Document om8RXbDVaJn33RDpZEjE4gDYE

V* CC for W. C. Thurber J. W. Walsh KC-File^ MF-Flle REPORT Or CALL aug311973 UCC-CAUIDRIA KINO CITY, CAu UNION CARBIDE CORPORA'ION P.O. Box 579 Niagara Tjiia. n.y. 1H^2 R. J. Krcnkhyte J.M. Andertcn A. A. Andrade C. F. Grsr.sn R. L. Grrrcn R. O. K:~:cr H. L. c--.y B. E. Urey D. E. Clark D. J. Garcia G. L. Vessels M. K. West r Date 8-14-7? UPDATE REPORT The asbestos problem at General Motors dates back to about 1969 when GM management decided to eliminate It - from their products. Among the first to switch over to a non-asbestos product was the Harrison Radiator Dlv. who had used 8 to 15 tons a day of JM ?TF1, for their polyester premix application, A fine clay was subsituted for the asbestos, and although their reject rate Increased 2 to 3 times, with product quality and economics suffer ing also, they were adamant in refusing to evaluate HPP. Since that time and to this day the rumored GM asbestos ban has prevailed. Altough to my knowledge nothing has been written down in letter form from GM to their sup pliers, It is known that product formulations list tox ic materials and accompany samples from GM evaluations. If the product contains asbestos It Is not evaluated, or If it Is, It must be reformulated without asbestos . before final acceptance from the GM labs. The Immediate Impetus for this high level meeting was the refusal by GM to accept an Efcpoxy base resin con taining RG 144 to replace the present lead solder pro gram. The use of lead solder dates back historically to auto fabrications, but again due to Gov't regula tions there has been a desire to find a replacement. Both Ohio Sealer and H. B. Fuller, plus unknown other suppliers, have submitted acceptable material to GM and had it shot down because it contained asbestos. CC for REPuaT c? call 77/t ^.-7, , 7' 7', 4''777 UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION P.O. Box 579 Niagara Palls, N.Y, 14302 PAGE 2 By T.P. Korrls Date 8-1k-7^ Full Name Address GENERAL MOTORS CORP. Interviewed Mfrs, of GM and Ohio Sealer did elaborate dust counts, Including Electron Scanning, of actual production trials, and al though the results Indicated zero asbestos fiber levels, the products were rejected because they contained asbes tos, Whether, ^or.not asbestos Is guilty per se, or Is a contributingy\along with.skin sensitivity of employees to ejpoxy resin, initial increased capital expenditures, plus the basic increased cost of the e^poxy system ver sus the lead solder system, it still comes out the same, i,e, the product is rejected because it contains asbes tos. The continuing concern of the following customers who sup ply various materials to the GM plants and other auto re lated businesses should be our concern also. Ohio Sealer Corp. Dayton, Ohio H. B. Fuller Minneapolis, Minn. Mortell Co. Kanke'tcee, 111. Tuff Cote Inc. Detroit, Mich. Chemical Sealing Kansas City, Mo. The above customers represent both a realized potential and future potential if they continue to evaluate our , products to replace either other Canadian grades or Cabo-sll. for '774 77 . 1 c*. UNION CAPvBIDE CORPORATION P.O. Box 579 Niagara Palls, N. Y, 14302 PAGE 2, ByT.P. Fny^r Date 8-lR-?? Full Name GENERAL MOTORS CORP. Address Interviewed Mfrs. of ; The very nature of our business is sales development ; which can, especially with RG grades, take 2-3 years of R&D efforts before orders begin to materialize. It Is precisely this time period that could affect our future business, because as we contemplate King City . expansion plans based on present sales and future growth, ; by the time expansion is completed (1975) we could rei formulated out of present compounds and if there Is no | ongoing R&D work on RG grades, It could seriously hamper ) out continued growth and very exsitence. \ I