Document r5E54Xrqvra93b8ep83MDMMa

FILE NAME: Reichhold (REI) DATE: 1975 June 16 DOC#: REI031 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Memo-Polyester Thix Agents , R e ic h h o ld ChemI n c . Inter-Office Communication D. L. Wasson-Aziisa R. H- Melinat-Azusa R, K. Stensrud C. L. Allyn From: Tacoma Date: June 16, 1975 Subject: Polyester Thix Agents Dear Don: Due to the fantastic price increase of airborne silica, I looked into using asbestos fox polyesters in Tacoma. There are substantial savings involved which appear to justify the administrative annoyances required in handling . asbestos, 1 figured on starting put in Tacoma and then giving you the pro cedures worked out and our experience With them. That was 6 months ago. In .th meantimei the proposed control and measurement procedures for many more materials., have come out, which appear to be as miserable as for asbestos,. We can't avoid them all and, for example-, a medical might as well cover 400 as one compound. We worked out a system to monitor and control asbestos exposure using Madden's suggestions and that of Union Carbide who make the product. Tom's procedures are a bit more complicated for our circumstances than appear necessary, as suming we establish the fiber count is low enough in the working area. Some simplifications are: 1. - Use paper overalls which are bundled, along with the empty bags, in plastic sacks, tied off and put in the garbage. You still have to label the sacks and inform the refuse collectors, but they aren't exposed. Further, there is no hss 1 witl th 1aundr. . ` 2. With suitable ventilation, the monitoring and medicals required initially d o n 't have to be repeated with such frequency. I .believe th first step in the plant is to have a meeting with all personnel who could normally come in ..contact with' asbestos' and, as with vinyl chloride (and now others) explain th hazard and means of control, monitoring and all OSHA .require ments. Those involved' would be the people who receive the asbestos and move it in the warehouse, those who transfer it from there to the blend tanks and who dun?) and package the bags. I assume that, given the procedures to protect them, the people would go along with the program, if they don't, you might as well abandon the idea. Remember the similar procedures coming up for other common materials where we may not have an option though. When the idea is accepted, you can go on to the introduction of asbestos into the plant and the initial monitoring measurements. Union Carbide will work closely with you to develop the procedures and implement them. I'll put you in touch, if you wish. i Dehning000145 c (. D. L. Wasson Pacrei 2* 'June 16, 1975 As I said, I figured on doing this first in Tacoma, but we don't seem to find time to reformulate the thix resins for asbestos. Your people have formulations available already and could move on it soon. The recent skirmish with the APCD on silica going into the atmosphere prompted me on asbestos use. Asbestos won't fly around as much as silica. That diaphragm;, pump Floyd Boak is using for silica could work on asbestos and reduce dust still further. To avoid introducing 10-15 different products, it would be necessary to convert all thix resins to asbestos and eliminate silica. After you and others have considered this, please let me know your decisioni Probably, you would want to talk with the Union Carbide people prior to reaching a decision. I am enclosing recent literature on the subject. Very truly yours, RBW:sp Enclosures R. B. Walker Dehning000146