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# .EARN T O D O Y O U R P A R T IN T H E PR E V E N T IO N O F D ISE A SE RO BER T E. FAR B E R . M .O ..M .P.H . CO M M ISSIONER JOHN B. DE H OFF, M .D ..M .P.H . DEPUTY CO M M ISSIONER B A LTIM O R E C IT Y H E A L T H D E P A R TM E N T 4 December 1973 AM ERICAN BUILDING BALTIM ORE AND SOUTH STREETS B A L T IM O R E , M A R Y L A N D 21202 T E L . A R E A C O D E 301 =7sa-aooo 396-4392 Hearing Clerk Food and Drug Administration Room 6 - 8 6 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, Md. 20852 Sir: I write to uphold the petitions of the Center For Science in the Public Interest and the Environmental Defense Fund, as requested in the Federal Register for 28 September 1973, on page 27076, which asks the Food and Drug Administration to prohibit the asbestos fil tration of food stuffs and drugs, as well as the use of asbestoscontaining talcs in food and food packaging. As a member of the Executive Board of the Maryland Public Health Association, I am bringing this to the attention of that body, with the request that the Environmental Section review this matter and provide comments. Also, as President-elect of the Baltimore City Medical Society, I shall have this matter referred to the Committee on Environmental Matters for opinion. The dangers of asbestos, either in talc or in relatively unadulterated form, have been of concern to me as a public health official. I was pleased to see that the Food and Drug Administration banned the use of talc-coated polished rice. We are also concerned about the use of asbestos-cement sprays for the fireproofing of steel structures, none of which is allowed in Baltimore. Furthermore, I believe that there is no need to use asbestos in the manufacture of any food stuffs, beverages, or in water supply systems, where cement-asbestos conduits are used. Sincerely yours JBD:mfr cc: Baltimore City Medical Society n5P`C&(oI Maryland Public Health Association P.H.