Document nNBDQKGvkdXverqonqgOK6w2m

UNITERM AU CORRESPONDENCE ^ t", ,<!h ' / //' sfP * .;Pa u n UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION p. o box boo^. south cha6(^stoi<lwv 25303 SILICONES AND URETHANE INTERMEDIATES SOUTH CHARLESTON PLANT . PC \ To (Name! Division location Ar ea C. R. Gillespie Building 46-1/514 Copy to C. E. Fry T. G. Swanson Date February 14, 1984 Originating Dept Area Asbestos Identification Procedure Dear Jock: There is an existing "asbestos screening test" developed by NIOSH workers which we have used here in the plant in an effort to determine if asbestos is present in old insulation materials. Test results are unreliable in my judgement for the following reasons: 1. Constituents in insulation other than asbestos tend to give poor test color development/appearance. Hence, the test is subjective and dependent upon one's ability to visually detect colors. 2. Uncombined iron, possibly iron oxide or rust, interferes by producing a "positive" false test. (A procedure exists for treating samples to supposedly remove interferents. However, efficiency in performing this step would always be questionable and it's easy to see how our plant samples could pick up iron interference.) 3. I personally demonstrated by using pure-state asbestos materials that you can also obtain "false negative" tests! (I can't explain this but the experience shows that we could develop a false sense of security on the basis of such a test which could have serious consequences.) 4. Instructions provided in commercial test kits purchased by us recommend retesting,by an independent method, all samples giving "positive" tests. (Admission of uncertainty?!) UCC 011596 PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBIT UC-4258 2- If we must determine whether asbestos is contained in insulation materials, I recommend we consider sending future samples to an independent laboratory, such as METPATH, Inc., for testing by more reliable methods, e.g., x-ray diffraction. The cost is about $80.00 per sample. I'll know more about turn around time soon, since I sent them a sample for this examination on February 9, 1984. Incidentally, x-ray diffraction equipment exists in ft & 0 facilities at the Tech Center! However, upon inquiring about service I was discouraged by their alleged large backlog of work. WCYoung:bl UCC 011597