Document nmN2YQz27B6L2NZ7rKedqmXB2

C AILS MEDMN" TELEPHONES 705-264.2700 & 0 HEDMAN MINES LIMITED P.O. BOX 590 TIMMINS, ONTARIO. CANADA P4N 7E7 HEDMAN NEWSLETTER #25-2 The attached paper may help dispel some of the myths that may be encountered about the hazards of chrysotile asbestos. There is more reason to accept the opinions of the qualified experts quoted than the unsupported untruths by the terrorists. If after studying the facts there is still some uncertainty, there are the safety features of the end product, due to inferior quality, that must not be ignored if the concern is truly protection of people - and this is where HEDMANITE fits in. Since HEDMANITE consists predominantly of non-asbestos particles containing only a minor amount of chrysotile fibres, averaging less than 5 microns in length (devoid of pathogenic potential per attached), it is logical that pound for pound it is a safer material to use than 100% fibrous asbestos or any other costly fibrous man-made or mineral asbestos substitutes without losing most of the desirable character istics provided by asbestos and the safety features of the end products needed to protect people. Since any type of dust in sufficient quantity is potentially hazardous, the most effective measure is to not create dust or mechanically control it. Hopefully, instead of running, industry will stand up and fight with knowledge that the utter nonsense, disseminated by the propaganda machine, may lead to greater hazards for all concerned, more inflation, more unemployment, less business, and potential bankrupcy - i.e. auto, steel, home appliances,etc. BON - 02250 THE CIRCULARIZE!* ASBESTOS - TRUTH NOT FICTION Since the terrorizing of people against asbestos to the degree that the media has been reporting overzealous statements by those with a partisan cause, it is important that people be made aware of expert opinion like: (1) Dr. Harry B. Demopoulos of the New York University Medical Centre, and of the International Study Centre for Environmental Health Sciences, stated in a recent interview: . "I think that chrysotile asbestos, in the usual doses that civilized society is now getting and the usual doses that asbestos workers are getting nowadays, poses absolutely no hazards, not for fibrosis, not for cancer. I think the amounts found in hair dryers are absolutely inconsequential, that the amounts found in schoolrooms are absolutely inconsequential. I find it total hyprocrisy to see school administrators worry about a couple of asbestos fibres, when in fact they build smoking lounges for the kids, actually encouraging them to smoke. In my opinion, asbestos presents no danger to the general public, and no danger to the workers if we simply maintain the controls that are now in place." Ref. (1) (2) Dr. Paul Gross, Dept, of Pathology, the Medical University of South Carolina, and of the Industrial Hygiene Foundation, Inc., Pittsburg, Pa. stated in his paper in the forum that short fibered asbestos, dust, i.e. less than 5 microns in length, is incapable of causing fibrosis or cancer. He refers to research laboratories in Germany, England, South Africa and the USA as being unanimous in finding asbestos that has an average fiber length of less than 5 microns is devoid of pathogenic potential. (3) Dr. Mearl F. Stanton, National Cancer Institute, Public Health Service, U-.S. Department of Health stated in an Editorialand correspondence-that any type of durable fibers (crocidolite, amosite, chrysotile, anthophylite, tremolite, brucite, attapulgite, dawsonite, potassium titanate, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, and various types of glass) falling into the broadly defined dimensional range of long fine fibers may be carcinogenic (i.e. less than 3 microns in diameter and over 20 microns in length). Short fibers of these materials and the non-fibrous particles are far less carcinogenic. The fibrous materials--to which we are most commonly exposed consist for the most part of particles too large or too small to be considered potent carcinogens. (4) Malcom Ross, research minerologist from the U.S. Geological Survey, the government's recognized expert on asbestos is cautioning an alarmed public: look at the facts before writing regulations. He is waging a campaign to set the record straight and attempt to prevent unnecessary and costly regulation based on the science, the medicine, the law and the regulatory -2- BON - 02251 2- - (4) continued process. He wants the regulators and the public to understand that there are three major types of asbestos and that he only asked the health and regulatory agencies to consider the dangerous blue asbestos which is a small part (2-4%) of world production, however they took it on. their own to treat them all the same - and that scares him. 90-95% of world production is white asbestos, the only type found in North America. He says that a U.S. study in a test of rats and hamsters by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences confirmed the extensive studies of a Canadian town where white asbestos has been mined for.over 100 years show no measurable health effects among either miners or residents. Ross says "My God how much paranoia can you develop over this thing? I've tried to explain, to tell people about rock quarries and hair dryers, even mining sites. I've brought in the latest medical data. It goes on and on." Ross is concerned about the UNNECESSARY PUBLIC SCARES that have extended to white asbestos such as North America produces. Ref. (2) (5) James T. Schirripa of Industrial Hygienics Inc. of Huntington, N.Y. presented the results of 40 studies for various industrial, governmental and educational organizations to the American Industrial Hygiene Association meeting and stated that the cancer risk from asbestos in building materials and insulation has been overstated and, in fact, is minimal in most cases. He said the mere presence of asbestos fibers is not necessarily cause for alarm. Ref. (3) Since environmental regulations are an inflationary pyramiding costly problem it is important to understand what the scientists mean by the term environment; because the regulatory agencies and most of the so-called public interest groups had assumed that what the scientists mean is the community environment; the air we breathe and the water we drink, for example. In actual fact, what most scientists mean, and what Dr. John Higginson, current Director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, meant when he coined the term several years ago, is the personal environment. We all live in two environments; the general environment over which we have no control, and the personal environment which we create through our choices: diet, habits and life style. It is the personal environment that Dr. Higginson and most responsible university scientists refer to when they talk about environmental cancer. All (but a very small percentage due to occupational) of those that die from cancer is from personal environment which the individual can do something about. Concern ing the statement that occupational exposure is the major cause of cancer. Dr. Demopoulos says that they are totally fallacious and a lot of the hysteria is public relations, gimmickry, and the data simply does not support it. Ref. (1) in part In a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision against OSHA on benzene rules Justice Stevens termed OSHA's overall approach on cancer-causing agents as "extreme". He and concurring justices said that\the Occupational Safety and Health Act's mandate for a "safe and healthful workplace" does not necessarily require total elimination of hazards. Rather, they explained, the issue is a matter of eliminating "significant risks or harm". Regulators will now require justification and scientific validity for their standards. Now OSHA can only regulate significant, not theoretical, risks. Ref. (3) in part -3- BON - 02252 -3- It is time that the public be provided with an understandable presentation of the facts if it is to make a balanced assessment of risks and the scientific community should speak out whenever science is abused in the service of a partisan cause. The blame for public suspicion is on manipulated data that misinterprets facts. Ref. (3) in part In a Talk by Dr. Harry Demopoulos to the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association Inc. he ended by mentioning that Dr. Cuyler Hammond, of the American Cancer Society, brought forth that almost zero percent of cancer deaths are caused by air pollution. Water pollution is in the same category of zero percent. Other studies have shown that nuclear power plant accidents, asbestos in hair dryers, asbestos in school rooms, and saiccharin/cyclamates cannot cause cancer as presently used. And yet, those things that are listed as being zero percent are uppermost in the public's mind. This is due to the propaganda machines. We are treated to outrageous remarks by individuals like Wolfe from Ralph Nader's group that asbestos is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in males in this country. It's an absolutely unfounded statement that, by no stretch of even .Sellikoff's imagination, could that be true. And yet, individuals like this are placed politically on the National Cancer Advisory Board and govern, and help govern, the National Cancer Institute's policy. It is terrifying, because our nation*-can be led down the wrong path in prevention. University Medical Scientists are worried that the government is leading society down the primrose path blaming industry, air and water polution for most of the cancer burden whereas, in fact, the answers to cancer lie elsewhere. So you have an uphill fight in terms of public relations but .1 think that, if controls are kept, troth and reason are on your side and I think that you can win this battle that you are in. You must be unswerving in the pursuit of truth, it's good business. Ref. (4) in part References: (copies available upon request) (1) Western Miner - September 1980 (2) Washington Report - April 28/80 - July 14/80 (3) Chemical Week - March 12/80 - June 4/80 - July 9/80 (4) Copy of talk at Hasbrouck Heights, N.J. - Oct. 4/79 The Circularizer IS - 136 Viscount Timmins, Ontario, Canada Vol. 1 Part 1 November, 1980 BON - 02253 WASHINGTON (AP) - The International Finance Corp., an affiliate of the World Bank will finance an $85 million project for development of asbestos deposits in Northern Greece. Ref. Toledo Blade July 30, 1980. Obviously the terrorists have not influenced this group (which includes North Americans) like it has those in industry and elsewhere. CBC NEWS 1:00 p.m. August 6, 1980 CFTI Radio - Any Substance can be cancer causing, depending on the exposure - so why is all the pressure being applied to asbestos and benzene? **** One wonders who is responsible for developing the terrorism about asbestos over the past 10 years or more? Since Russia's aim is super health for its people, and particularly it's athletes, one would expect them to treat asbestos like North America has been suckered into doing. Instead the Soviet Union has recently become the leading producer of asbestos and the number one consumer of asbestos, taking the titles away from Canada and the U.S.A. respectively. Russia is projecting a 21.5% increase in output by 1981 and. another increase of 26.5% by 1986. In addition to expanding their present production plants they have many new deposits under development. Between 1970 and 1977, Russian exports of asbestos doubled, from 400,000 to 800,000 tons annually. Does this tie in with the spread of asbestos terrorism routed via the U.K.? Asbestos is needed for war. Who is best ready? Again one wonders - with all the political talk that went on about boycotting the Olympic Games and suspending exports to Russia, one heard little about stopping the proposed stepped up importation of low priced Russian cars and tractors that, unlike' the Japanese who use our raw materials (requiring our labour), use only Russian raw materials such as asbestos etc. that adds to everybody elses unemployment. Since even the positive huge killers like smoking, alcohol, drugs, chemicals, automobiles etc. have never been used so consistently to terrorize people like the self-appointed environmentalists, politicians, governments and the media have done with asbestos, by manipulating data that misinterprets facts, based mostly on circumstantial information (it happened to be present) one questions the real concern for the safety of people. Think about it - fight with truth and reason - don't run and leave it all to the USSR. Asbestos Magazine - December 1979 The Circularizer 15 - 136 Viscount Timmins, Ontario, Canada Vol. 1 No. 1 November 1980 BON-02254