Document o9wboVpQjMQaaob3bngZYYyag

t-Ktm UrtHUHH Z14. i ii F.JDiJED l/.AR 13 1990 ^ iut;wo, n. ivio? SdENCE nu.H rHut . 2 March 1990 Volume 247 Number 4946 j. a COXETER i The Asbestos Removal FiascoAmerican Association tor ths Advancemanl of Selanca Science semes its readers as a torum for the presentation and discussion_ct important issues related to the advance ment ol scienee^hduding the presentation of minority or con flicting points ot-vlew, rather than py publishing only material on which a consensus has bean reached. Accordingly, all ar ticles published in Science--including edilO'iels, news and comment, and bosk reviewsv-are signed and reflect ihe indi emoval of asbestos from buildings could cost as much as 550 to 5150 billion. The Rcontent of asbestos fibers in the air of buildings containing asbestos is harmlessly small and essentially the same as in outdoor air.* Asbestos in buildings, unless damaged, docs not shed fibers. The removal process releases asbestos fibers which could vidual views oi the authors and not official points of view adopted by the AAAS or the Institutions with which the au thors arc afliliatcd. result in more cancer in the workmen than would have resulted in die usual occupants had die asbestos been left in place.' A puzzling defect in federal legislation and regulations is an arbitrary lumping together Publisher: Richard S. Nicholson ofdisparate minerals and calling the lot of diem asbestos. As a result, chrysotilc, a serpentine Editor: Daniel E. Kosniand, Jr. mineral, is tarred with association with the dangcrou^ampninoic crocidolite. The two News Editor: Ellis Rubinstein minerals differ in composition, color, shape, solubility, and persistence in human tissue. Menaglng Editor: Patricia A Morgan Oeputy Editors: Philip H. Abelson (Engineering end Applied Sciences): John I. Brauman (Physical Sciences) Chrysotilc is a white mineral wttn composition MgtSiaUtolUnjg. It tends to be soluble and to disappear in tissue. Fibers tend to be curly and excluded from die periphery of the lung. Crocidolite is blue, has the formula Na2(FeJ+)2(Fc:'')jSi022(0H)2, and is relatively EDITORIAL STAFF Assistant Managing Editor: Monica M. Bradford Senior Editors: Eleanore Sutz. Martha Coleman. Barbara Jasny, Katrina L Ketner. Phillip D. Szuromi, David F. Voss Associate Editors: Keith W Brocklehurst. R. Brooks Hanson, Pamela J. Hines. Kelly laVarco. Linda J. Miller Letters Editor: Christine Gi'bert Book Reviews: Katherine Livingston, editor Contributing Editor: Lawrence l, Grossman Chlet Production Editor: Ellen E. Murphy Editing Department: Lois Scnmili. head. Mary McDaniel. Patricia L. Moe. Barbara P. Ordway Copy Desk: Jo> S- Granger, Margarol E. Gray. MaryBeth Shartle. Beverly Shields Production Meneget: Jnrr.es Landry Assistant Production Manager: Kathleen C. Fishback Art Director. Yolanda M. Rook Graphics end Production: Holly Bishop, Julie Cherry, Catherine S Siskcs Systems Analyst: William Conor insoluble. It persists in tissue. Its fibers arc long, thin, and straight and penetrate narrow lung passages. About 95 percent of the asbestos in place in the United States is chrystitilc. Another puzzling defect in federal performance is failure to give sufficient weight to epidemiological experience relating to chrysotilc mines in Quebec. These mines have been operating since before 1900 and have produced about 40 million tons of chrysotilc. In keeping widi die lax practice of earlier days, mining operations were accompanied by large amounts of chrysotilc dust. Wives ofminers were heavily exposed; they dwelt in homes near the mines. Four epidemiological studies ofdie Quebec chrysotilc mining localities show that lifelong exposure of women to dust from nearby mines caused no statistically significant excess disease. The Environmental Protection Agency has fostered the view that a single fiber can cause cancer. This hypothesis is unproven. We live on a pnn.-r nn whirl) rhere is an abundance of serpentine- ana ampmbolc-containing rocks. Natural processes have been releasing fibers throughout Eartft History. We breathe in about 1 million fibers a year,,.----- NEWS STAFF Correspondsnt-at-Lsrge: Barbara J Culliton Oeputy Nsws Editors: John M. Scndiii. Jean Marx. Colin Norman News and CommentrReseareh News: Mark H. Crawford, Constance Holden, Richard A. Kerr, c-ct Marshall, Joseph Palca, Robert Pool, Leslie Roberts, Marjorie Sun, M. Mitchell Waldrop European Correspondent: Jeremy Cherfas West Coast Correspondent: Marcia Barinaga Another puzzle is a lack ofexpeditious effort by the EPA to obtain rigorous measures of indoor and outdoor levels offibers. It is only rcccnrly rhar appropriate measurements have been made using transmission electron microscopy. Use of this equipment permits identification and quantitation of asbestos fibers. One would think that in a 550- to 5150billion program die first priority would be an accurate assessment of the problem. This lack of concern about determining the facts of exposure is also reflected in EPA policies with respect to schools. BUSINESS STAFF Circulation Director: John G. Colson Futfillmant Manager: Marlene Zendett Bustnees Staff Manager: Deborah Rivera-Wksnhold Classified Advertlelng Supervisor: Amie Cha/lene King Public and private schools arc required to inspect for asbestos and to inform parents if asbestos-containing materials arc present. Schools must submit a plan detailing how they will deal wirh damaged asbestos. They can be fined 55000 per day for failing to meet deadlines. The EPA has recommended bulk sampling and visual inspection to determine a ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Director: Earl J. Scherago course of action rather than measurement of airborne levels of fibers. The removal process releases fibers into the air, sometimes creating greater concentra Traffic Manager: Donna Rivera Traffic Manager (Recruitment): Gwen Canler Advertising Seles Manager: Richard L. Charles tions of them than before die abatement work began. Remedial workers arc being exposed to high occupational levels. EPA itselfestimates that one halfof aJI asbestos removal projects Marketing Meneget: Herbert t 8urk!und Employment Sales Manager: Edward C. Keller Seles: Now York, NY 10036: J, Kevin Hcnebry, 1515 Broad arc done improperly. Panic has not been confined to schools. Building owners broadly have been ripping out way (212-730-1050); Scotch Plains. Nj 07076: C. Richard Caltis, 12 Unami Lane (201-880- 41)73); Chicaoo. JL 60914: asbestos. If anything, die rush to remove asbestos is accelerating. EPA requires that asbestos i Jack Ryan, 525 W. Higgins Rd. (3t2-B35-8675): San Jose, CA be taken out of buildings before they arc demolished or renovated. In addition, some 95112: Bob 8rindioy. 310 S. IGIh St. (408-998-4690); Dorset. VT 0S251: Fred W. DtcScnbach, Kern Hit) Rd. (802-867-5581); owners have noted that the presence of asbestos has made it difficult to lease, sell, or insure Damascus MD 20872: Rick Sommer. 11318 Kings Valley Dr. (301-972-9270): U.K. Europe: Nick Jones, +44(0647)52918: Telex 42513. FAX (0647) 52053. asbestos-containing buildings. 77ic Environmental Contractor has published an estimate that diis year 57 billion will be spent on asbestos abatement--an increase of more than 30 percent during 1989. The estimate for 1993 is 511.5 biltion. Information for contributors appears on page XI ot me 22 December 1989 Issue. Ed'loriil correspondence, including requests lor permission to reprint and reprint orders, should be sen! to 1333 H Street. NW. Washington, DC 20005. Tele phone 202-326-6500 Advertising correspondence should be som to Tenth Floor. 1515 Broadway. New York, NY 10036. Telephone 212-730-1050 or WU Telex 958062 SCHERAGO. or FAX 212-382-3725 The credibility of EPA has already been damaged. Unless policies are modified, the sums wasted in abatement and litigation will proliferate. Regulations should be modified to take into account the greatly differing hazards ofthe various asbestiform minerals. Standards for indoor air should be based on actual measurements of types and amounts of fibers. --Philip H. Abelson 2 MARCH 1990 *B. T. Moilman a /., Snout 247,294 (1990). EDITORIAL IOI7 HWBUI0005017