Document Qg8722b4MKojwqkgMO5ybg9ZL

FILE NAME: Synkoloid (SYN) DATE: 1975 SYN002 DOC#: SYN002 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Summary of correspondence between Mt Sinai, NIEHS, and companies Barry I. Castleman EN VIR O N M EN TA L CONSULTANT / 1738 Riggs Place, North West, Washington, D.C. 20009/202 387 7595 Package from Art Rohl on Spackle, Etc* This is the correspondence between Mt. Sinai and the NIEHS, and the companies* Most of this occurred soon after the publication of the Science paper in August, 1975* 1. Rutland Fire Clay Company, letter to Frank Raftery (President of painters union) June 10, 1975i The firm's dry and ready mixed joint taping compounds contain chrysotile asbestos} caution statement added to the product labels* 2* Bondex International, letter to Selikoff 9/5/75 METRO Spackling Compound does not have asbestos in its formula. Rohl replyj (9/16/75) METRO has 4-6 percent tremolite asbestos, a common contaminant of talc* Notet Here we see that some manufacturers may be making asbestoscontaining products and are not even aware of it* 3* Synkoloid Company letter to Selikoff, 9/4/?5l 9/18/75 Rohl reply, 9/12/75 First letter says their spackling paste and powder have been free of asbestos for at least 20 yearsj Rohl replies that their "Synkc Triple Duty Joint Compound" is 8-10$ chrysotile. Oh yes, they respond, the joint compound does have 5*9$ chrysotile, to be exact. They plan to do away with the chrysotile by the end of 1975 Note Here we see that they were less than forthright in asking for men tion that their spackle had no asbestos, while neglecting to say that their joint compound had asbestos* Asbestos removal summarily achievable, obviously. -- as was also the case with U.S.Gypsum. 4. Consumers Union lists spackle manufacturers from Hardware Age 1975 Buyers Guide. 5 Rohl memo to Selikoff 8/5/75 lists five taping and spackling compounds analyzed for painters union, samples submitted July, 1975 Four contain chrysotile and/or tremolite asbestos, the highest being S-C-L Vinyl Taping Compound (10-15$ chry. and 8-12$ trem.) These are presumably samples of stuff sold immediately prior to publication of the Science article. 6, Two-page list of "consumer spackling compounds" lists the 15 products tested in the Science paper, the manufacturers, and the amounts of asbestos minerals in each. Note that anthophyllite is another asbestos mineral. The samples were purchased 1) in 1972 or prior, and 2) in January, 1974. of - 3ot April 14, 1976