Document gzY1RbZZB7vnydQYQBN2mxyQ

FILE NAME: New York State & NY Times (NY) DATE: 1970 June 6 DOC#: NY025 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: NYT Article - City to Stop Spraying Asbestos; Material Was Linked to Cancer pg.44 City to Stop Spraying Asbestos; Material Was Linked to Cancer Mayor Lindsay yesterday or agencies must follow standards dered the spraying of asbestos as least as stringent as those halted in all public construc for private contracting jobs, he tion projects. His' order followed . findings said. Dr. Irving Selikoff of Mount by the Environmental Protec Sinai Hospital, who has been tion Administration that spray studying the effects of asbestos ing of asbestos was not only for many years, testified, at a harmful to construction work recent city hearing that nearly ers at the site but could pol one asbestos worker out of five lute the air over a much larger tested here since 1943 died of area. Asbestos is believed to be lung cancer. a cancer-causing agent Since the April order many Last April the administra contractors have discontinued tion issued regulations re the use of asbestos and quiring that tarpaulins cover switched to substitutes, but Dr. the area where asbestos is be Selikoff has said that such sub ing sprayed on private con stitutes may be just as dam struction projects, and that, aging. waste asbestos be collected ana buried in designated areas. The Mayor's order yesterday said that he wanted to "adopt an even more stringent policy for public agencies involved in construction projects. He therefore directed the city agencies to forgo use of sprayed asbestos in all future public construction "wherever pos sible." In the event that use of the "teohnique of insulation that is, spraying under tarpaul ins--is unavoidable, then city Reproduced with permission ol the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.