Document pp8OZ9ayB5q10aNDxwQGV5Ond

m NORTH AMERICA ASBESTOS INFORMATION ASSOCIATION 1745 Jefferson Davis Highway, Crystal Square 4, Suite 509 Arlington, Virginia 22202 (703) 979-1150 27 March 1980 /. ~ Memorandum For: Subject: Messrs. Beasley, CAPCO Betts, Atlas Turner, Inc. Dougherty, CertainTeed Corp. Reis, J-M Corp. Paper on "Asbestos Cement Pipe and Cancer In Connecticut, 1955-1974" by Meigs et. al The subject paper is forwarded herewith for information. B. J. Pigg Executive Director CC: Messrs. Jackson Warren Dr. We ill CAPCO '30 ,, WHB Received * ^ a n/^ a c:w nnn^fiQi Asbestos Cement Pipe and Cancer In Connecticut 1955-1974 Abstract ^ The associations ofthe use ofasbestos-cement (A 1C) pipe in public potable water distribution systems with changes in Connecticut cancer incidence rates were analyzed. Eight measurements related to asbestos in town water, population density, and socioeconomic scores were tested for their association with increased rates of cancer incidence, using multiple regression. No consistent patterns of association were found. The study provided no evidence for changing current water distribution policies for Connecticut public water supplies because ofA 1C pipe use. J. Wister Meigs, M.D. Stephen D. Walter, Ph.D. Jean F. Heston James R. Millette Gunther F. Craun Richard S. Woodhutl John T. Flannery Concern that the use of asbestos cement (A/C) pipe in public potable water distribution systems might increase the risk of gastrointestinal cancer has stimulated studies in Connecticut. A basis for this con cern has been the evidence that per sons occupationally, exposed to air borne asbestos have experienced higher than expected rates of peritoneal mesothelioma, gastric cancer, and perhaps colon cancer. A study of 17,800 asbestos insulation workers showed a two to threefold increased risk of cancer of the oropharynx, esophagus, stomach, colon, and kidney, which might have been associated with clear ance and swallowing of airborne fibers (1). Analyses of cancer rates in areas where asbestos fibers have been found in the drinking water have not produced clear evidence of excess cancer rates. Studies in Duluth, Minneapolis, and St. Paul, (2,3,4) and in the Puget Sound area (5) did not produce evidence that asbestos i n water had contributed to increased cancer of any of the anatomical sites studied. In Quebec (6) and in five California counties (7) some positive associations were found for some digestive sites. Journal of Environmental Health, V. 42 (4) 167-191. J. Wister Meigs, M.D., Director, Connec ticut Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Clinical Professor of Epidemiology, Yale Univer sity School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510. Asbestos fibers are known to de tach from asbestos-cement (A/C) pipe distribution mains in somt situations. In A/C pipe systems in Florida, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and South Carolina, asbestos (chrysotile) fiber concentrations of over 10 million fibers per liter have been found (8). It is thought that some of the factors related to the chemistry of the water passing through the pipe, such as the addi tion of corrosion control chemicals, may be related to the number of fi bers eroded into the drinking water. In many Connecticut townships A/C pipe has been used, totally or partially, for over 30 years. Counts of asbestos fibers in water systems were rarely over 1 x 10s fibers/liter. Measurements showed that 169c of fibers (chrysotile) were more than 5 micrometers (/im) in length and 11% were greater than lO/zm. Since the preliminary investigation by Harrington et al. (9), which gave no indication that changes in the gas trointestinal cancer rates in Con necticut from 1935 through 1974 had been associated with the use of A/C pipe, substantially augmented information has become available (8). Further measurements of as bestos fibers in Connecticut town water supplies, and water quality information related to the potential for the leaching of asbestos fibers from A/C pipe into the water sup ply, have extended the data. The data have been analyzed with more powerful statistical methods in this study. Materials and Methods To assess the possible influences of A/C pipe use on cancer occurrence in Connecticut, individual town cancer rates were entered into a re gression equation as the dependent variable, while asbestos exposure indicators for each town were en tered as independent variables (10). Over 40 years of cancer incidence data are available to the Connec ticut Cancer Epidemiology Unit from the Connecticut Tumor Reg istry by town of patient residence; therefore, the independent vari ables related to the drinking water, asbestos fibers and A/C pipe were prepared by town. Data from the periods 1955-64 and 1965-74 were used. Asbestos effects attributable to individual town asbestos-in water concentrations would not be demonstrable before 1955 because little A/C pipe was used before that date. Our preliminary analysis had shown no detectable increases in cancer incidence when the later (af ter 1953) rates across the state, ad justed for A/C pipe use, were com pared with the 1935-53 rates (9). For each of the 169 Connecticut townships, the following informa tion was used: number of newly January February, 1980 Journal of Environmental Health 187 n.ADrto .1FN 0002892 Table 1: Association of cancel incidence (O/E) at 8 primary sites with cancer exposure from asbestos/cement (A/C) pipe, population density and socioeconomic status in Connecticut towns, 1955-1964, 1965-1974. i Site. ICD-O* All sites m Stomach (151) Colon (153) Rectum (154) Pancreas (157) Trachea, bronchus. lung (162) Urinary bladder (188.0-188.6, 188.8, 188.9) Kidney, renal pelvis. ureter (189.0-189.2) MALE Asbestos indicators P Te 1f mq ed b c d e ' 9 hi j k R! 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1+ 2 1 2 1 2 ++ 4-4- 0.22 4 + 0.32 ___ 0.24 -- 0.24 4 + 4- 4-4- 0.30 4- 0.14 0.11 0.11 4 4 0 17 0.11 4-4- 0.32 4 + 4 -- 0.32 4- 0.17 0.03 14 2 0.06 4- 0.11 PEMALE Asbestos indicators !b c d e 9 hi i i -- . + -h 4 4_ - 4+ 4-4- 0.20 4- 4-+ +4- 0.15 + 4 + - 0.22 0.06 + -4 + 0.14 0.07 0.06 0.11 0.07 0.04 4-4 44 0.14 4---- 44 44 0.16 -- 0.22 0.08 +4 T 4 0.18 . 0.07 Table Notes + indicates a positive association with higher asbestos exposure. - indicates a negative association. + or - = p s 0.05 -V- + or -- = p 0.01 1. 1955-1964 2. 1965-1974 a "International Classification ol Diseases for Oncology". WHO, 1976(18) b Asbestos: fibers/liter x 10* in water, 1975. c Percentage ol town population on A/C pipe, 1975. a Length ol A/C pipe in miles per person, 1970. a Maximum age of A/C pipe, 1960, 1970. r Iron content in source water in mg./liter, 1975.' 8 Change in calcium, mg./liter by mile, 1975. ti Corrosion control in use, 1975.' i Water aggressiveness index: [pH + log ro (calcium hardness x alkalinity)) 1975.' i Number of persons per square mile. 1960 or 1970. k Town socioeconomic score, 1960 or 1970. m All cancer sites, except non-melanomatous skin. RT The square of the multiple correlation coefficient. For this variable, the higher the numeric value, the lower the supposed exposure to asbestos, therefore high association (+) with cancer incidence on this table indicates low values. 168 Journal of" Environmental Health Vol. 42, No. 4 CAPCO JEN 0002893 The 10 variables were entered 1960, with lung cancer in females in Among men in 1965-74, in addi into the regression as independent 1960 and 1970, and with female tion to the already noted positive variables, in order to consider the kidney cancer in 1960. There was a associations for pancreatic cancer, effect of each in the presence of the strong positive association of SES there was a significant association others upon the cancer rates. In a for "all sites" ofcancer in females in of lack of corrosion control in A/C separate analysis, the six indicators both periods. pipe with lung cancer incidence. of possible fiber leaching from A/C There were a number of signifi pipe were tested for correlation with the measured quantity of asbestos1 in water. Results 1. Associations of Cancer with As bestos and A/C Pipe Variables cant correlations between the asbestos-A/C pipe variables and the cancer rates. There were five asso ciations out of 64 tests at p=s 0.05 in the 1955-64 decade among men, and all indicated an increasing cancer incidence with an increase in the hypothesized risk factor. One cancer site, the pancreas, had two Among women in the 1955-64 de cade, S significant associations with asbestos factors were observed, 5 positive and 3 negative, while in 1965-75 there were 4 positive and 3 negative associations. These showed no consistent pattern. For example, in the 1965-74 period, lung cancer in women showed a Eight cancer sites were analyzed for male and female experience sep arately, for the two time periods for 169 Connecticut towns. Results are shown in Table 1 for the 1960 period as the number 1 and for the 1970 period as the number 2. For three of the indicator variables, the lower the numeric value, the higher is the estimated risk of exposure to asbes tos fiber: iron content, addition of chemicals for corrosion control, and the aggressiveness index. In Table 1, therefore, risk of exposure rather than numeric value is indicated by the + and - signs. The +(-) sign indicates a regression coefficient significant at the 5% level (p <.05) and ++(--) indicates an associa tion significant at the 19c level (p <.0l'i. R2 is the squared multiple correlation coefficient, which is an estimate of the proportion of the variation in the cancer rate associ ated with the independent vari ables. Fairly consistent associations of certain cancer rates with town significant regression coefficients, one for lack of corrosion control in A/C pipe, the other for the level of asbestos fibers in water supply. (R2 = 17%). In 1970, pancreatic cancer in men again showed two significant regression coefficients, for age ofA/C pipe and length ofA/C pipe (R2 = 11%). There were no sig nificant associations of pancreatic cancer incidence and A1C pipe fac tors among women in either tim period. There was a positive association of length of pipe with kidney cancer in both sexes in 1955-64. There were no significant kidney cancer associations with A/C pipe risk fac tors in 1970. The other two positive associ ations in men, in the 1955-64 period, were lack of corrosion con trol for A/C pipe with bladder cancer, and high aggressiveness index of water with colon cancer. These were not observed elsewhere in either men or women. positive association with the per cent of population served by A/C pipe, and negative associations with control of asbestos leaching by iron in water, and with the aggres siveness index of water. The same analyses were carried out using only the 82 towns with ibme A/C pipe. Results were similar to those given in Table 1. 2. Associations of A/C Pipe Vari ables with Asbestos in Water: To learn whether the measured quantity of asbestos in water was correlated with the indicators for asbestos in water, a second regres sion analysis was performed. The number of asbestos fibers per lOVliter, as measured for each town water sample delivered through A/C pipe, was the dependent vari able, and the indicators of risk of asbestos in water were entered as independent variables, as follows: population density and SES are shown in Table 1. As population den sity increased, the "all sites" and x, = Iron content of water delivered through A/C pipe/mg/liter, 1975. lung cancer rates were higher in both men and women in both time periods. Colon cancer in the 1960 x2 = Corrosion control chemicals added to water delivered through A/C pipe. 1975. Present or absent. period was positively associated x3 = Aggressiveness index at source lor water delivered through with population density both in A/C pipe, 1975. men and women, and for men only in the 1970 period. A strong associa tion of stomach cancer with density x4 = Change in calcium content, mg/liter per mile ol A/C pipe, 1975. occurred in women in the 1960 x5 = Maximum age of A/C pipe. 1975. period. Socioeconomic scores of Connec x6 = Average length of A.'C pipe per person served. 1975. ticut towns were significantly nega tively associated with stomach cancer in men both in the 1960 and There was no significant rela 1970 periods, in women in the 1960 tionship between any of the indi period, and with lung cancer in men cators for assumed asbestos fiber in 1970. SES was also positively as sociated with male colon cancer in leaching from A/C pipe and asbes tos fibers as actually measured. 190 Journal of Environmental Health Vol. 42, No. 4 CAPCO JEN 0002894 Discussion and Conclusions United States. It is probably related to the fact that most Connecticut S Milleitfc JR.PJ Clark. MF Panstnp iAugust 1979' Expo'.urr h> Drinking These analyses give no consistent indication that use of A/C pipe in Connecticut public water supplies has been followed by increases in incidence either of "all cancers" or of the individual sites considered. The observed associations between male pancreatic cancer rates and asbestos indicator variables are not water supplies contained small con centrations of fibers and that the great majority of these fibers were shorter than 5 pm in length. Studies of dfseases caused by asbes tos have shown that fibers longer jhan 5 pm are more hazardous than shorter ones (17). The methods for measuring as Water in the United States. Health Ef fects Re>earch Laboratory Environ mental Protection Agenc\. EPA 600 1-79-026 Cincinnati. Ohio. 9 Harrington. J.M.. G.F. Craun. J.W Meigs. P.J. Landrigan, J.T. Flannery. R.S. Woodhull (1978 An investigation of the use of asbestos cement pipe for public water supply and the incidence of gastrointestinal cancer in Connecticut, 1935-1973, Am. J. Epidemiol. 107:96103. consistent internally. That is, they bestos fibers and for estimating the 10. Kleinbaum, D.G., L.L. Kupper f 19781 were attributable to different indi risks of leaching of asbestos from cator variables in the two decades, other water quality measurements and were less, significant in the are still relatively inaccurate. This later decade; whereas, they should was confirmed by the lack of inter Applied Regression Analysis and Other Multivariable Methods. Duxbury Press, North Seituate, Mass. 11. Anderson, C,H. and J.M. Long (1978) Environmental Protection Agency have been greater if they had been causally related to asbestos. The as sociations of lung cancer with as bestos indicator variables were not correlation of these postulated as bestos risk indicators in our study. Future work will require better methods for asbestos risk indicators interim method for determining asbes tos in water, Proc. Workshop on Asbes tos: Definitions and Measurement Methods. C.C. Gravatte, P.D. LaFleur, K.F.J. Keinrich (eds.) National Bureau able in that two of four significant as well as data on other trace con associations among women were taminants, especially organics, that opposite to each other; that is, two have been alleged to increase indicated a "protective" effect on cancer risks. The results reported women's lung cancer rates from as here provide no evidence for chang of Standards Special Public. 506. U.S.G.P.O., Washington, D.C. pp. 365376. 12. American Water Works Association (1977) Standard for Asbestos-Cement Pressure Pipe, 4 in. through 24 in. for bestos risk indicators. Given the generally negative findings, it is important to estimate the power of the regression analysis; that is, to compute what strength of asbestos effect, had such ing current water distribution policies for Connecticut water supplies because of A/C pipe use. References "Water and Other Liquids, Public. AWWA C402-77, Chicago. III. t3. StockweJl, E.A. (January 1968) The population of Connecticut. Town and county fact book, 1960. Stores Agricul tural Experiment Station (SAESl Bull. 380, University of Connecticut. Storrs, Conn. existed, would have been identified 1. Selikoff, I.J., E.C. Hammond, H. Seid- 14. Steahx, T.E., V. Bolduc. C. Shambis in the size of data set-used. It was found that if there had been a 50% additional risk of cancer (all sites) in those towns with the highest as bestos levels as compared to those with the lowest levels, the probability (or power) of detecting this would have been well over 90% for each decade and sex. For indi vidual sites, the power is less be cause of the smaller number of cases; the weakest analysis is for an effect of asbestos on bladder or kid man (1979)Mortality experience of insu lation workers in the United States and Canada, 1943*1977. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 330:91-116. 2. Cook, P.M., l.B. Rubin, C.J. Maggiore, and W J. Nicholson (1976) X-ray diffrac tion and electron beam analysis of ashestiform minerals in Lake Superior wat ers, Proc. Int. Conf. on Environmental Sensing and Assessment 34(2):l-9, Las Vegas, Nev. 3. Mason,T.J., F.W. McKay,and RAV. Mil ler (1974) Asbestos-like fibers in Duluth water supply. Relationship to cancer mortafcty^MAM -22&1019-1020. (February 1974) The population of Con necticut: Town and county fact book, 1970, SAES Bull. 426. 15. Stockwell, E.G., M.H. Nagi (March 1968) The social areas of metropolitan Connecticut, SAES Bull. 404. 16. Groff, W.H..J.N. Wright (January 1976) Socioeconomic index scores for Connec ticut towns, SAES Bull. 442. 17. Stanton, M.F. (1973) Some etiological considerations of fibre carcinogenesis, Biological Effects of Asbestos, 1ARC Sci. Publ. No.8, Bogovski, P.. J.C. Gilson, V. Timbrel!, J. Wagner (eds.) pp. 289-294. 18. World Health Organization (1976) ICD-01976: International Classification ney tumors, where the power is ap 4. Levy, B.S., E. Sigurdson, J. Mandel, E. proximately 50% to detect a 50% in Laudon, J. Pearson (1976) Investigating of Diseases for Oncology. W.H.O., Geneva, Switzerland. crease in risk, or about 80% of de tecting a twofold increase. For each possible effects of asbestos in city water. Am. J. Epidemiol. 103:362-368. Acknowledgments of the other sites the power was at least 80% of demonstrating a 50% increase in risk. These figures are all applicable when using the con 5. Severson, R K. (1979M Study of the Effects of Asbestos in Drinking Water on Cancer Incidence in the Puget Sound Region, Thesis for M.S. degree. Biomathematics Group, University of This investigation was supported in part by contracts KOI CP 33235 and NOl CP 61002 with the National Cancer Institute, and contracts 5034356H, 5034356J, 68032444, CA-83163-J with the Environ ventional 5% level for testing sig Washington., Seattle. Wash. mental Protection Agency. nificance. The analytical methods were con siderably more refined and pow erful than those in our previous study, and environmental informa 6. Wigle, D. (1977) Cancer mortality in re lation to asbestos in municipal water supplies, Arch. Environ. Health 32:185190. 7. Cooper, R.C., M. Tarter, M. Kanarek, J. Murchio, P. Conforti, L. Jackson, R. Authors Meigs, Walter and Heston, Yale Univ. School of Medicine; Millette and Craun, EPA, Cincinnati; Woodhull and Flannery, Conn. State Dept, of Health. The authors thank Richard Laiuppa who with the guidance of Richard Woodhull undertook the collection of water data from tion was more detailed. Therefore, the lack of coherent evidence for cancer risks from use ofA 1C pipe is reassuring. It is consistent with Callard, D. Lysmer (April 1979)Asbes tos in Domestic Water Supplies in Five California Counties. Part 11, Population and Tumor Data Base, EHS Publica tion # 79-1. University of California, Connecticut water authorities. JoAnn Kelly, senior programmer of the Connecticut Cancer Epidemiology Unit, provided the ap propriate cancer rates and ratios from Con necticut Tumor Registry data for the most reports from other areas of the Berkeley. analyses. January/February, 1980 Journal of Environmental Health 191 CAPCO JEN 0002895 Reprinted from the Journal ot Environmental Health, Vo/- 42, Wo. 4, January/February 1930 Published by The National Environmental Health Assn. *5 1200 Lincoln St., Denver. Colo. 80203 ( a no PN 0002896 Preprintfrom the 1981 BUREAU OF MINES MINERALS YEARBOOK Asbestos UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR CAP CO UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR * James 6. Watt, Secretary BUREAU OF MINES Robert C Horton, Oirector This (Publication It a chapter from Hit currant Ivrtou of Mina* Mineral* Yearbook, comprising Yofumm I, Malah and Mfnara/s; Vafuma //, Araa Kaparit: OamatHc Velum* IU>Area Krportt: Intemofienol. Tha separate volumes of the Yaorbook ora sold by tha Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D.C 20402. Asbestos By R. A. Clifton' Shipments of asbestos (alt chrysotile) in 1981 from mines in the United States decreased 6% from those in 1980. Imports in 1981 were 3% higher than those in 1980. U S. apparent consumption declined 3% in 1981. Canadian shipments in 1981 were 14% lower than those for 1980. Shipments from Canada to the United States rose slightly during 1981. Imports from Canada were 94% of total U.S. imports in 1981, and those from the Republic of South Africa accounted for 5%. Table 2.--Salient asbestos statistics 1577 1578 3979 1980 liiT United State* Production (Mies)metric ton*_ _ Va! uethousand*. _ Export* and raexporu (unmanufactured) metric ton_ . Valuethouaanda. _ Exporte and reexport* of aabeatoa product* (value) do_____ Import* tor con*umptioft (unmanufactured) metric ton*- . Vaiu*____------thouaanda- _ Relaaaed from itockpile (unmanufactured) metric tona_. Concursption, apparent1________ ----- - do.____ World. Production-___________________ ____ .do_ - - - 92,256 $25,267 92.097 *27.98? $4,896 $12/775 $62,665* 45.280 $20,532 *319.915 550.692 $145,146 570.020 1154.353 188 609,157 '4,793,4SI 618.706 '4,693.221 93.354 $28,925 '43.293 '$17,383 'U:i7.i;'o 5)3,084 $135,230 1 560.600 4.884.732 80.079 $30,599 r48,671 '$21,067 '$141,65:1 327.296 $91,809 358,700 *4.887,215 7S.618 $30,685 64.4)9 $21,508 $145,130 337.618 $103,893 348.800 *4,125,533 *Eatitnated. ^Preliminary. rReviaed2 Measured by quantity produced, plu* unrort*. ,<lua *tockpile relcaaea. minua export*. Legislation and Government Pro* grams.--Regulator* agency procedures, proposals, and regulations, including asbes tos related ones, were under review in 1981 to bring about ccnrormance with Supreme Court decisions and new administration policy. Even prior to establishment of the Cabinet level Presidential Task Force on Regulatory Relief, Federal Register (F.R.) Jan. 30, 1981, the agencies had begun some changes. For example, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), in the January 19th F.R., published some final rule changes in the general cancer policy, and further changes were prepared in the January 23d F.R. The significant change proposed in the January 23d iBsue was that OSHA must consider all relevant evidence in making its determinations. In the February 6th F.R., a Presidential memorandum postponing the promulgation of all regulations for 60 days was an nounced, and in the February 19th F.R., Executive Order 12291 requiring cost bene fit analyses of all new and existing regula tions was promulgated. The Asbestos Information Aasocia- tion/North America presented to the Task Force on Regulatory Relief the following as those regulatory initiatives that most threaten the asbestos industry: (1) A pro posal outstanding at OSHA since 1975 to reduce the permissible workplace exposure level from 2.0 to 0.5 fibers per cubic centi meter, and outstanding recommendations by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to reduce that standard even further to 0.1 fiber; (2) announcement by advance notice of proposed rulemaking in 1979 at the Environmental Protection 1 ,ckl rtrtrtOOQQ 2 MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1981 Agency (EPA), under Section 6 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), to consider the possibility of banning all industrial and commercial uses of asbestos; <3> announce ment by advance notice of proposed rulemaking in 1979 at the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to consider the possibility of banning all uses of asbestos in consumer products; (4) outstanding waterquality criteria for asbestos issued by EPA under the Clean Water Act that, although they do not yet have formal regulatory impact, have already created marketing problems for asbestos-cement pipe manufac turers; (5) a proposal by EPA under TSCA Section 6(a) to collect enormous amounts of information on asbestos in support of nu merous efforts to regulate asbestos more stringently; (6) a proposal by EPA to identi fy asbestos in schools; and (7) plans by EPA to reassess the existing National Emission Standard for a Hazardous Air Pollutant asbestos regulation with the possibility of tightening its requirements. On June 17, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision in the cotton dust case. Interpretations of the decision vary as the AFL-CIO says that the ruling flatly cuts out cost benefit analyses, while OSHA con tends that only the mandatory nature of such analyses is removed. In the July 21st F.R., the EPA clarified which asbestos exports must be reported under the TSCA. EPA considers three cate gories of asbestos exports to be reportable: (1) bulk shipments of raw fiber; (2) an asbestos-containing mixture that assumes the shape of its container--for example, asbestos-containing paints; and (3) an asbestos-containing mixture that is formed to a shape that must be fundamentally changed before use. Given as examples of types of products that are not subject to the rule are asbestos-cement pipe, brake lin ings, sheet gasketing, unfinished asbestos textiles, floor tiling, and rolls of asbestos paper. On December 7, the Supreme Court re fused to review the separate rulings of Fed eral Appellate Courts that held that any insurer would be liable for health impair ment claims during the period of exposure to asbestos as well as during manifestation of the disease. Environmental Impact--It is practically impossible to separate the large drop in 1980 in asbestos consumption into economic environmental parts. It would seem to be mainly economic, but the very large num ber of lawsuits about asbestos exposure- related diseases and their coverage in the media are bound to have some effect on the market. The scope of these effects was discussed by Senator Hart and printed in the Congressional Record. The Senator in troduced into the Record an article from the National Law Journal (Oct. 19, 1981) enti tled "The Asbestos Case Explosion" by James GranelH.1 Mr. Granetli says that two recent Federal Appellate Court rulings and a recent medical study could radically ex pand the size and number of the asbestosrelated disease lawsuits. These lawsuits are already the largest type of product-liability case in the country. Any "radical expan sion" of the 12,000 to 15,000 cases pending (5,000 in California alone) could overwhelm the courts. Seamen and shipyard workers, the larg est group of plaintiffs, have been deemed by an October ruling of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to come under admiralty law; their suits can be tried in Federal courts, thereby avoiding the statute of limi tations that bind many State courts. On October 1, Judge David Bazelon, writ ing for the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals, settled the hard-fought question of the "moment of liability" 60 important to the insurance carriers. He ruled that the insurance coverage was triggered both at the time of exposure and manifestation and also while the asbestos fibers were in residence. The Johns Manville Corp. had 8,000 cases pending involving 13,500 plaintiffs and had settled 1,000 cases. The plaintiffs have won 56% of the cases that went to trial and were awarded amounts ranging from $16,000 to $1,857,600. The disposal of 395 cases in 1980 by trial or settlement resulted in an average award of $76,000 to the plaintiffs. In the first 9 months of 1981, "302 cases were disposed of with an average cost of $58,500 per case to the defendant. A business publication sug gested that in the long run, these cases may be a social rather than a legal problem.1 It suggested that the huge scope of potential liabilities from asbestos and other latent diseases may be too great for an industry or group of industries to bear. The Govern ment may have to step in. The inclusion of the tobacco industry and the Government itself as codefendants in many suits may influence congressional decisions. According to one of its journals, the medical profession apparently thinks that environmental regulations are sometimes based on incomplete, inaccurate, or misin terpreted data.4 Affairs of the American Medical Association (AMA) in th:- r* a ortn -IFN 0002900 asbestos 3 on "Carcinogen Regulations" gave the fol lowing as major conclusions: (1) Although such carcinogens as asbestos and chromates have been identified in the workplace, there is no definitive epidemiologic evidence that the United States has experienced an over all increase in the incidence of cancer re lated to high levels of pollutants or contami nants in the environment; (2) much more research relating the development of cancer in animals to a parallel development in humans is needed before that relationship can be used to mandate regulating sub stances in the human environment; (3) the AMA should continue to encourage Federal regulatory agencies to use an independent review processs for full scientific assess ment--one that will objectively consider experimental biases and define the limits of testing accuracy before a formal proposal is made to regulate a potential carcinogen; and (4) the AMA should advise Federal regulatory agencies of the importance of providing a comment period of at least 90 days after the proposal of a regulation so that there may be indepth peer review of the proposed policy or rule. In 1981, the first drafts of the long await ed reports on the National Toxicology Pro gram animal feeding study became avail able. They give no indication of carcinoge nicity from ingested asbestos. Table 2.--Stockpile goals and Government inventories as of December 31 (Metric ton*) gOtU 1919 ToUl invertLone* 1980 1981 Sales of 1981 Amaaite___ _____________ Chryaouie___________ ____ Crocidolite______________ _ Toul................................ ....................... 18,144 1 1< > 1 li 11 : 18,587 9.034 2.163 49.784 38,587 9.034 2.163 49.184 38.587 9.034 754 48,375 1.409 1.409 DOMESTIC PRODUCTION Mines in the United States shipped about 6% less asbestos in 1981 than in 1980, but the value was practically identical. Three States produced asbestos; California was the leader, followed by Vermont and Arizona. Total output was 75,618 tons valued at S30.7 million. Calaveras Asbestos Corp. was California's and the Nation's leading producer from its Copperopolis Mine. One other mine was also active in California. On the Joaquin Ridge near Coalinga, m San Benito County, Union Carbide Corp. operated its Santa Rita Mine. The Vermont Asbestos Group's Lowell Mine in Orleans County, Vt., is second in the country in production. Arizona production in 1981 was below the 1980 level. The Jaquays Mining Corp. in Gila County had the only active asbestos mine in the State. This mine will probably be closed in 1982. Employment in U.S. asbestos mines and mills averaged about 450 persons during 1981. Table 3.--Asbestos producers in the United States in 1981 Stele end company County Aruona. Joqutyt Mminf Corp. _ _______ California: Calavera* AsbeatotCorp____________ Vermont. Vermont Aabestoa Group _ Gila........................... CalaverM.._______ Orlean*____ _______ . Mine Chryaotile, _ _____ Copperopoli*_____ Lowell_____ ______ Type of aabeatoa Chryeotile. Do. Do Do CONSUMPTION AND USES Total U.S. asbestos consumption decreas ed 3% from 1980 to 1981. Chrysotile was 90% of that consumed; crocidolite, 9%. Small amounts of both amosite and an- thophyllite v'ere reported used. Asbestos-cement pipe decreased its share of the asbestos used from 40% in 1980 to 37% in 1981. Chrysotile was 76% of that CAPCO JEN 000290