Document r90JO8EkXnLn2vLo8J4bLekV

FILE NAME Brakes BRK DATE 1972 Dec 7 DOC BRK044 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Letter from Mt Sinai School of Medicine to Barry Castleman  MOUNT SINAIT MSM SCHOOL CMEDICINE MOUNT SINAI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE of The City University of New York FIFTH AVENUE AND 100TH STREET YO N.R Y. 1K 0029 Department of Community Medicine December 27 1972 Mr. Barry I. Castleman Division of Air Pollution & Industrial Baltimore County Department of Maryland Avenue at Hillen Road Towson Maryland 21204 Health Hygiene Dear Mr. Castleman Congratulations on the brake dust potentially an important problem looked at exposure that has memorandum This is hardly begun to be The purist might say little enforcement that without I don't know surveillance there will whether this is entirely be per- tinent for most shops this memorandum will be their first in- troduction to the problem and their awareness may accomplish much more at this stage of the problem than the most sophisti- cated regulations We are approaching the situation in two ways of both the work site and the general areas environmental studies These include measure- ments to obtain data concerning general environmental contamination from the occupational sources Further we are examining lung specimens obtained from individuals with brake area work history to estimate their asbestos fiber lung burden for comparison with like individuals without such history I would very much appreciate a note from you concerning response to the memorandum sent out Perhaps you could about this your call early me With best wishes for the Holiday Season Sincerely yours IJS 2.0 Irving J.Selikoff Professor M.D. BALTIMORE COUNTY MARYLAND OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE Dr. Donald J. Roop through Teasley Teasley Cra Row bertl G. e Crawy Crlaweleyy f\ 7 _ TeasleyTeasley Date__ January 4 1973 health This is a report of the status of our project to promote safe practices among brake mechanics who are exposed to asbestos hazards The first week of December we mailed circulars to about 140 businesses where brake work is done No response has been received by mail or phone to date We are now distributing these circulars to all service stations in the County which comes to 300 to 500 premises other We have also sent copies of the circular to the State City larger County health departments No response has been received any of these either and from One copy was sent to Dr J. Selikoff foremost world authority on the subject of asbestos health hazards He commended our effort and asked us to call him with our results letter attached As we operate on funds which are earmarked for air pollution there is some trepidation about further involvement in this project However this is potentially an important problem that has hardly begun to be looked at in Dr. Selikoff's words As such a thorough study of this problem would be a service not only to us in the County but to many other health departments in this country and elsewhere in the world : This is what we can do 1. Randomly interview a significant number of the establishments contacted and tabulate the findings how many took preventive steps how many did not etc. after a two month time period from first contact has elapsed 2 Publish our findings in a periodical such as American Journal of Public Health medium tional This survey will tell us what reaction sized businesses when they are notified of cancer hazard but not threatened with any can be expected from small and an easily rectifiable occuparegulations Dr. Donald January 4 page 2 J. Roop 1973 In March of 1971 the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency declared asbestos and two other toxic agents hazardous air pollutants These materials have subsequently received special attention as provided by the Clean Air Amendments of 1970. The Director of the Maryland Bureau of Air Quality Control has also expressed his interest in identifying all uses of asbestos beryllium and mercury Where such materials are found special efforts should be made to insure that no adverse occupational exposures or outdoor air pollution occurs We are now requesting your approval to carry out a complete survey as outlined above mav attachment Barry Barry I. Castleman PHE Technical Services Section Division of Air Pollution and Industrial Hygiene MOUNTS SINAI MSM MSM SCHOOL EDICINE MOUNT SINAI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE FIFTH of The City University of New York AVENUE AND 100TH STREET YORK N.Y. 10029 ITY AINDHI OF Department of Community Medicine February 26 1973 Mr. Barry I. Castleman 305 West Biddle Street Baltimore Maryland 21201 Dear Barry I was very much attracted to your idea of interviewing the establishments contacted by circular in Baltimore County to see how many took preventive steps and how many did not As you say the survey would tell you what reaction can be expected from small and medium size businesses when they are notified of an easily robe rectifiable occupational cancer hazard but not ee threatened with any regulations ee If it would be of assistance to you I could provide ca ee a field investigator in all likelihood The more I look at the air sampling results from areas in which brake drum repairs were being made the more concerned I am that the problem is not being properly studied and controlled Sincerely yours Irving J. Professor Selikoff M.D. IJS jlr Cate Cate 7/19/13 } Dear SeliSelikkof oSelfikofff 305 West Biddle Street March 19 1973 AL | putting putting together Susan Mazzocchi is survey in Washington Washington together good brake format warning does does brake repairs every possibl. e , as soon as possible Cattery 83 Barry MOUNT SINATED MOUNT SINATED MOUNT SINATED MSM MSM SCHOOL MEDICINE MEDICINE MOUNT SINAI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE of The City University of New York FIFTH AVENUE AND 100TH STREET YORK N.Y. 10029 Department of Community Medicine July 11 1973 Mr. Barry Castleman 305 West Biddle Street Baltimore Maryland 21201 Dear Barry I am enclosing a number of recent reprints pamphlet including the NIH Your diligence and determination concerning possible health hazards associated with brake repair work is only to be commended Little is known of this yet but it may turn out to be be important and recognized as its neglect over the past two decades a serious environmental oversite will The Bendix Research Laboratories in South Field Michigan have recently completed a study for the Environmental Protection Agency which you may wish to peruse It was written by M. Jacko and R.T. DuCharme and is entitled Brake Emissions Emission Measurements Sources and From Brake and Clutch Linings From Selected Mobile is identified as report 68-04-0020 It was prepared for the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Air and Water Programs in Ann Arbor Michigan 48105 While not directed to the study of asbestos contamination of brake repair work sites it provides much useful information relevant to the problem Sincerely yours IJS ace enclosures