4 ANSWER A form of asbestos called tremolite can be found in nearly all talcum powder, since it is a naturally occurring contaminent in talc stone. In some industrial talcs, not intended for human use, the percentage can be quite high. In cosmetic talcum powders, however, including baby powders, the percentage has been found to be very small. A 1972 study by the Office of Product Technology of the Food and Drug Administration showed that, of 40 cosmetic talcum powder samples tested, 39 contained one percent asbestos or less, while the 40th had to be retested for traces. This is far below the 15 to 25 percent figures quoted in some newspaper reports. QUESTION Do asbestos-containing filter materials release asbestos fibers in potentially hazardous quantities into liquors, beers, wines, soft drinks and other liquids offered for sale to the public? ANSWER Asbestos-cellulose filter pads have been used in the filtration of liquids since the beginning of this century. These filter pads play an important role in clarifying and improving the taste of certain beverages, as well as removing potentially toxic substances from the finished product. The mass production of many of our more important injectable drugs would be virtually impossible without the use of asbestoscontaining filter media. While is is possible that very tiny amounts of electron microscope sized asbestos fibrils are released into some beverages from the use of asbestos-containing filter pads, there is no evidence whatever that the size and quantity of the fibrils released constitute any hazard to human health. This same question was raised in Great Britain a few years ago with regard to fibrils of asbestos found in beer. The furor died when it was shown that the total amount of asbestos fiber found in British beer added up to only two-one-thousandths of an 5 HWBUI0004828