Document kmOG2NqEMbdK0QmERV0ez097q

FILE NAME: Asbestos in Hair Dryers (HD) DATE: 1979 Apr 17 DOC#: HD022 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: US Govt Memo RE Task Force Recommendation for Preliminary Determination, Hand-Held Hair Dryers UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT M em orandum U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT S A F E T Y COMMISSION TO FROM = Catherine C. Cook, D irecto r, Product Defect Correction Division date: April 17, 1979 THROUGH: Task Force on Hand-held Hair Dryers j : Lynn S . Lichtenstein, S t a f f Attorney,-Product Defect Correction Division SUBJECT : Task Force Recommendation For Preliminary Determination Hand-rHeld Hair Dryers Recommendation The Task Force recommends th at a preliminary determination be made that hand-held hair dryers which contain asbestos materials exposed to the airstream o f the dryer present a substantial product hazard, th at id en tificatio n f ile s be opened in the names o f manufacturers, importers, d istrib utors, and private labelers o f such hair dryers, and that correc tiv e action be sought from these firm s. Defect . ' 1 . Defect as Reported. . Information-provided to and obtained by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) indicates th at between 20 and 25 percent o f hand-held hair dryers previously sold and those s t i l l on the market contain asbestos paper or m aterials as a protective lin in g around the inside of the nozzle or barrel o f the appliance and sometimes as the support for the heating c o ils o f the appliance. These sources indicate that tests performed on the dryers using electron microscopy have id en tified quantities o f respirable asbestos fib ers emitted from the dryers while in use. The sources and information available d iffe r as to whether . these quantities o f asbestos accumulate in the home or are d issipated. 2. Assessment. The Task Force noted that asbestos in s u ffic ie n t concentrations is a known cause o f lung cancer and a type o f cancer known as mesothelioma which a f f lic t s the membranes lin in g the chest and abdominal c a v itie s . Some o f the respirable asbestos fib ers which enter the body may become entrapped there and create s ite s for the formation of cancer. GEGIE 00020 -2- The Task Force noted further that when released from the dryer, the asbestos fib ers may accumulate in a particu lar environment, such as a home. ' The Task Force believed that the insulation function performed by the asbestos paper or other m aterials in the dryer could also be per formed by mica, aluminum, and heat-resistan t p la stics and that these alternatives do not appear to re su lt in a s ig n ific a n t increase in the cost o f the dryer to the consumer. Accordingly, the Task Force considered the use and/or presence of asbestos paper or other asbestos m aterials in the dryer which are exposed to the dryer's airstream and which release respirable asbestos fib ers into the a ir to be a d efect. Risk o f Injury 1. Pattern o f Defect. The defect arises from the design o f the hair dryers containing asbestos paper and other asbestos m aterials which sp e c ifie s the use o f asbestos as an insulator or component part. The defect manifests i t s e l f during normal use o f the dryer. 2. Number o f Defective Products in Commerce. I t is believed th at between 9 and 15 m illion hair dryers currently owned by consumers contain asbestos. I f sales o f hand-held dryers in 1979 are comparable to those in 1978, approximately 3 m illion dryers containing asbestos w ill be so ld . I t is not known how many dryers containing asbestos are currently in d istrib u to rs1 and r e ta ile r s ' inventory or with manufacturers. 3. Severity of Risk. (a) Seriousness o f injury - The presence o f asbestos paper or materials in the airstream o f the dryer may contribute to the inducement o f cancer in persons in the environment where the dryer is used. . (b) Likelihood o f injury - The Task Force noted that the develop ment o f lung cancer or mesothelioma in a person who is exposed to^ asbestos might take 20 to 30 years or longer, the Task Force believed that the exposure to asbestos accompanying the use o f the dryers with asbestos materials exposed to the dryer's airstream creates an unneces sary increase in the ris k o f cancer from asbestos and f e l t that injury from th is exposure was possible. The Task Force accordingly assessed the likelihood of injury as possible. . GEG1E 00021 -3- (c) Assessment - The Task Force considered the severity o f the r is k o f injury to be high due to the fa c t that an increased incidence o f cancer may re su lt from the use o f asbestos-containing dryers. 4. Substantiality of Risk. - . Due to the large number o f asbestos-containing dryers in consumers' hands the fa c t that consumers (many o f whom are children) are exposed to respirable asbestos fib e rs from the dryers during normal use, and the p o s sib ility o f an increased incidence o f cancer from, inhalation o f the fib e rs,, the Task Force.concluded th at the dryers create a substantial risk of injury. TASK FORCE MEMBERS: Bessie Draper, COM$ John Gomilla, Warren Prunella, H lC P ^ C f Gale Wyer, ESH Catherine Cook, CEPD C C C ! ! "N J * *5 I I GEGIE 00022