Document YrnxMv1gErBJ23M91aKvEZOq8

RiO CENTER, BTdg. 601 2A43G Design J Manufacturing Center a.x 236-5435 December 20, 1979 m / / .2 / 'V* GATEWAY CENTER 3. A. Kerns ?. Palmiar-i ;R. E. Mills PAD CENTER C, i1. 3ickerstaff 0. Whittier oc The attached letter was sent to the Consumer Protection Safety with a copy to the EPA on Thursday, December 13, 1979. Thank you for your help on this natter. * JFG/gmc Attachment John F\ Gormley, Director Product Safety & Integrity p--n p--n Osc*a3ar A5 Sti.hgh.USS 5:=':ncCcrpcration )r:C*.e*arMCirT ...... rn :a: "f * * " a 3 i T " = T ` f'V I:".'.-::* rrc:u-*s S:*'?:/ Comrissio- 23' .3l$-cR 60057, ece-re- T-?*r >er ni / , i: : - *> Tre fcllc.-. i?g ccrmsrts and information are supplied 'in answer tc your revues pubi'shed ir. the Advanced Notice of Proposed Sul9 Marine. 1. ic^sd as;ast:3 '$ used in electrical transferrers to insulate ccmooner-.s eiectri:al1/. Curing assembly it 's varnish impregnated which serves as additional protection from release cf fibers. No fibers are emitted during normal use or reasonably expected misuse of tnis product. The bended asbestos material is sealed by the varnish and the entire section containing asbestos is removed during repair. T^r-gfore there is no release of fibers anticipated during repaid and/or disposal. Asbestos is also used as a gasket material in residential air conditioners This is used in a hermetically sealed unit which is normally not repai-ab! Asbestos gaskets are also used in larger units which may not be hermedically sealed but because of their size and cost- they are replaced by skilled personnel and there should not be significant release. No satisfactory substitute.has been found for asbestos in gasket and packing appl ications .'1 * 2. Nestinghouse agrees with the elimiration of all non-essential uses of asbestos in consumer products from which asbestos fibers are released during reasonably forseeable condition? or duration of use, including misuse. However, Hestinghouse believes that regulation by performance standards for individual asbestos containing products, as opposed to a "generic" or broad approach regulation, will permit the Cownission to employ tne factors enumerated in the announcement for determining wnether a use is essential. The "release of asbestos fibers" must be defined by a standard test; i.e., product tested in a clean environment at a specified air flow rate for a specified time. Thus, it is not appropriate to just consider the "fact of asbestos fiber emission.'1 The Commission must make a quantitative assessment. n--n tss C=* U}E.P.A. 560/6 - 78-0Q5. TR 77-515 Aug. 78, p. 223 r 03112333 Tff'ce of the Secretary :>j l Ceca-iar 12, 1?;? cV- In addition, 'essential" must pe - a ffi re:,. esceci a U y 3$ it re'ates to tra ce-ia^i: .'a-ived. sue*' as prot'tt'on fpor. extreme heat or eiectr*cal and -.^lability of substi jtes. As stated oefor* ir. I ten *1 , t-iere r: M-:v.-r substitute ?c- asbastus in gaskets. 3. '-a jss asvestos in products depend; upon ths function of the material, fa :. a i 1 at:;; V of substitutes (for :ac-niu`.I and safety -easons) and cost. *>n Imitation on fe total production of tsb-stos wou-d subject :*a ave` :aai1;t, of asbestos to market:!ace factors. This night raise t :* ::st to too:,* manufacturers .,'o retuire M:s material for tnsir pro- rutts out w '0 rot ^se sufficient tuantities tc keep the costs from t.-i"g ''ronci ive or inflationary, `elective elimination of ere uses of ds.esTi or tra cf'.-r nard .vault rc-tuca demand first, thus being less inf' -atic.-.arv. A. Seculaticn or possible elimination of use of asbestos must be considered on sons rational btsis such as cost-benefit analysis and must include car:C2T3tior$ of availability, suitability and safety of alternative .-.aterials. .<23 ti "grouse has had a formal, organized, concentrated effort to sli-inete asbestos from its products for at 'east four years and has elirirated it in most applications. A few examples are turbine engine isolation, insulation for hot piping, and in fluorescent, lamp fixtures. However, in some of its product: it has not found satisfactory substi tutes. These applications primarily involve high temperature, high pressure or corrosive e.ovironnents. 5. Any regulation for use of asbestos on a product or in a piece of equip ment containing an asbestos product must consider the potential impact on existing equipment. This equipment has been designed for the use of particular gasket material and while substitutes may be available for newly designed equipment, the si2e, compressibility of the substitute material may not function properly in the same envelope. Further, to replace the entire piece of equipment because of unavailability of a small fraction of the total would be extremely burdensome financially. oo gmc A /*-- John F. Gormley, Director Product Safety & Integrity c=^ 031123S4 0.j TR.3UTICN LiST Norran Ooerations, Reger *. \d r? ' j P:..er 1 =c. i 0 r ' v e 5 y a . C'v ., : . 3. -v.over lett: -, Reactor lu.-pcr-- ts. U . j . Ou*.er Sour* Boston, SATj., 0-:. . Oer.. Mgr ., J . j . Aldworth 1'Cep*,. Mgr. R . N Sampsc'1 Cc":ji t'on Turbina 3/s . v. , Uy S . Orgrg. , j. 3 3ec..a, i.,7 3 0 3 33, . A . Orunert i .. 3. Petr,an Oreen/i i : ;<. ~. 3-, Sur.";'val, Marino Oiv., Ingrg. '-*gr., j. J. Austin Charlotte, M.C.. T-:-*; `.v .r'1 obi"!; ty Mtr., 0. J. Slder , -'A, Frank He rue* . Nuclear "enter, Andy Sabo! Asreviila, NC., General Control, R. Sassinatt - Clccningtcn, NJ, WCAO. S.igrg. Mgr., J. 8. Brittain - Cheswick, 1ectre-Mech. Oiv., Cen. Mgr., C. S. Anthony Greentroe, SPD, ngrg. Mgr., R. M. Bredin Hyde ,:ar.<, ,;SG, Alan Snadgett 31oomfie'd, NO, Lamp Operations, Mfg. Services, Mgr., J. 3. Gorec<i Waltz Mill, Advanced Coal Conversion Dept., . F. Vandergrift Baltimore, QSSC, Command & Control Oiv., M. Ani T.iO Center #701, Nuclear Service Oiv., H. 0. Ruppel Phi l,a.. Combustion Turbine Sys. Div., Tampa Plant, Processes tngrg. Oept., 8. Peck rn .3* ;a c=^ oc c^> 03112535^