Document Rpk8x4pa2kmbBBoKjbX259DLn

STATEMENT DELIVERED BY HERBERT L. LEVINE IN BEHALF OF THE SPRAYED .P.0Mineral Fiber Manufacturers' Association, Box 427, Westfield, S.J. 0703), BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF fHS Council of the City of New York, January 27th, 1971. The members of the Sprayed Mineral Fiber Manufacturers* Association, who make asbestos containing materials used to fireproof large BUILD INGS,_ APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY, We HOPE THAT THE tOMMENTS WHICH YOU HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT ASBESTOS WILL SOT PREJUDICE YOUR OPINION AGAINST AS3EST0S. I SAY THIS, BECAUSE IT HAS ALREADY BEEN ANNOUNCED FREQUENTLY AND FORCEFULLY THAT NEW York City is going to ban the spraying of all materials containing asbestos,, We hope that asbestos will not be convicted without an APPROPRIATE HEARING, AND WITHOUT ADEQUATE CONVINCING SCIENTIFIC PROOF THAI. IT IS HARMFUL TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. We find m scientific evidence to support a ban on sprayed asbestos. Supposition or speculation is insufficient reason to legislate a PROVEN PRODUCT OFF THE MARKETm Of COURSE, THE HEALTH OF THE PUBLIC IS, AND RIGHTFULLY SO, THE PRIME CONSIDERATION. We APPRECIATE THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT THE Sity Council and City officials have, but we urge you not to be RUSHED INYO A POSITION THAT HAS NO SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT, AND WHICH SIGHT BE A DISSERVICE TO THE PUBLIC. The SITUATION INVOLVING SPRAYED ASBESTOS HAS BECOME DISTORTED AND EMOTIONAL, As A RESULT, MEMBERS OF OUR ASSOCIATION ARE FACED WITH THE THREAT' OF LOSING THEIR RIGHT TO MAKE AND SELL A LEGAL PRODUCT WHOSE VALJE FOR SOCIETY HAS BEEN PROVEN BEYOND QUESTION THROUGH THE CENTURIES* Mew York Zity recently instituted regulations governing the spraying 3F ASBEST& CONTAINING MATERIALS. THESE REGULATIONS ARE BEING FOLLOWED FULLY AND CAREFULLY, AND THEY ARE ACCOMPLISHING THEIR PURPOSE OF KEEPING ASBESTOS DUST FROM ENTERING THE AIR AT CONSTRUCTION SITES* To PROPERLY PROVE THIS, FIELD STUDIES HAVE SEEN MADE IN OUR BEHALF BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES LABORATORY at Mount sinai Hospital, which is headed by Dr, Irving J. Selikoff, ONE OF THE MOST RENOWNED AUTHORITIES IN THE WORLD ON ASBESTOS AND HEALTH. 3&rS LABORATORY, STUDYING ASBESTOS AIR LEVELS IN THE VICINITY IF SPRAYING OPERATIONS WHERE THE NEW YORK ClTY REGULATIONS WERE BE INS CAREFULLY FOLLOWED, WAS UNABLE TO DETECT ANY INCREASE IN ASBESTOS AIR LEVELS IN SURROUNDING AMBIENT AIR. In OTHER WORDS, Jk. SELIK1FF STATES, ADEQUATE PRECAUTIONS CAN PROVIDE EFFECTIVE CONTROL* 3ttr Association recently issued a code of practices for spraying. This cods contains provisions hors stringent than tuc city's SEGULATIBfS. We HAVE DISTRIBUTED COPIES OF THE CODE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND ARE URGING MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS EVERYWHERE TO ENACT ITS PR 0 VIS I OSS INTO LAW. HAVE &NE FURTHER IN OUR DESIRE TO HELP MAINTAIN IN NeW YoRE THE ^LEANEST AIR POSSIBLE. We HAVE SUGGESTED TO THE NeW YoRK ClTY Building Commissioner that a special inspector be employed to check XAILY ONSPRAY FIREPROOFING WORK GOING ON IN THE CITY* ThB INSPECTOR XOULD ACTSALL Y BE HIRED BY THE BUILDING 'S OWNER OR AGENT, BUT WOULD 3& RESPONSIBLE ONLY TO THE 3UILDING COMMISSIONER. ThE INSPECTOR SHOULD BE A QUALIFIED PERSON WORKING FOR AN INDEPENDENT, CERTIFIED SSTING INSPECTION AGENCY APPROVED BY THE ClTY BUILDING DEPARTMENT. *k ALSO BATE RECOMMENDED THAT SPECIAL INSPECTION PROCEDURES BE INCLUDED IN THE CITY'S BUILDING CODE. YkE MAIN-QUESTION IS WHETHER AIRBORNE ASBESTOS IS A HEALTH RISK TO ms general public. Many scientists have been studying this and have KEPORTSB WINDINGS INDICATING THAT NO SUCH HAZARD EXISTS. Selissff recently wrote: "While there is at present no evidence ZE COMMUMTY RISK FROM ASBESTOS FIBRES IN THE AMBIENT AIR, IT IS ONLY mUDENT, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR CONCERN FOR REDUCING GENERAL AIR &SLLUTIOXt THAT JOB-GENERATED DUSTS AND FIBRES BE PREVENTED FROM SHIFTING INTO THE COMMUNITY AIR. " & has raxTHER commented: "Adherence to New York City's regulations 30R THE A&LICATION OF INSULATING MATERIALS THAT CONTAIN ASBESTOS WILL mEVENT ASBESTOS DUST FROM ENTERING THE AMBIENT AIR. ThESE REGULAT IONS WILL ALSO KEEP ALL OTHER INSULATING DUSTS FROM CONTAMINATING THE CITY'S AH AND WILL ALLOW THE INSULATING AND FIREPROOFING OF SEILDINGSTO PROCEED IN SAFETY." *&. Georgs. W, Wright of Cleveland, another noted authority who has SEEN STUDSING ASBESTOS AND HEALTH SINCE 1948, HAS WRITTEN: "THE RISK 23P THE GKBRAL PUBLIC POSED BY THE MOSTLY INTERMITTENT EXPOSURE TO ttE LOW CmCENTRATIONS OF ASBESTOS LIKELY TO BE PRESENT IN THE ASBIENT AM HAS BEEN EXAGGERATED BEYOND THE' LIMITS IMPOSED HX- THE SHOWN FACS. " ^ Theories Van Dellen, author of a nationally syndicated medical CSLUMN, HUB JUST WRITTEN ONE ON ASBESTOS DUST. He SAID ONLY MINUTE ABDUNTS OK ASBESTOS DUST ARE INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY AIR POLLUTION AND EBJI CATER THERE IS NO HEALTH HAZARD TO THE PUBLIC. XmALE ASmSTOS FIBRES9 HE SAID, "TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, HARM.9 THOUGH PEOPLE MAY THESE BODIES DO Ilf ADDITION TO SPONSORING studies during spraying operations, our Association adso has had research done inside a building where the PLENUM AREA BETWEEN THE SUSPENDED CEILING AND THE FI REPROOFING*' MATERIAL WAS USED FOR CIRCULATION OF RETURN AIR. THESE PLENUMS, THJSEFO.RS, ARE LINED WITH ASBESTOS CONTAINING MATERIAL. THIS WORK, DOME BY A LEADING TESTING ORGANIZATION, PRODUCED SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS. TUN CONCENTRATIONS OF ASBESTOS FIBRES AND TOTAL PARTICULATE MATTER RAKED FROM 1,2 TO 2.1 FIBRES PER LITER. CONTRAST THESE FIGURES WITH THK THRESHOLD LIMIT TALUS OF 5,000 -- 1 REPEAT, 5,000 -- FIBRES PER Lisst set bj the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, this latter limit being for occupational -exposure. Alb2$ other research sponsored by the Association failed to detect any ASBESTOS FIBRES OF RESPIRABLE SIZE IN THE WORK ENVIRONMENT OF THE NEW Federal Building in Newark, N.J. or in the main rotunda of the Trans Woksd Airlines terminal at J.F. Kennedy Airport, New York, and both of WRTZ2 WERE TREATED WITH ASBESTOS CONTAINING MATERIALS, These is a great amount of scientific literature available on asbestos. .SFJT SUMMARIZED SOME OF IT AND HOPE YOU WILL TAKE TIMS TO READ IT, Tt sz important and pertinent. We would be happy to provide you with FULB. COPIES ' QF THE REPORTS AND OTHER MATERIAL FROM WHICH THIS SUMMARY WAS 3ERIVED. SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS SHOW THAT AIRBORNE ASBTSTOS IS NOT A HAZARD TO THE 2U8LIC. bis HOPE THIS COMMITTEE WILL CONSIDER THESE FINDINGS, AND THE ESS TIMONT AT THIS HEARING, AND CONCLUDE THAT BANNING SPRAYED ASBESTOS IS UNNECESSARY AND WOULD NOT SERVE ANY USEFUL PURPOSE whatsoever/ He urge you to consider that the city's regulations are BE IMS FOLLOWED AND THAT OUR INDUSTRY IS HELPING MAINTAIN A CLEAN AIR ENVZEQNMENT REGARDING ITS PRODUCT.