Document jBy80q3geoD4p8EvjNdy6ZZnQ

Address Quebec Asbestos Mining Association, Rood 412 - S Place Villa Marie, Montreal 113, Quc. For Information Matt Swetonic (212) 639-3373 ATTJ8 World Health Organization retorts: For Immediate Release Asbestos in environment not public health threat NEW YORX -- "Recent findings that levels of asbestos dust in the environment do not endanger the general public -- as reported by a V.'orld health r. 6 s* rioation agency -- confirm the position of ere asbestos industry," says Matthew M. Swetr .t, executive secretory of the Asbestos Information Association/North America. The findings are contained in a report of the Advisory Committee on Asbestos Cancers to the. director of the Internationa: Agency for Research on 'Cancer, a division of the WHO. They are conclusions of a specially selected panel of medical researchers convened following the IARC conference on the "Biological Effects of Asbestos-" held at-Lyon, France, October S -- 6 , 1972. According . . . /2 LLA 000481 2 to World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva, the full proceedings of the meeting will be published sometime this year. Commenting on the IAFC report, Mr. Swetpnic calls it a major contribution by distinguished researchers -from all over the world, and the cost comprehensive presentation of facts available about the occupational hazards of asbestos and the relationship p of asbestos to the general public. "The Lyon conference," Mr. Swetonic adds, "was attended by 130 participants from 23 countries -- including Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France, West Germany, Italy, Japan, South Africa, Switzerland , The United Kingdom, The United States, The U.S.S.R. and Yugoslavia -- and is representative of world medical ooinion." According to. Mr. Swetor.ic , the major conclusions of the IARC report can. be summarized as follows; - The population at large is not threatened by asbestos fibers in. the atmosphere. Surveys'in a number cf countries have shown that the concentration of asbestos dust ir. the urban atmosphere is about 10.0CC times lower than the concentration known to be safe for occupationally exposed workers . - While a direct relationship between inhalation of excesss.a asbestos dust and certain diseases was confirmed, rusks varied according to the type of fiber, the type of * . ( occupation, and the extent of engineering centre.s implemented 'n the workplace. /3 LLA 000482 LIN00562 / - ,\'o increased risk of disease results from asbestos fibers which might be present in the voter supply, beverages, food, or in the fluids used fer the administration of drums. w > v - It is confirmed that cigarette smoking greatly increases the risk of i.ur.g cancer among men and we-; exposed to excessive asbestos dust in their occupat. The IA?.C report also recommends that future researek be directed at understending the mechanism of disease`productis; ways to control disease and protect work-arc from, excessive d\ levels, at .methods to determine the quantity of in the human lur.g and other tissues and at the standardise of diagnostic criteria. Much of the world-wide research into asbesfoo-relate< is supported and coordinated by the Institute of Oecupati; projects around the world aimed at identifying ar.d cli.t.inue: modes foe-cased health risks not -.duly for Canadi-n anoer.tu; production workers but for all worldwide ; of finished asbestos products. - 20 - LLA 000483