Document px0YZQDL9bq9Qj1Z9pX66XLk

FILE NAME: Z,, DATE: DOC#: , OCUMENT DESCRIPTION: h^'ZDZZd&ZZZZZ WZ,,, UNITED ST.A..TES GOVERNMEN. Memorandum u.s. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION TO Catherine C. Cook, Director, Product Defect OATE: April 17. 1979 Correction Division THROUGH: Task Force an Hand-hel d Hair Dryers tSL Lynn S. lichtenstein, Staff Attorney, Product Defect Correction Division $U8..!EC7: Task Force Recommendation For Preliminary Determination Hand~Held Hair Dryers Recommendation The Task Force recommends that a preliminary determination be made that hand-held hair dryers which contain asbestos materials exposed to ' the airstream of the dryer present a substantial product hazard. that identification files be opened in the'names of manufacturers, importers, distributors, and private labelers of such hair dryer~. and that correc-, tive action be sought from these firms. Defect (.:,,~~,::) 1. Defect as Reported. '. eO Information' provided to and obtained by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)" indicates that ben-Ieen 20 and 25 'pel"cent of hand-held hair dryers previously sold and those still on the market contain asbestos paper or materials as a protective lining around the inside of the nozzle or barrel of the appliance and sometimes as the support for the heating coils of the appliance. These sources indicate that tests perfonmed on the dryers using electron microscopy have identified quantities of respirable asbestos fibers emitted from the dryers while in use. The sources and information available differ as to whether . these quantities of asbestos accumulate in the home or are dissipated. 2. Assessment. The Task Force noted that asbestos in sufficient concentrations is a known cause of lung cancer and a type of cancer kno\~ as mesothelioma which afflicts the membranes lining the chest and abdominal cavities. Some of the respirable asbestos fibers which enter the body may become entrapped there and create sites for the formation of cancer. . .) GEGIE 00020 . . -2- The Task Forte noted further that when released from the dryer, the asbestos fibers may accumulate in a particular environment, such as a home. The Task Force believed that the insulation function performed by the asbestos paper or other materials in the dryer could also be performed by mica, aluminum, and heat-resistant plastics and that these alternatives do not appear to result in a significant increase in the cost of the dryer .to the consumer. Accordingly, the Task Force considered the use and/or presence of asbestos paper or other asbestosmaterials in the dryer which are exposed to the dryer's airstream and \thich release respirable asbestos fibers into the air to be a defect. Risk of Injury 1. Pattern of Defect. , . . , . The defect arises from the design of the hair dryers containing . asbestos paper and other asbestos materials which specifies the use of asbestos as an insulator or component part. The defect manifests itself during normal use of the .dryer. ;~.. \ 2. Number of Defective. Products in Commerce. It is believed that between 9 and 15 million hair dryers currently owned by consumers contain asbestos. If sales of hand-held dryers in 1979 are comparable to those in 1978, approximately 3 million dryers containing asbestos will be sold. It is not known how many dryers containing asbestos are currently in distributors ' and retailers' inventory or with manufacturers. 3. Severity of Risk. (a) Seriousness of injury - The presence of asbestos paper or materials in the airstream of the dryer may contribute to the inducement of cancer in persons in the environment where the dryer is used. (b) likelihood of injury - The Task Force noted that the develop- ment of lung cancer or mesothelioma in a person ~ho is exposed to asbestos might take 20 to 30 years or longer. The Task Force believed that the exposure to asbestos accompanying the use of the dryers with asbestos materials exposed to the dryer's airstream creates an unneces- sary increase in the risk of cancer from asbestos and felt that injury from this exposure was possible. The Task Force accordingly assessed the likelihood of injury as possible. . GEGIE 00021 .~ . . . - 'M~' . , . - .~ . _..., ..-"..,..... -----.- ... -3- (e) Assessment - The Task Force considered the severity of the risk of injury to be high due to the fact that an increased incidence of cancer may result from the use of asbestos-containing dryers. 4. Substantiality of Risk. Due to the large number of asbestos-containing dryers' in 'consumers' hands~ the fact that consumers (many of wbom are children) ~re exposed' to respirable asb~stos fibers from the dryers during nannal use~ and the possibility of an increased incidence of cancer from. inhalation of the fibers,. the Jask Force.concluded that the dryers create a substantial risk of injury. TASK FORCE ME}lBERS: . (1$ Bessle Draper, COM ti~' jJ". JWoharnrenGoPmruilnlae,llF a, H~ ICP~~ . "-. Gale Wyers ESH ~~ Catherine Cook, CEPD C(.C "... :~ , 1 GEGIE 00022 ...... ,._._. __~'_ ......w".... _ .................--' - ............. ~ .-