Document bD6pNYx6QZYDdN2GjnwmyNN1

HEALTH A-TO ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE . Committee- Reorganization . This Committee was formed by the Board of Directors in 1971 in _ response to the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. The .Committee was originally formed to keep FMSI advised of 7SHA activity on asbestos and thus thru 1979 was called the "Asbestos Study Committee." In 1979 the Board requested that the Committee expand its scope to monitor asbestos legislation activity in such areas as environ mental protection and workers compensation. As a result, the j; - Committee developed a charter and a name change to the Health and Environmental Affairs Committee to more descriptively reflect this 'expanding role within the Institute. . The Committee has also been broadened to be more representative of '' the membership. Representatives now on the Committee are: ' ' : ; Don Lee - luturn * World Bestos Division . George Bohrer - H.K. Porter Co. - Thermoid Division . . Richard Dean - Thiokol Corporation - Friction Division G. Nicholson - Abex Corporation ..... ' . D* E. Stone - Bendix Corporation .H:H. Wagner - Carlisle Corporation t . Iv Hi Weaver - Raybestos Manhattan . EPA Action .-On October-17, 1979, the Environmental Protection Agency and Consumer Product Safety Commission published an advance notice of u. proposed:rulemaking. The notice was a request for information P 01 regarding the use of asbestos in commercial products, an estimate of a persons risk and an estimate as to how many products could be produced asbestos free. The Institute replied to EPA's Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on asbestos products. The comments took exception to the Agency's selection of friction materials for control based on allegations of heavy population exposure. . The EPA has indicated friction materials as being one of the prime products'to be regulated. On November 16, 1979, the EPA requested specific "Informational needs for friction products containing asbestos" (Eleven Questions for Friction llaterials Manufacturers). The original list of questions was reviewed and found to be objec tionable to the FT1SI. On January 3, 1980 a meeting was held with the EPA and major changes were agreed upon which made the questionsa little more palatable. FMSI--0344 FMSI03559 T In Hay 1980, the Institute responded to EPA on their questions concerning non-asbestos disc brake linings for passenger cars and light trucks. This Included state-of-the-art information on types, advantages and disadvantages, costs and the lead times involved in conversion. It is very clear that the EPA is moving toward a ban on asbestos In at least disc brakes and is aggressively pushing that objective. i )The EPA is also pushing for-a greater'awareness of the hazards of asbestos particularly relating.to friction products. It has formulated agreements between OSHA and contractors^ Public Iledia Center, San Francisco, California, for the development of edu cational and informational materials for vocational and technical . students being trained in brake jnaintenance* their teachers and mechanics. . The Institute worked with the Asbestos Information Association ! ,ad rhoc .Committee for Friction Materials, in the preparation and circulating of questionnaries on friction materials.industry labelling practices and training programs relating to asbestos. As part of this Conunittee'swork,we have updated apage in the Institute Catalogs on <;Recooniended Procedures for Reducing Asbestos Dust-During Brake Servicing."-' Thus, ,are in a good'position to meet any request for training literature... . . On May 19, 1980 the EPA published regulations covering its "Hazardous VJaste Management System" for the owners and operators of hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities. These regulations are included as part of the regulations under Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) which was originally inacted in 1976. : vThe regulations are to be effective-on November 19', 1980. !,'Asbestos.is listed as a regulated material but'ther^ is an . exception. Generators of 1000 kilograms per month., or .2200 lbs. .7.:do not fall within the system. r. . Those generators-'of asbestos material waste in excess of this ' limit v/ill be required to generate a'manifest and assure that the waste disposal site has approval for the receipt of waste containing asbestos. . Asbestos Compensation . Legislative activity to develop a federal.fund for the payment of ; asbestos related diseases is still occurring. The Fen-rick Bill, . which was the first effort, is now considered dead. Senator Hart has Introduced legislation but it is still to early to determine if it has support. -2- pws/ 03560 OSHA . On January 0, 1980, OSHA Issued Its long awaited Generic Cancer Policy. It was suspected that OSHA would attempt to place asbestos into the list of cancer agents and while still possible Is becoming less likely. Latest input would indicate the OSHA direction to be of maintaining a single regulation on asbestos with the eventual lowering of the allowable level from 2.0 to somewhere In the .2 to .5 fiber range. This is not likely to occur until after the elections. In April 1980, a joint illOSH-OSHA Work Group recommended to OSHA ,, a reduction in the maximum work place exposure level for asbestos from 2 fibers/cc to 0.1 fibers/cc. . On llay 23, 1980 OSHA issued Its final regulations on access to employee exposure nd medical records. The regulation which goes into effect August 21, 1980 provides that employee exposure records required under the OSHA asbestos standard be provided to the employees, designated representatives (union included) and the Department of Labor upon request. This request Includes air sampling results, and medical records and requires the employers to retain these records for the duration of employment plus thirty (30) years. Respectfully submitted, J. '?. Armstrong Chairman FMSI 03561 T