Document O31YB1GXg0NJ8yvdwbEJYmo6w
December 15, 1975
Mr. 0. Boduroglu Manager, Engineering Services Union Carbide Europe, S.A. 5, Rue Fedro-Meylan 1211 Ceneve 17, Switzerland
Dear Mr. Boduroglu:
In reply to your Letter of December 1 re any medical cases linking asbestos in a high-temperature furnace to cancer, the answer is no. However, asbestosls and cancer of the lung due to asbestos as well as another type of cancer referred to as a mesothelioma are known to follow years of exposure to asbestos dust.
The Incidence of disease is greatly Increased in smokers. The greatest incidence is in heavy cigarette smokers. Carbide unfortunately has had several cases of asbestos disease of the lung (asbestosls). The individual is removed from work with asbestos and advised to dis continue smoking. Our cases usually followed more than ten years of dust exposure in applying insulation to pipes. One case occurred in Linde where asbestos powder was added to a mix by a worker on e dally basis for many years.
Wherever asbestos can be eliminated by substitution, that has been done. In those cases where it is not feasible, then the dust exposure is reduced to 5 fibers per cubic centimeter for an 8-hour time-weighted average exposure, the celling being 15 fibers for any 15 minute period. This stringent standard is presently the law la this country, and we expect a tenfold reduction in the allowable limit and a ceiling limit cut in half from the present standard.
Flease let me know if I can be of any assistance in this matter.
Vary truly yours,
JJW:BA
'f'XN/ "T" `
John J. Welsh, M.D.
/
JOHN J, WELSH, M. D.
/?0
UH.
o^vt mvntAk WttQ^
'(Jill 5 fa*VW ev^vt^S
ifct QHv
t f
c<^
jO
vO
//
t
UNION CARBIDE EUROPE
SOCIETE ANONYME 5. RUE PEDRO-MEYLAN 1211 GENEVA 17 SWITZERLAND CORRESPONDENCE TO. P.O.BOX 1211 GENEVA 17 SWITZERLAND
December 1, 1975
Dr. J. J. Welsh UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION 270 Park Avenue, 4th Floor New York City, New York 10017 U.S.A,
Re: Use of Asbestos in Graphite Furnaces
Dear Dr. Welsh,
Attached is a copy of a telex from Union Carbide Norden where the use of asbestos was discontinued as insulating material in between the grate sections in graphite furnaces. The action was taken because the Swedish Confederation of Trade Unions announced the death of eight employees from a Trollhattan plant, due to cancer caused by asbestos.
Would you please let us know whether you have come across any medical cases linking the use of asbestos in a high-temperature furnace, to cancer.
Looking forward to your early answer.
Very truly yours,
UB :mk Enel.
cc: Messrs. R. H. Beyer C. E. Medford
U. Boduroglu Manager, Engineering Services
HEQ
UcC 1975
MEDICAL DEPARTMENT
LNICARBIDE TELEX. 2 22 S3 TELEPHONE: (022) 31 98 71
O ,o
420.45 ucn s .35
September 10 1975
C*E. MEOfOftO ug/iba
nr c e medford, uce
nonday evening the Swedish broadcasting and tv corporation and the Swedish press announced that a medical doctor of the Swedish confederation of trade unions had verified that eight workers `employed at the enterprise nohab in trollhattan had died of cancer caused by asbestos.
these circumstances we have decided not to use any asbestos^-. the plant from tuesday afternoon this week.
asbestos has been used as a tightening material between the grates panels and around the head electrodes in our graph!tizing furnaces and will now be replaced by kaowool and rockwool, these two ceramic materials have earlier been tested for these purposes.
22253b unca ch 42C45 ucn s-r-t