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AIA-34 i the ASBESTOS I INFORMATION ASSOCIATION North America . Serving A Vital Industry North America ASBESTOS INFORMATION ASSOCIATION 1660 L Street. N.W.. Washington, D.C. 20036 01-0217868 m AIA-34 Norm America asbestos information association 1660 L Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 fn recant years, intensive intarast has bean focused on man * environment: the air he breathes, the water he drinks, the condition of his workplace, the products available to him which might be harmful. In the rush to publicize man's environmental problems, asbestos became a prime target of some writers and spokesmen who seized upon the freely admitted fact that excessive exposure to asbestos dust can be injurious. More frequently than not, those who addressed themselves to the asbestos-health issue did so with words to frighten rather than enlighten. Cursory reference to scientific data and littla or no account of the eccompiishments of the industry to protect its workers and control the discharge of asbestos fiber into the environment wae usual radw then ex ceptional. AIA/NA Is Established For many yaars. most asbastos producer and procesaing companies have had programs for dust control and worker protection. Individually, they responded to the questions of governmental agencies, news media, public interest groups, and the general public with regard to hazards of esfaesins in the workplace and in the environment. These individual efforts, costly and often duplicative, lead to the formation, in December of t970, of the Asbestoe Information Aseocfdon/North America: a youp of artwstoe companies in the United States and Canada working together for the com mon interest of e vital industry challenged by relatively new I and often confusing information concerning adiastos end f health. At the time AIA/NA was estabtidted. government agencies were formulating programs to regulats and control materials deemed hazardous to health. Asbestoe was pro nounced one of these materials. AIA/NA filled the gap for the T*'**t"" industry for a collective orpnization to obtain and disseminata authoritative information concerning the industry with emphasis on the safety, health, and environmental issues. Today, AIA/NA uniquely represents the ovarall asbestos industry with governmental groups, news media, and others, focusing its attention on the work of the industry in occupational safety, health, and environ- oi- Q2178&9 mental affair* and on the lifesaving and Othar benefits available through the many usas of a&estos. The govern ment and public relation* sarvicas of AIA/NA araavaiiabia to product-oriented trade groups associated with the industry. Organization of the Association AIA/NA is an incorporated, non-profit orgwiization. Any company or corporation involved in the mining, milling, processing, or selling of asbestos in the United States or Canada is eligible for membership in the Associ ation. Each .member- company or corporation is entitled to a seat on the board of directors through its authorized representative, with full and eouaf voting rights for the conduct qf the Association's affairs. Regular mattings of the directors art held quarterly. Committees meet at necessary to provide study end advisory functions for the Association. The annual meeting of AIA/NA is held in September at which time officers of the Association ere elected. The work of the Association is funded from dues of its members, based on a percentage of cost of fiber purchased for use in the manufacture of product! Members who do not manufacture asbestos products are assessed flat fee determined by the directors. AIA/NA Objectives These are the objectives of the Association: To provida industry-wiak information on szbastot and haatth, and on industry afford to aiiminata existing hoards. To cooparata with gorammantai aganema m daeatoemg land impiamanting industry-wida standards for workar protection and for the controi of asbastos dirt amissions into communiry air and wmtar. - To exchanga information on mathods and tachntquaaof asbastos dust controi. To comet mistaading and uninformad rwpormga on ashastophaaith probiants. To pubiieia tha uniqua banafits and importsnea of asbastos products and otharmaa rwpraasnt tha aabattoa industry. Government Relations. In 1973, the AIA/NA office wee moved from New York City to WaaMngton, D.C. to facilitate liaison with the Federal Government. Tha Aseociw tion routinely reports on activities of CongraieionM com mittees concerned with activities raietabie to tha adwstoa industry and provides a continual working relationship with such government regulatory agencies as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Environmental Pro tection Agency, Rood and Drug Administration, and Bureau of Mines, Tha Association has appeared before these groups, provided wn ___ ___ _ _ appropriate. made available specialiisfs frrom 7ittss membbaeirs to sit on anfeniMnnl advitnrv .--I --- specific guidance for the preparation of standards affecting the industry. AtA/NA's government relations are also actively involved with state and local regulations concerned with control of asbestos. Medical Affairs. Besides serving as a central agency for the collection end dissemination of medical information on asbesto*ftlated disease, AIA/NA is represented at major medical meeting of interest to its members and sponsors medical research on asbestos end health. Environmental Control. Through its Standards and Technical Committee of experts in the fields of industrial hygiene, occupational safety and plant engineering, AIA/NA follows and evaluates new developments in dust control methodology and monitoring techniques. The Association makes available its findings through various publication! Public Relations. To meet the public interest in the asbestos-heaith issue, the Association is extensively involved in answering queries of news media; private groups and individuals; preparing letters to editors in whose publica tions misleading articles appear; assisting feature writers, and, in short, taking all reasonabla steps to present to the public a balanced view of the ssbestos-heelth issue. AIA/NA has distributed over 3,000 specially prepared information kits concerning asbestos and rotated health problems. Legal Affairs. AIA/NA seeks to provide its members with information on responsibilities and obligations under the venous laws and regulations that affect the urn of Employee Relation! The Association makes available informational materials to assist its members in presenting a realistic picture of health problems isrociatad with the proceedng of asbestos and the procedures required to aiiminata hazards to health in the workplace. Customer Relation! Bacauaa of tha widspxsari and j often mideeding publicity which edaestot has rocefrad in recant yean; special effort has been mads by tha Associa tion ro provide its members with factual information to ovarcoms tha apprehensions that ham arisan in soma customer relationships. inter indurny Relation! AIA/NA maintains a dom working relationship with various groups saanristad with the industry, such as tha Asbestos Textile Institute, The Asbastos Cement Pipe Producers Association, The Asbestos Cement Products Association, the National Association of Filter Material Manufacturer! the Thermal I mutation Manufacturers Association, Inc, and the Friction Materials 01 ;-0217870 Standards Institute, Inc. The Association contributes its expertise to the American Society for Testing and Materials, American National Standard Institute, American Industrial Hygiene Aaociatton, and other technical ataocittions. International Relations. The health problems which have been associated with asbestos are not, of course, unique to North America. Indeed, a great deal of the medical literature on asbestos and health and dust control tech nology come from outside the United States, thou^t America is the largest processor of asbestos-containing products. A! AYNA is privileged to exchange information and is cioskly associated, with the Quebec Asbestos Mining Association and the Institute of Occupational and Environ mental Health (Canada), the A&estosis Research Council and the-Asbestos Information Committee (United King dom), the Chambre Syndicate de i'Amieme (France), and similarly oriented groups throughout the world. AIA/NA recognize* the heartft prodiamt ataoctatad mrth excess/** exposure to attmtoa dutt The Ataodaoen dedicates in affom to the control of ttiit hazard so that it it poss/d/e to condnua to anfoy the unipua banafiti of asbestos without ritk. For further information: Robert H. Mereness, Executive Director Asbestos Information Association/North America 1660 L Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20038 (202)223-4885 ' AIA-34 m North America ASBESTOS INFORMATION ASSOCIATION Am*tax Corporation Norristown, Pennsylvania Adas Asbestos Company Montreal, Quebec. Canada The Bandix Corporation Southfield, Michigan Ceaaiar Asbestos Corporation. Ltd. Toronto, Ontario, Canada Cemant Asbestos Products Company Birmingham, Alabama Certain-teed Products Corporation Valley Forge, Pennsylvania Congo!awn Industries, Incorporated Kearny. New Jersey National Association of Filter Manufacturers, Inc. Kington, New York The FTmtkota Co. East Rutherford, New Jersey GAF Corporation New York. N.Y. Oarlock Incorporated Rochester, New York Southern Asbestos Company Charlotte, North Caroline Jim Walter Research Corporation St. Petersburg. Florida Johns Mart* ilia Corporation Denver, Colorado Kamila Floors, Ineorporatad Brooklyn, Now York National Gypsum Company Buffalo, New York Nicolet Industrial, Ineorporatad AinMar, Pennsylvania North Amarwan Asbestos Corporation Chicago, Illinois Raybactoe-Manhattan, Inc, Trumbull, Connecticut Supradu* Manufacturing Corporation New York, N.Y. Union Carbide Corporation New York, N.Y. Uvalde Rock Asphalt Company San Antonio, Texas 01-0217871