Document pmJQbpJy12p8JR4qNpQXyGyqE

FILE NAME: Kaiser Gypsum (KG) DATE: 1972 May 12 DOC#: KG071 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Memo RE Replacement of Asbestos in Plastic and Gun Plastic Cements TO COPIES TO KAISER C E m ENT GYPSUM CORPORATION INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM G. C. D a v i s DATE May 12, 1972 W.e. / Cml. FROM J. C. McCoe SUBJECT REPLACEMENT OF ASBESTOS IN P L A S TI C AND GUN P L A S T I C CEMENTS Due to the i n c r e a s e d a d v e r s e p u b l i c i t y o f p o s s i b l e d e t r i m e n t a l h e a l t h e f f e c t to w o r k e r s f rom us e o f a s b e s t o s b u i l d i n g p r o d u c t s , 1 c i r c u l a t e d s e v e r a l memos to company personnel re q u e s tin g an i n v e s t i g a t i o n to f in d a s u b s t it u t e for asbestos in our p l a s t i c and gun p l a s t i c cements. Asbestos serves a dual pur- PS e . 1n these cements. It fu n c tion s as a l u b r i c i t y in gun p l a s t i c to f a c i l i t a t e pumping as well as in c r e a s e s c o h e s iv e n e s s which f a c i l i t a t e s placement on vertical wall surfaces. J. P o s t has f u r n i s h e d me w i t h a cop y o f a b r i e f r e p o r t date d March 1 0 , 1972, from Phi 1 W e s t f a l 1 which sta te s; Among t he p o s s i b l e r e p l a c e m e n t s e v a l u a t e d were c o a r s e and f i n e wood f i b e r s p r e s s e d p o l y s t y r e n e b e a ds , d i a t om a c e o u s e a r t h , M e t h o c e l (a me t h y 1ce 11u 1os e ' p oly m e r), l a t e x and v e r m i c u l i t e . The cement w it h Methocel r e p l a c i n g the asb e stos e x h ib it e d coh e siv e n e ss and l u b r i c i t y , both of which are d e s ira b le c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s ^ a p l a s t i c o r gun p l a s t i c cement. However, a s u b s t a n t i a l s t r e n g t h re d u c t io n was r e a l i z e d upon r e p l a c i n g the a s b e s t o s with Methocel*. . one o f the o t h e r m a t e r i a l s e v a l u a t e d when i n t e r q r o u n d w i t h cement p r oduced .g--cement w h i c h a p p r o ach ed the l a b o r a t o r y g r o u n d gun p l a s t i c . 1' -Note. S tr e n g t h re d uc tio n s were too major f o r consumer acceptance. a p p r o x i m a t e d a 76% r e d u c t i o n a t 1 and 7 d a y s , 80% a t 7 days. These T h 's means they have not ost they evaluate or quantity of limestone l o c a t e d a s a t i s f a c t o r y s u b s t i t u t e . I recommended use o f limestone c h i p s as a s u b s t i t u t e . The q u a l i t y a t Permanente may n o t make t h i s f e a s i b l e . R e g a r d l e s s , I f e e l t h i s m a t t e r s h o u l d be b r o u g h t to the a t t e n t i o n o f ou r l a w y er s in the e v e n t we may sometime have l e g a l a c t i o n i n s t i t u t e d by someone M S I n i l t* h o r o m a n f I rr\ / n n o o n o a