Document Rj7QYz3YaemqypZnYOJbNE6D7

FILE NAME: RT Vanderbilt (RTV) DATE: 1977 Feb 18 DOC#: RTV081 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: J-M Memo RE Paper by C.S. Thompson "Asbestos Your Future," with Paper Attached . by C. S. THOMPSON Manager. - Minerals. Ceramics andPapor R&D. R. I. Vanderbilt Co. m To many, ihe-title of these comments migluinfcr.a ma jor discovery of new asbestos deposits, ah increase in production, or newareas of application. Howeyervothm might suspect niorc scriousiand-sihistcr mchitgcand, unfortunately,,tihci?arc.correct., perttse (USBMi-USGS, etc:), " asbestos" was defined, any.'Oftc>f;siXvmmcr{iIs.- . '**3 .TnKlir'.IJicf k<r<:fcfr.intnr ^imirer/r highl'usefl material elsewhere;inith c:world. " Asbestos'' minerals rrcated by regulations ; Dcstos muiciiais a re-,uisin uuicon11ro w 10csvarieiy..-o tics, rubber: <)ras'basic ihgrdirits in ccririnlWspa'lihg .............. ...... ........ . ............ ... sv ciy t'^ 2 Ml iil^P^%cHfMiy^Bbtirr;iri-'ft ' Table t : ' . . (Eisfcd'miiniisare.italicized). ' Chemical Composition N on-. r^l A she}sifarm Variety SERPENTINBGROUP :. CliryStiiI -iMg^iS0j)(OH), Antigoritfe. lizartfitc .'Rt^WiY. rAnthuphyMite. -. ' . .-ifitjcsios (MgiFebtSiBOiiXOHiF), Tremolitc . . '. . . ' .-.asbesto,s Ca'i'MgitSi^OjiMOH.F), AciinOlitc asbestos CitXMg: Fc).-.(Si,0)(H.F), ite' AnilinphylUte Tremolile AetinoKte events which-has obc.iT<U'dVcr^t(^aiipVewv Issuance of standard fn IV72 start'* halnof vents m ulgnlcd regulations listed :in table 2. It is obvious from these documents that the majority of standard producing Table 2. Initia! Reaction. (Primary definitions covering asbestos exposures) . Agency Osha Pate July 7.1972 (Revised Oct. 1. 1972) tJSltM (Coal) EPA (Air) . . Nov. 7. 1972 Apr. 6. W.l ' ' . ikfinitm s . 6 Minerals (.See liiblc 1) giber 3: f Length: width oil in - Micrometers in length . Same as Ostia Same as ( )sh;t AsbesUn material. - Asbestos or any material containing asbestos Asbestos railings ~ Any solid waste product ofasbestos-mining or milling operations which con tains asbestos agencies, arc reluctant to develop definitions of their.own and arc perfectly satisfied to. incorporate, those'.promul gated by others even to the perpetuation and eXpunsibn of erroneous'ones. .. the realization that material* Id.he regulated must be cor rectly defined and described by the-field of science to which they belong if mcanitigful stttndard.s arc to be devcloped,-To quote1'Professor Tibor Zollarofdhe Department OfGeology tmd Geophysics. University of Minncsoin; in . comments lo the .Minnesota Polltilion Control-Agency* reBiifdmg-tliedisiincliiin belween.fibers o f liuliiral dsbes-. IdXahiiofelcaviigc fragments: . Unfortunately, the misuse o f som e relevant mineral- ogival concepts am! terms tire becoming so wide spread that it may he extremely difficult to correct diem. However. i f that is not done, same niitwraiogiciil.' concepts and expressions will have double definitions; one fo r mineralogists and physlcal scientists, undone - fo r use in environmental public health sciences tmd . practices. . . . The continuing use o f these double definitions would be m ost unfortunate as it'-vfiH undoubtedly.lead to addi tional hmiindprstandiiigtmtlcoiifiiclbetwccitimncrai- ogtsis and g'e'dhfgisis.'on oheXide, and-ehvirintntentid and public health personnel on the other. A s the con - cepts and expressions are mineroiogic.al, the logical so- lulion to this problem would he fo r the personnel in the . second category h i restrict themselves to the proper fuse..& mineralitglcdtuerms. . . Bureau ofM ines tried to clarify issue with sympbsiiim . Y (-E P A $ iisii^ Thcifirst.itiiajor breakthrough in correctingjhcierror^jn the drjjgtnijijtisbe^los.definitions came; atiorf by?holding aSynipdsium on TilledriMaj*i8* )973;in Table -3. Turn about or Sidestep. (Secondary reactions . . ' concerning asbestos definitions) - Agency Date Definition* . crcd. '^,Th^iS'pccifiidiy?hiehtTon talc mines .anil mnnufaeturmg;operai ionsmnd the " releases- of asbestos-from TaWmitc milJirig'Opcralions" its being excluded from cov erage. EPA ' -May 3. 1974 SamensOsha . Effort was made to correct error Sc (Air) .Standardrevised toindude only I$ - * ' "commercial asbestos." nol opcra- .fn the meantime, lhrough thc diligent and consistent cf . . lions where asbestos was a con- ' fdrts of a'smaH group bf intcrcstcd parties. Oshabefcamc. USBM July I. (974 . (uminanl .. Only includes asbe.djfoim varieties '. . :>awarc--i>f5iJi.c^ricrrors/jdcfinilibn:.and ..the Dcpnrtmcrit;;of. 5f (Met til-. ' . ofsix minerals/ Rccijgmzc# bxis- :il^rlisstijeitri^kg^c^rtjlinr bri;Qct. 9 / !974^'wtlfco(fciin- nonmelal) . lence of niin-fibroiiiito ;4& stri.% ^ tht." n6n-fibrousbj;n^ . . decision oh da'in prd'sdnidu i'll' ' ;b<$itif6rm'minWd:i^ ' . syinpti!>ium.oivialex. . ^^Wr(hirt?\ler4!c)^(bf^1istaridbid .. & Osha Oct. 9.1974 Agreement withtaleprtxliicer7 >jtftr.b n:Nov. 2 1 J ^ '^ i m '. t s s c d a Field 1hrM |lton N ov.2 1. 1974 Issued field memomnddm1!using- . fivccritcratTorfiticridchlifi- :f^Ptorancitim* rccognizjrigithc;two forms of thc^anphibdlfcmilierais and istirig fivc'criteria to be used in'deter- . Si : . cation (see. li'tHle 4) .. . . lil'A 'Oct. 25-, 1974.' Set cxcliision.le.vcj of one percent. (Air) . asKosIdsctuitciit11- .1- - ' . . Table 4, Criteria to he used by O.shit in couniing'fihcrs f t Mesa Dec. I.\. 1974. Issued memorandumictinimiguse, A. ' Particles must appear lt>be fibrous rather than as crystals or ." , , ' . orcritcria siinilar IdOsha for , - stivers. ., X X, counting fibers " . sU:- -Tlicr maximum diameter of a fiber to be ciutnicd is 3 n crons;- ' C.V.TIidniaxinnim Icngth.ofnfibcrlo Ire counted is-30microns. . D: `ThclIcngt.h.dtfwiUlhiraiioimtisi be 5-or more.to 1,-that i s ,. E..'n'lu;s%iWtt:tniihdivtdiraT?fibera;:irtttsl.conuiiti fibrilsjw.thc ifiicIy^^IjiWICiliiini-J^^lifSIiyiUeifffitifeWGillMilcgc^inU?1 ifit meets ! . leijytii'tu -Wtitlt jiifut iVfi or. riiore tt) l is not meant tb imply:. ...' thiU.txthbr-piirtlclo*t-'it're tio!-hnwi'rt!mis. . lllp y ymu^ onS |d ^d ; :ftbrbS;o r lsbcstifdrnV^TWse' tir iltibiiltiled:\th'itablcT4;;;. ()sh;i'.s recognition of the problem in evidenced by these two documents and its repented verba! nssuriinces that correct mincralogicnl terminology and identification Asbcst()S:Siaiidanl (see table 5).1' Not only lid Osha pfo- : pise.lo liikSiH ^fep bijCkward and use the aspect 'ratiojis M th si>Ic^ni^ioir irt"defirifrtt a fiber but also to liMcrdhc ; " method would be incorporated into.the asbestos nmcmlnient appeared to signal n real and welcome-change in *ibihcshbi^lfmll^iilu^CTL^'from 5 fibcrs/cm" (th is /rL V .' M w;is ;iiilomaticiiilyV{troppcl to 2 fibcrs/cm* on Ju!y- i, 1 this agency's attitude toward the scientific correctness of its standards. Very soon thereafter, on Dec, 13. (974, Mesa issued 1976),to;i',().'5.>fil^cn;lh:thc;;prc)imblc to this docurnent O^hft s continuecisf Ip M bits'Jack of mincralogieid iffcrt)sc;bV/; " Health Division Instruction Memorandum No. 8--Defi nition of Asbestos Fiber ,for Trcniofiie Occurring in Table 5. thick to go and worse. (Most recent reactions concerning asbestos definitions) Talc." which lisicd criteria for fiber determination similar to those outlined in the Osha document.-The year 1974 A/fftiry Date Definition* ended with a feeling of optimism that science had won out ad liuit future regulatory documents dealing with Osha Oct. 9 ' 1975 t>MhuTiits--No distinction as to crysliillineform.;^,, -. . " asbestos" would contain definitions and terminology that would limit their application to the true asbestos min erals upon which all medical data concerning bunion health hazards has been obtained. ................ Plan to rescind Labor l)cpt. agreement revealed . The first indication that all was not well was it thinly veiled threat-early in 1975 that Osha was considerihg.thc rbeesfcoirnedimngenotfitoJnicedDetaplacrtpmreondtuocfeLr.^abroidpfalghrMccwinic.inHVd'rWaWiiHaitrhoef Osha Field Information Mcmorandum;i^74-92iThiS ma /7her 3:1 Ich^th/Wiilth niiio ; = >5 micrometers inlcngth - (negates field memorandum") ' l-lt'A (Air) lil'A (Water) Oct. 14. 1975 Dei. J6. 1975 No eh;mge from original--details - disposal methods ' No change from original--groups wolfaslohitcWith asbestos for re quired effluent controls Mesa Jane 29. 1975 Removes "asbestos" terminology (McJal- and substitutes "mineral fiber" ndnmela!) Mineralfiber - any mineral par ticle with a 3:1 aspect ratio or '$ m>5orMe icrometers in length S . <5 Micrometers in width neuver was based on misinformation, sUj^'pTiiidiby'a 'com petitor concerning the m iheralp^jpf^l^i& 'leipr^fibts in /question ami on\C on tin u in g ;p rS ^r'^rp in '^i6 $ |)wliieh. to this day, insists on u.sing opi^3he;simplistie;3:1 ..copying: ,;emy. - / feels (length/widtfi) criterion to d6finc^^^;?AStritibting|vilas held with the then Assistjmi'SccretafyroCfliabpf^Jdhn Stenderi withallprincipals reprc.seqted^f^V|ii6ii^tdndcr statcd thai as.Iong as he held-offic^i^tl^iK ^^feem eni and Field Information. Mcnibrapdum;;;iyoUli;ifcmain:;in foircc. Slender left the Departmehf bf- LhbonsoohTthere- aftcr. . " "Anotherdocument was brought.to ouf'altc.htion late in the summer of 1975 byiBurc1u oFMincsiRi|spnncl^THis . was a> '" telle. Assessment of. Asbestos'; Sourccs'of A sbestos."10ThisipublicntiSn^M^ with the occurrences uAdcrUhefsttbOtlc-vdf.\^Astsd.to>'> p ^ i ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ y e s L '* 'vbotini^^jiif% ^% W eiit' 'Hb`S-been 'dfsddVcred totlatc. . ^ ___ . . . . . . . ,, .. amphibb!esin any.rockpiakes that rock nipotVniii11`'m* o dentiii! source of asbestos." 'M csap rjip q :^ "' 'i' 'Kw nS'l Ki Proposed amendment to s i . a step .Thejshtocipopped ;6r O c t-9 .;';J975/(1jIuCk/Thursday) .^l(fi3Ke|i^j>t)dr^^pf;ihc Id its-/, * iftfttf.fij m intim i/ 9 S I VM N U V S'( >.S' Jll.S V ` time defining, from the standard mid replacing it with tu n words. "mineral fiber.'* The agency wouldfurther.simpli fy <he regulitlor'.s task by defiiiing a "fiber" as any "paiti cle that exceeds 5 microns in length but not 5 microns in width, and shall have u lcnglh-lo-wid(h ratio of at least 3 to I:'' While (he terminology and definitions arc altered, . the requirements (or handling these " mineral fibers" re main the same as (hose promulgated for true.asbestos. To my knowledge, there is no mineral assemblage being mined, milled, processed and either used ns such or discarded as tailings that would not contain significant amounts of mineral particles which would he classified ns "mineral fibers" using the Mesa definition. The majority of silicates, including those most common in mineral de posits (i.c. amphibolcs, pyroxenes and feldspars), and m i-' nicrous nonsilicates have, by nature, cleavtigc.character istics that cause them to elongate during comminution. ' N ;tlure'itself forms particles meeting Mesa's criteria through normal, weathering processes. . Two points should be made quitp clear at this-time: --All of the medical data concerning the.nature and cxtent of health hazards related to asbestos exposure has been gained on: * truly nsbest/form varieties of only four minerals, chrysolite, crocidolitc, amosilc and anthophyllitc groups of workers exposed to extremely excessive . amounts of these nsbestiform minerals, usually as mixtures of at least two types.. -- No definitive medical, data has been presented to indicatc that comparable health hazards exist, with re spect to the non-n.sbcstiform varieties of the true as bestos minerals. No references at all regarding expo sums to irenullle or actindlitc, in any. form, were included in the list of 70 plus references listed in the Osha Asbestos Standard and the additional 42 conlaining "new,information" in theVt<>pbscd amend ment. The extrapolation of hazard (Vom*three or four extremely rare forms o f common minenils to the in clusion of cleavage fragments and particles o f csscn- * tially all other minerals is entirely unwarranted. Ramifications to mining boggle the mind There arc many ramifications of tbc.prcscnt and pro posed " asbestos" regulations, which would directly af fect the mining industry, that may not be immediately ap parent.. As mentioned earlier, regulatory agencies show a great reluctance to deyclopdcfiniliopsoftheirow n and eagerly adopl.thbsc suppli^iby.otKcfs.ThciEEA.iis using, the 3:1 aspect ratio exclusively for the six listed "as bestos'.' minerals In its extensive study, of i;water con-, lamination, by mines, mills and manufacturing; facilities. At present, the UFA requires that any nniterial cbnlaining ' one-percent o r more `.`asbestos" must-be disposed of-by covering with "at least 15 cm (ca. 6.in.) of non-asbestos . C . Sheldon Thompson is HAD Man ager-Minerals. Commies tiiiil P a p er/><pnrtntettt. 1/., T. Vanderbilt Co. iinmipyjin began liis nrop-sslotitii rdr'-er in the field oftniavraiogy in WAS as fessm at Westtnijitster .College in S o // * //A r City; hollowing that, Thom \on J m , ' ns research m.hieridogtxt-.\< in l.nidt > KennecaU Copper Corft; -* - i></. mincrali/gi.st-groiip. nuitti . - .. silences. Union Carbide Cbrp. Mining and M etah Division. T) nnp.soir has a PhD front the UniVersih i f Utah. containing material . . . at the etui of each operating day." Try to imagine the situation the mining industry would he in when the KPA starts to apply the proposed Mesa "mineral fiber" definition to the hundreds of thou sands uf tons of mine tailings and overburden dumped daily, liven worse, try to dream up a soil or cover of any kind which would not contain any "mineral fibers#" Many stale agencies try to improve on their federal coun terparts by setting more.stringent standards. The Illinois EPA, for example, requires that any " asbestos" con taining material be disposed of in steel drums. Every mining company would be affected All the potential problems need not be elaborated on here. Everyone in the business of mining has been greatly ; -affected by one or-more o f the-multitude of safety.and. health regulations now on the books, but this latest "m in eral fiber" proposal by Mesti is probably the only stand ard that affects every.mining company in this nation. To make it worse, it is based on :i kick of medical data, a to tally unjustified extrapolation of hazard from fibers to non-fibers nod a complete absence of mineralogical under standing and expertise. ... . In conclusion, I would urge the entire mining industry lo support the efforts now-being spearheaded by the AMC Noncoal Occupational Health Committcc-to coun teract the evergrowing umbrella of the'" asbestos-miner al fiber" regulations. An AMC ad hoc subcommittee on "mineral fibers'' has already:made a presentation to the Federal Mine Safely Advisory Committee in Birming ham, resulting iii the assignmenl of that topic tosubcom- mittcc for study. Continued efforts .will be made to pre sent any and. all d ata wbic.h will aid all regulatory a g en cies, federal-and S tate, lo corrcet past errors in-min eral definitions and to make use o f the vast reservoir of mineralogical expertise in the U.S. Bureau of Mines and the U.S. Geological Survey in ill future standards dealing with minerals. To accompliSh'this. the backing bfthccn- tirC mining .industry will be-needed. . . _ Almost everyone, knows-What-asbestos is, but there . seems-to bc.a.greal many people in -numerous regulatory agencies that do not know-what'" asbestos" is-noi. Un less these people arc enlightened, mosbeveryone who has not had "asbestos" in his past will-find that he has " asbestos" in his future. , References . 'Federal Register. Vnl. 37. No. 1id, July 7 , 1972, p. 11320-11322. ,.3Crilcriii'For A-Recommended Standard- ,j. Occupational Exposure To Asbestos, National Instituic For Occupalional Safety iwd'Bcalth. 1972. . . . . `,, .'Proceeding o f the Symposium on "tide. Washington. D.C., May 8, 1973. U.S. Itiiretui of Mines Information Cireular;8639. 1974. 'Federal Register. Vnl. 39. No. 127, July I; 3974. pT24316. `/Mini. Tibpr -.uul J. U. .Stout. "CoinmchU1'on| Asbcslifonu unit Fi brous Mineral Frueiiienlsv Kclntivc lo Reserve-Mining Company Tuconilc Deposits." .Mimtcsola l'ollulion Control Agency; Mar. 24. 1976, "Fcdcftil tieeislcr. Vol. 39. No.T7. May 3.1974??, 15396. 'Lctlcrlo H. UiiVaiiderbilt friim John- H, Slender.: Assistan.t!Score nrv.of-I^Hrtr O iil`9:-.l974.: '* ' And AsscssUihi of AsHt'slos'F.missionS FrbmlncidcntalSburccsOf ' AsbesMtobs*, ." F.PAffjt)72-74-087; Bitttellc CoIombusi.Uiboraiones, Sept. ,. 1974. ..... . "Fedenti-Register. Voi. 40,'Nb.T97. Del. 9 ,1975,p.;47652^76M. "Federal Register. Voi.'40, No.-199. Oct. 14. !97J.p.;482?M8302. .1"Fod.e.r..aII.KcgtslLi?:r_.-.iVi.o,1l.,4Jl1l), MN.o, . A21f)ilI, fOVclt. Wk: tOTCirL'iKMuIlMlL' "Agetidn for thu [9th. Meeting t>f the Fcdcnd;MciliuaW;Noni Miminee SSaaffeettyy AAddvviissoorryy CO " " ........w-'.ra. i l97fl. Blrmmgharai Al . C R M C -BEV -000682