Document ZByewwajXxeVLQY5kMm7EZ3Dd

FILE NAME: CertainTeed (CERT) DATE: 1968 Jan 15 DOC#: CERT050 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Unpublished Internal Report-Asbestosand Human Health - with Cover Letter FO R M 117 ACTION MEMO Subjtct l~l See attached for Your APPROVAL For Your COMMENT Advise COMPLETION Date CONTACT Me About This P e rQ Our Y o u r CONVERSATION For DISCUSSION Prepare ESTIMATE For Your FILE For FOLLOW-UP Record Please HANDLE % For Your INFORMATION INVESTIGATE And Report READ Destroy Return Per Your REQUEST Advise STATUS r/ \> */ f r o m -y " ,n 0 . 6 <000 ( DATE 7 R E T U R N B Y 1 A J7--2- AT F . . FOR W A R D TO id l/- J A r d - Al ^ C /Mf r t c r ' IrS L M - tJibe\ r e . Castleman.CERT000578 I January 15, 1953 ASBESTOS AND HUMAN HEAL?!: INTRODUCTION Asbestos, known^ since antiquity, has wide-spread and Im po rtant a p pl ic at io ns in our n-coern industrial society. With the 20th century burgeoning of the uses of ^ ^ ! j Sp !a!^,mC recSnition of the need to cope with occupational hazards I " ,..V> ' exceasiv mnalation or asbestos dust. This statement summarizes nrr S^ ' L1! USCS " asbes!:os> the known facts about health problems associated v'th aanndd rreedduce" tbheCsXep0hrearlith^ riasSk?sC.StS du5t> and ^e-'research beilng conducted to identify> AN ESSENTIAL PRODUCT *f!"S!:OS hs sscn" al functions in construction, in industry en d in transportation. Over the years fireproof asbestos has savevi thousands of lives and uch valuable property. For safety, fire prevention and other reasons, products cnS , d - r t0? arB "" d " is. hases, theaters, .ships, office and other nobiles t'rnct"; b " " h e and firei8hti"S cquipn-ant. The brakes on auto- o? hafe u " . * a`nSara depe"dable <*" <>*. i. major eonponent " V.T'lAT IS ASBESTOS? 'fibert2coennisedfrof T ^ "u^ uenched") ^ the name g i ^ n a family of mineral each o c ,, M r h 7 peS " -hrysot:ile crocid\hI ite and amosite -- t difrers from the other; physically and chemically. StudlTiTf the relationship between asbestos and health are complicated by .this diversity. electrical cha-creS i W^ tC. ^ gnestu:n silicate, can be attached by acids, has a positive e i e c t n c a cha.ge, is flexible and not easily pulverized. Crocidolite is a blue & r r u ; f t r , ; `u c r * ? , - . * * * . is eeinetcrtriieCshl cchhaarrggee, is brittle an4d ^e--asily **pul8ve*r*iz"ed". a silicate with a negative In the United States, chrysotile amosite and crocidoliltio are all used, but chrysotile is by far the most common, accounting for about 9 0 per cent of the asbestos consumed in this country. ' NO RISK SHOWN FOR GENERAL PL'SLIC of anvnriskdioSMi! ^ W n hoalth> re.areh has not shown evidence nn c ' U., o*-neral public -rom the use of finished c'lshestos products. There is thcS" :--;flo-e;:; 2:1CC.thatfT T C haS CVCr CnCraCted c o ^ l ^ ^ t r ^ f brak lininSS> fl - niscaso from exposure to pvoiocts more . . . Castleman.CERT000579 - 2- The lungs of workers known to have repeated exposure tD the inhalation of asbestos fiber over a period of months or years contain nyrilads of small microscopic sized structures composed of a fiber coated with layers of protein and iron pigment. The fiber within the coating, under the circumstances, is assumed to be asbestos and the small unit therefore is called an "asbestos body." Thetre bodies are found in the lungs o; those who are occupationally exposed to asbestos fibers, regardless of whether or not there is any coexisting evidence of asbestosrs. Therefore, the bodies, as such, are not an indication of disease but rather only previous exposure to asbestos fibers. Recently, by utilizing special techniques, it has been, -shown that the lungs of persons from the general population rather frequently contailnt a very scant number of s m a l l bodies composed of a fiber coated with protein and ilron pigment. In these instances, it cannot be assumed that the fiber of these bodVi.es is "asbestos," since other fibrous materials are knows to develop a similar appeaorance within the lungs. For the present, the term "ferruginous" or iron-coated body- is more appropriate. simi The finding of ferruginous bodies in such small numbers in no way indicates that disease caused by asbestos fiber coexists and the presence of such bodies docs not, in any way, justify a diagnosis of asbestos-caused din-nase. If it is ultimately shown that these small bodies are in fact protein covered a.sbestos fibers their wide dispersion in the population would not be too surprising in.- view of the many opportunity from baby powder to building construction, for a small numb ter of asbestos fibers to exist from time to tine in the air that the general public Tbreathes, The presence of these few fiber bodies in the lungs of the majority of the population is not associated with specific lung disease but simply reflects the chance ii.nihalation of fibrous material, The complete implications of large numbers of ferruginous bxcvdies within the lungs await further research. KNOWN AND SUSPECTED OCCUPATIONAL RISKS For workers who handle asbestos fibers in nines, mills., factories, and some building and insulation trades, the industry shares with d'oertors, public health officials and others involved in industrial medicine a concaerrn about possible health effects from excessive on-the-job exposure to asbestos dust-- ASBESTOSIS: The industry long ago recognized the risk: of a particular lung disease called asbestosis among some workers and took steps to safeguard employees. This non malignant disease is brought on after inhalation of cxcessL'ive concentrations of asbestos dust over a period of many years. Asbestosis is one of the lung diseases called pneunoccraioses. Others are silicosis, from silica (stone) dust; talcosis from talc; amthracosis, from coal dust. These are considered industrial health risks against which .Eihc various industries have instituted protective measures, . more . . . Castleman.CERT000580 - 3- For years, the asbestos industry has taken protective treasures to reduce c cess ve exposures to asbestos dust and the risk of asbestosis anon"; its workers. BRONCHOGENIc (Lung) CANCER; ine industry is aware of some medical studies that have reported an association between excessive exposure to .asbestos dust and an 'nereisrisk of a certain type of lung cancer (bronchogenic). Even though the number o f V n e s e ^ cases among asbestos industry workers is only a small fraction of the total employe'' the industry^considers the problem a serious one. It has become the subject of con-' iderable scientific research through statistical, clinical and pathological studies of exposed woikers; througn experimental studies with laboratory' animals; and through studies of the physical and chemical nature of asbestos and associated minerals/ fnlrkel d/ / h2V! S"Sges.ted that the trace netals.often found with asbestos dust (nickel,^cobalt and chrome) should be examined more closely In 1967,- results of a study of deaths occurring among a group of insulation workers indicated that occupational exposure to asbestos graatly increased the risk of lung cancer but only among cigarette smokers. Although the number of deaths involved was small, the study showed no cases of lung cancer among insulation workers who were non-smokers. MESOTHELIOMA: Also under study is a rare disease called mesothelioma, a tumor of the chest and abdominal cavity which is different from broncaogenic lung cancer, Recently, investigators have associated a frequency of cases of mesothelioma with exposure to asbestos in certain geogiaphic locations. This was originally reported from South African areas where only crocidolite asbestos is produced. Mesothelioma has been reported so infrequently that there are no accurate figures on its occurrence in the U. S. as a whole. In Britain, only two cases are currently being reported for every thousand cases of lung cancer. The search*for themSelvesdoSn o i ^ ^ iS difficult> particularly .since medical people through r p * ! h aSree n ltS diagnosis and recognition. T h e asbestos industry, r u0h research grants, is seeking more knowledge about mesothelioma. INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE AMD PREVENTIVE 1E D I CIME Today, the asbestos industry has invested millions of dollars in equipment and ing o f ^ s b e s t o r ^ " - inI'alf i0n f asbestos dust by woriers in the mining end mill- nA asbestos and in the manufacture of asbestos-containirgg products, Johns-Manv'lie IZ ltZ yv * C elini"3te dUSi esp0surc e,,dP plants which it -recessing areas and machinery are equipped with .dust-collecting devices i T s t l n Z 10 u T 1r e S monitored. Filters a.cd ventilators haveT e n installed. Individual respirators are used where indicated. Employees are oiven physical examinations, including chest x-rays, on a scheduled basis. . A program of consultation with asbestos fabricators a nd applicators is carried on to provide a thorough understanding of potential risks and tr-3 encourage general adherence to sound industrial hygiene practice s. Studies in asbestos-using industries in Engl and and the T. S. indicate that where dust control measures have been taken, the risks of lung d.m. ases have been reduced. more . . . Castleman.CERT000581 ''VI fi : ; - I H n :-l =3 . .it - - 4- ASBESTOS ANT> HEALTH RKSEARBH .Scientific research to identify and reduce th health riQi f . closure ,, being conducted in ,,any pieces threu-bcut ^ ,,o^d S ' " T " " both sponsors such rosearen'and cooperates in ,.-ork be.'n ' `^hes-t-o-sindust: and private medical investigators. done by government agencies its s t u d y f f f s b e s t s processing p i a n t s ^ n ^ d i r ^ ^ Health SCrVCe in asbestos materials, equipment and information a s t h e ' i n i ' T T * P1'vidcs fuads> for research of such organisations as- Thr> / a f h individual situation may require The Asbestosis - * <* r^its^rs:1 -- - - e s t o s in its rf- Among tnc subjects scientists ?>**= nrr? v- i ^ * and health signifance of fiber-like (ferrumino health of asbestos mining, processine'a n d l a b riel population; the relationship b e t w e e n f i - a i - t t e f ' f RVe~ tnC ? und 5 WOr':s`erS specific identification in lun~ issues; the COmPared with the general insulation workers; the accurate i d e n t i f i c a t i o n - ^ -- Ca"CCr aT`ons asbestos a major industrial city; and the develoo-ienr a ^ partic]-es fund in the air over industrial hygiene practices ^ ^ vili c O t O O P O O O f O y f i n f o a t P 00 h th tthei'.aSenciei? the asbestos industry to develop ways of assurin- maximu-i O O i b l V ^ ^ 10lSic^ L effects of asbestos fiber anc its employees in asbestos mines, mills and p U n t O a n d ^ fEK>m Jc"Patiorial hazards, for of tnis essential material. ?1 C d ani0Lr--S fabricators and applicators ' # ir # # '} : Castleman.CERT000582