Document em9xXnD0XwG7QyrX5jnjrVJpm

FILE NAME: Synkoloid (SYN) DATE: 1975 SYN015 DOC#: SYN015 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: NIH Press release on asbestos in spackling, taping, and patching compounds U. S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION. AND WELFARE FOR RELEASE IN A.H. PAPERS National In stitu tes of Health ~ Dr. David P. Rail _ Office: (919) 549-8411. ext. 3201 Analysis of representative samples of spackling, patching, and taping compounds by grantees of HEW*s National In stitu te of Environmental Health Sciences* has shown th a t some contain asbestos minerals as well as other potentially harmful substances.. Measurements suggest th at home repair or construction work involving use of such materials may resu lt in exposure to dust a t concentrations sufficien t to produce disease.** Workers exposed to asbestos have been shown to face a greatly increased risk of developing lung cancer, mesothelioma (a rare form of cancer), cancers of the gastrointestinal tr a c t, and asbestosls (a scarring of the lungs). These effects generally do not show up until two or three--and sometimes even f o u r - decades a fte r the f i r s t exposure to asbestos. Recently, Drs. A.N. Rohl, A.M. Langer, I .J . Sellkoff, and W.J. Nicholson a t Mount Sinai School of Medicine analyzed 15 representative samples of consumer spackling and patching compounds and 10 of industrial drywall taping compounds for asbestos mineral content. These NIEHS grantees purchased four of the - l: i 1 (more) . ' *The National In stitu te of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in Research Triangle Park, N.C., is a component of the National In stitu tes of Health, one of the six agencies of HEW's Public Health Service. Additional support for th is work was provided by the Health Research Council of the City of New York Details of these findings by Drs. Rohl, Langer, S elikoff, `and Nicholson are being published in the current issue of SCIENCE. v -- 7 ty -- - ^vl V --TV/ 2 tackling and patching compounds a t hardware stores in the New York City area in 1972 or e a rlie r, and the remainder in January 1974. Spackling and drywall taping compounds consist of finely-grained white powder or premixed pastes. Although P laster of Paris is supposedly the major constituent, other light-colored materials including clays, micas, quartz, ta lc , and ground limestone supplement or replace the plaster in many formulations. Additionally, chrysotile asbestos is added to some products, apparently because these minute fibers act as reinforcing agents. Analysis of the 15 consumer spackling and patching samples has shown that five contained appreciable amounts of chrysotile or other asbestos minerals, as did 9 of the 10 industrial products. Many contained substantial amounts of quartz, ta lc , and other minerals. Once embedded in the lungs, quartz or s ilic a p article s--like those of asbestos-may never be removed. They can produce chronic obstructive and fib ro tic diseases a fte r prolonged exposure. Talc also can produce pulmonary fib ro sis. Air samples obtained during the use of asbestos-containing spackle compounds were analyzed and showed concentrations frequently in excess of the current occupational standard for permissible asbestos exposure levels. Fiber counts measured during mixing for example were found to be 7-12 times greater than the current occupational standard. Detectable fib er concentrations were found in adjacent rooms during mixing, and fibers were s t i l l suspended in the room a ir at le a st 15 minutes a fte r mixing had ceased. These findings suggest the pos s ib ility of significant asbestos exposure during home construction and repair^ A d d itio n al work by the sc ien tists suggests that members of the entire household or other occupants of a building may also inhale asbestos fibers. This could occur during mixing, sanding, or cleaning up of debris. (more) ( ( These resu lts are alarming when considered in relation to other evidence i being accumulated by the Mount Sinai group th a t indicates th at far less than the intense exposure of the work environment is capable of producing asbestos- related disease. X-ray examination of 210 family contacts who lived with the men who produced asbestos insulation a t a Paterson, New Jersey, plant from 1941 to 1954 has shown th a t 40 percent have the kinds of abnormalities in th e ir lungs common to asbestos workers. In some cases, the worker had been a t the Paterson plant for only a few days. Thus, i t appears lik e ly th a t the use of spackling, patching, and taping compounds containing appreciable levels of asbestos minerals in home rep air work may expose the user and other members of the household to concentrations of asbestos th a t may lead to disease. -------------------------- f f i f f W B g r a r e ? T //_ d O _ a<rif