Document jybz3L0ovYg028pXDp1mo1zdN

UC --Rcri/ rfr INTERNAL CORRESPONDENCE---------(t <fcT'37H2---------------------------- UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION 270 PARK AVENUE. NFW YORK, NEW^Bj^l^ r*(NMi Dmim lacatna car*a Mr. C. E. Met ten Chemicals & Plastics 2770 Leonis Blvd. Los Angeles, Calif. 90058 bcc: M. B. VerNooy - TT W. J. Fitzpatrick - LA W. G. Farrell - LA John Meyers - King City d.i. oriniA/iR0 March 21, 1970 ncQicdl UepArtoisnt APR 6 " 1370 UCC* CALIDRIA king city, ca. Answering Isttsr tfdfs sb/M< Toxicity of Calidria Asbestos Asbestos has practically no acute toxicity regardless of its type or form. The harm associated with asbestos is from the fibrogenic properties of the inhaled dust. This usually is seen only after prolonged exposure measured in terms of 15-20 years although cases rarely will occur in less time. Because of the rather unique structure characteristics of Calidria Asbestos, there was concern that it might be unusually fibrogenic and perhaps cause an acute asbestosis. To test this possibility, Calidria Asbestos was injected into rats and rabbits intraperitoneally using a standard long fibre asbestos as a control. The results of this test showed Calidria Asbestos to be slightly more fibrogenic than long fibre asbestos but the difference was not so great as to suggest an unusual degree of hazard. From this I conclude that the same precautions to avoid breathing asbestos dust must be observed whether the dust be from Calidria Asbestos or from a standard long fibre form. Some people believe there is an association between exposure to asbestos dust and the development of lung cancer and mesothelioma. There is no information regarding Calidria Asbestos in this respect as yet. It would be prudent to assume that Calidria Asbestos will behave like other asbestos in this regard. c. (/' C. U. Dernehl, M. D. Associate Medical Director CUD:dp UCC 015633 A03 158 Union Carbide Corporation' Mining and Metals .Division ' 270 Park Avenue . New York,. Hew York 10017 Hr. Peter Ji. Cheston Union Carbide Limited 0 Grafton Street London, England Dear Peter: Your suggestion that wu consider including "OK paper industry"'comments in our General Sales fleeting is well taken -- and I plan to review the notes with Ian Sayers. apropos of your letter on toxicological studios relative* to asbestos - wo have revlowed the two excerpts you sunt us with Dr, Carl Pernehi)!e counsels that the papers "do not by any inoane present incontrovertible proof nor do they profess to do so." Further: "Our position should'remain that in United States experience there has been no increased incidence of , lung cancer when the threshold limit has not been exceeded." From past publications, we have also noted the references to organic contaminants, with the thought that proof of absence of polycyclic croicati.es in Union Carbide asbestos might be useful, Ue are planning soufe. extraction studies and analyses for J,4-benp'.o(a)pyrene by technique** employed at South Charleston. We will let you know the results, probably in an appropriately written statement by Dr. Dernehl, The matter of soft papers, facial and other tissues, has been a re curring subject with us. Primarily this is a question of slcin sensiti* *tlon. While the over-all statements by our Industrial Hudlcina and Toxicology people should suffice -- we.have given thought to '-'patch teats," which, incidentally, cost appreciably to run. It would be meaningless to conduct such tests with paper containing UCC asbestos. since the other coaqpotienttf of the furnish bear on the results. Hence we are considering patch tests using straight asbestos -- which, of course, would absolve only our product. The other components (including, as you know, a variety of organic compounds) of specific furnishes would have to be considered by the paper company, involved. We shall let you know our plans, ' ' - '. ' , .- . Very truly yours, ' , ` . ' A.E.Pufahl:dk ; ccj M. P. Raiehard /t. p, Frangos K. F. Gray (Australia) UCC ;0,IS634 AO 3 15