Document NN07p9ajGQ1bdEYvKJ242amrg

FILE NAME: Union Carbide (UC) DATE: 1972 Feb 4 DOC#: UC044 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Letter to Kaiser Gypsum Co. RE Asbestos Toxicology F e b ru a ry 4, 1972 M r . R . W. G r 1gg Commodity Purchasing Manager K a i s e r Gypsum Company, Inc. K a i s e r Center - 300 Lakeside Oakland, C a l i f o r n i a 94604 Drive Dea r M r . Gr i g g : W a l t F i t z p a t r i c k has a s k e d me t o r e p l y t o y o u r l e t t e r t o him d a t e d D e c e m b e r 2 7 , 1971 c o n c e r n i n g a s b e s t o s t o x i c o l o g y . A s we d i s c u s s e d a l l o f y o u r q u e s t i o n s c a n n o t be a n s w e r e d d i r e c t l y b e c a u s e f e d e r a l r e g u l a t i o n s have not been f i n a l i z e d and / o r e x p l i c i t l y d e fin e d . We a r e i n t h e p r o c e s s o f p r e p a r i n g a l e n g t h y C o r p o r a t e ' " p o s i t i o n p a p e r o n a s b e s t o s , i t s u s e s , c o n t r o l s , e t c . We hope t o c o m p l e t e the p a p e r by A p r i l ; however, f o r e x p e d i e n c y , I w i l l answer your q u e s t i o n s t o t h e b e s t o f my p e r s o n a l a b i l i t y . We w i l l keep you advised of document. new information and send you a copy of the final r C o r p o r a t e T h e r e a r e two s e p a r a t e fe d e r a l a g e n c i e s which have r e c e n t l y is s u ed revised or proposed regulations concerning asbestos (copies attached). I he D e p a rt m e n t of Labor t h r ou g h the O c c u p a t i o n a l S a f e t y and Health A d m i n i s t r a t i o n (OSHA) has issued "e m e rg e n cy " r e g u l a t i o n s lowering t h e T h r e s h o l d L i m i t V a l u e ( T L V ) f o r a s b e s t o s f r om 12 t o 5 f i b e r s p e r ml o f a i r g r e a t e r t h a n 5 m i c r o n s i n l e n g t h , and e l i m i n a t e d t h e t o t a l d u s t c o u n t as an a l t e r n a t e TLV. These r e g u l a t i o n s a p p ly to employees h a n d lin g a sb e sto s in your plan ts as well as users of your products. On J a n u a r y 12, OSHA a l s o p u b l i s h e d " p r o p o s e d r u l e m a k i n g " in the F e d e r a l R e g i s t e r , Vo I . 37, No. 7. The Environ m e n tal P r o t e c t io n Agency (EPA), under the 1970 Clean A c t, has issued proposed standards which would govern em issions p l a n t s and c e r t a i n j o b s i t e s . T h e s e s t a n d a r d s w i l l be r ev i ew ed Air from in K a i s e r Gypsum Company, Inc. Oakland, California ' M a r c h and w i l l n o t be e n a c t e d u n t i l l a t e r t h i s y e a r . Of major mutual concern is th e ir proposal to p ro h ib it the spraying of asbestos or p r o d u c t s c o n t a i n i n g a s b e s t o s , w ith o u t regard to the amount of a s b e s t o s c o n t a i n e d . We f e e l t h a t t h e i n t e n t i s t o ban o n l y t h e s p r a y i n g o f a s b e s t o s i n s u l a t i o n and the g r o s s n e g l i g e n c e which has been in h e r e n t w i t h t h i s o p e r a t i o n . We w i l l p r e p a r e comment s f o r t h e EPA and h o p e to get a favorable d e fin it io n of " s p r a y i n g " to f i t the intent of the c u r r e n t proposed ban. The comments below are in c o n j u n c t i o n with the numbered q u e st io n s in your letter. I . C a l i d r i a A s b e s t o s SG -2 10 i s c h r y s o t i l e a s b e s t o s , the same . as Canadian grades 7RF, 7TF and 7 D I. The b i o l o g i c a l e f f e c t s and b a s i c m i n e r a I o g i c a I o r c r y s t a l l i n e nature are the same. I have enclosed a copy is s u e d by the N a t io n a l th e h e a l t h hazards and of "Airborne Asbestos", a report Academy of Science s. It f u lly e x p la in s d i s c u s s e s them in an o b j e c t i v e manner. 2a. U n le ss you have enough local v e n t i l a t i o n to prevent f i b e r c o u n t s a t b r e a t h i n g z o n e s f rom e x c e e d i n g the OSHA TLV, r e s p i r a t o r s s h o u l d be worn when h a n d l i n g d r y a s b e s t o s . The h a n d l i n g o f p a s t e s c o n t a i n i n g a s b e s t o s s h o u l d p r e s e n t no . p r o b l e m . No d u s t w i l l be g e n e r a t e d o n c e t h e a s b e s t o s f i b e r s . a r e wet w i t h w a t e r o r r e s i n . R e s p i r a t o r s s h o u l d be worn during dry blending operations unless dust counts indicate l e v e l s b e l o w 5 f i b e r s p e r ml g r e a t e r t h a n 5 m i c r o n s l o n g . 2b. T e c h n i c a l l y , when a s b e s t o s i s h eated to 700C i t i s c o n v e r t e d . ' t o f o r s t e r i t e , a n o n - t o x i c m i n e r a l . Emptied b ags and o t h e r waste in cin e ra te d at temperatures above 700C should presumably not emit asbestos fib e rs to the atmosphere. Because of inherent u n a n s w e r e d q u e s t i o n s , we w o u l d n o t recommend t h i s method o f d i s p o s a l . Empti ed b ag s and o t h e r waste c o u l d be pl aced i n la r g e p l a s t i c bags and d is p o s e d of in l a n d - f i l l o p e r a tio n s. U n d e r c u r r e n t and p r o p o s e d r e g u l a t i o n s t h e l a t t e r method may be m o s t p r a c t i c a l and a c c e p t a b l e . W a s t e b a g s may be o f i n t e r e s t t o a l o c a l p a p e r - m a k e r b u t we h a v e n o t e x p l o r e d this possibility. 2c. The type of r e s p i r a t o r r e q u ire d depends on the dust l e v e ls to which an employee is exposed, see a r t i c l e 1910.93a (c) o f th e e n c l o s e d OSHA r e g u l a t i o n s . Your o p e r a t i o n s would p r o b a b l y r e q u i r e no more th a n the r e s p i r a t o r s r e f e r r e d to company, I nc . O a k I a nd , C a l i f o r n i a nS!"!SS5 i n s u b - p a r a g r a p h ( 2 ) . F o r recommend WH . s o n ' s Mode, MSA' s No. 86432 With type " H " a re ap pr ove d by the Bureau o f U ltra -filte r, Mines. ite' r l?'* both of which 2d. D u st m o n ito rin g techniques are d e sc rib e d in the attached suaaestsd ' ssVed bV +he ACGIH. I have a l s o included dJ* K i n t a Ll I+ * pment and i t s a p p r o x i m a t e c o s t . We woul d 2 I 5 y Ur ' n d us + r i a I h y g i e n e p e r s o n n e l and Suoi +C0Un+? fn y Ur P la n + S ' a+ Your d is c r e t io n S u c h m e a s u r e m e nt s would be f o r o u r mutual b e n e f i t , not in connection with any government agency inspection. 2e. A c c i d e n t a l o v e r e x p o s u r e " t o a s b e s t o s d u s t does not seem t o be a r e l e v a n t pr obl em i f you a r e r e f e r r i n g t o a " o n e time type exposure. All published stu d ies indicate that e x p o s u r e s must be e x p e r i e n c e d f o r l o n g p e r i o d s , 2 0 - 3 0 y e a r s t o cause lung damage or a s s o c i a t e d p h y s i o l o g i c a l changes. 3. ' s d i f f l c u l + q u e s t i o n t o a n s w e r s i n c e we have no d a t? i n d i c a t i n g a s b e s t o s f i b e r c o u n t s in dust generated i n p e r f o r m i n g t h e j o b s m e n t i o n e d i n y o u r l e t t e r . We a r e c o l l e c t i n g m a t e r i a l s and e quipment to pe rf or m t e s t s in our N i a g a r a F a l l s RAD l a b s . We w i l l o b t a i n d u s t c o u n t s d u r i n g t h e s p r a y i n g o f c e i l i n g t e x t u r e s and the a p p l i c a t i o n and sand p a p e r i n g of j o i n t compounds. If you co u ld send us a t y p i c a l d r y m i x t u r e we c o u l d i n c l u d e s i m u l a t e d j o b - m i x i n g o f s u c h m a t e r i a l i n o u r t e s t s . We w o u l d -need m i x i n g 9 i n s t r u c t i o n s and at l e a s t the approxim ate a s b e s t o s content. The r e v i s e d OHSA r e g u l a t i o n s a n s w e r y o u r s p e c i f i c q u e s t i o n s a S TO I I o w s : 3a. A r t i c l e 1910.93a (e). 3b. A r t i c l e 1910.93a ( d ) (3). 3c. A r t i c l e 1910.93a ( f ) and ( g ) . 3d. A r t i c l e 1 9 1 0 . 9 3 a ( d ) ( 2 ) . T h i s may n ot a p p l y to hand s a n d - p a p e r in g but would r e q u ire clarification. T h ese a r t i c l e s seem u n n e c e s s a r i l y r e s t r i c t i v e for your a p p l i c a t i o n s b u t we do n o t a s y e t h a v e a n y d a t a f o r a r g u m e n t . Per our telephone conversation the scope of the regulations or would not attempt to d iscuss i n t e r p r e t t h e i r many c o m p l e x i t i e s There i s a hearing co nce rn in g the EPA proposed standards in K a i s e r Gypsum Company, I nc. Oakland, California Los A n g e le s on February 15th a t 10:00a.m. in the U.S. . C o u r t h o u s e , Room 1501, 312 N. S p r i n g S t r e e t . T e s t i m o ny w i l l be p r e s e n t e d by s e v e r a l co mp an ie s and the A s b e s t o s In form ation A s s o c ia t i o n . I t h i n k you would find the hearing of i n t e r e s t and b e n e f i c i a l and would s u g g e s t t h a t Kaiser Gy ps um be r e p r e s e n t e d . No a d v a n c e n o t i c e i s r e q u i r e d e x c e p t for those presenting testimony. A f t e r r e v i e w i n g t h e r e v i s e d and p r o p o s e d r e g u l a t i o n s , y ou may w i s h t o make comments t o t h e OSHA o r EPA. I f you do n o t want t o do t h i s d i r e c t l y , we w o u l d be g l a d t o i n c o r p o r a t e a n y i n f o r m a t i o n you have i n o u r r e s p o n s e s . OSHA comments a r e due by F e b r u a r y I I and r e s p o n s e s t o t h e EPA a r e due by March 6t h . I t i s p o s s i b l e t h a t the former date may be e xt e n d e d . A l t h o u g h i t seems somewhat out of p la c e , and perhaps unnecessary, I would l i k e to end t h i s with a b r i e f commercial. Your use of SG-210 i s a p p r e c i a t e d and we l o o k f o r w a r d t o s u p p l y i n g mo r e o f y o u r a s b e s t o s r e q u i r e m e n t s in 1972. I f o u r o r i g i n a l f o r m u l a t i n g work was i n d i c a t i v e , y o u s h o u l d be u s i n g 3 0 - 5 0 ? l e s s S G - 2 1 0 compar ed t o C a n a d i a n a s b e s t o s . T h i s w o u l d r e d u c e t h e .t o t a l amount o f a s b e s t o s y o u u s e and the amount I n t h e p r o d u c t s y ou s e l l . We a l s o h a v e a s b e s t o s i n p e l l e t form and they are e s s e n t ia lly free of airborne-type dust. Although pellets w o u l d n o t be a m e n a b l e t o d r y - m i x , y o u may wa n t t o c o n s i d e r t h e i r . use in ready-mix compounds. My a p o l o g i e s f o r t h e d e l a y i n a n s w e r i n g y o u r l e t t e r - p l e a s e l e t me know i f we c a n be o f a n y f u r t h e r a s s i s t a n c e . /cvb EncIosures c c : W. J . F i t z p a t r i c k ^ J . S . Sheahai