Document rpno96aE4R8DLz0Omkv26xK7
FILE NAME Talc TALC
DATE 1972 June 15
DOC TALC070
DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Letter Barry Castleman from the US
Senate with Attached Letter to US Senator from Constituent
=F
CHARLES MCC MATHIAS JR
MARYLAND
United States Senate
WASHINGTON D.C. 20510
June 15 1972
REPLY TO 1616 FEDERAL BUILDING
31 HOPKINS PLAZA BALTIMORE MARYLAND 21201
-962-4850
Mr. Barry I. Castleman Technical Services Section Division of Air Pollution and
Industrial Hygiene
Bureau of Environmental Services
Baltimore County Department of Health Maryland Avenue and Hillen Road Towson Maryland 21204
Dear Mr. Castleman
Please find enclosed a copy of a letter I have received
from the Department of Health Education and Welfare relative to containing products
I hope the help to clarify
to the Food and
information provided in Mr. Meyer's letter will some of the points you raised in your correspondence Drug Administration in regard to this matter
I was happy to have had an opportunity to be of assistance
to you
With best wishes
Sincerely
__
esg
Enclosure
Charles McC Mathias Mathias Jr.
United States Senator
/
DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH EDUCATION AND
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION ROCKVILLE MARYLAND 20852
WELFARE
Honorable Charles McC Mathias Jr.
United States Senator
Suite 1616 Federal Building 31 Hopkins Plaza Baltimore Maryland 21201
Dear Senator Mathias
JUN 7
1972
This is in further reply to your letter of
containing products
April 20 concerning
The Food and Drug Administration is
the presence of asbestos
aware of the recent concern over
food products
particles in talc which may be used in
Since there is some difficulty in
of their chemical
similarity
we
identifying
are
asbestos
in
talc
because
the
available
analytic
procedures
now
for
in
the
process
of
evaluating
talc However in the meantime
determination of asbestos in
products containing talc with we are moving ahead with analysis of
of asbestos particles of exposure by the
existing methodology for the We are attempting to determine thperedseegnrceee
substances We
average consumer to products containing these
are also preparing a draft for a
praegrutliactlieosn for the use in foods of talc which is fprreoepoosfedapsrobveissiotnoals
Funds for animal studies on the
not been available
A
toxicological effects of talc have
memorandum of need is being developed to
justify the needed funds for contract
including talc
feeding studies on silicates
The Bureau of Product Safety of the Food and
reviewed the NIOSH document Criteria for
Drug Administration has
Occupational
Exposure
to Asbestos
and
a
the
Recommended
Standard
Castleman
gave from page V We are
quotation Mr. Castleman
intended for use in the
unaware of any type of asbestos product
rise
to
such
household
concentrations
which
could
be
expected
to
give
of airborne fibers that its use would
overwhelm the clearing mechanism Since
contemplated by the standard would
term exposure to levels
not be
clearing mechanism the level
expected to overwhelm the
must be much higher
contemplated by the quoted passage
Page 2 ~ Honorable Charles McC Mathias Jr.
FDA has at the present time no specific regulatory actions
except the prohibition of use of asbestos as
underway
use garments
We are
a component of general
continuing to explore the possibility of hazard
from other uses of containing products in the home and
methods for control of such hazards as are
a our consideration labeling construction discovered including in
and if it should become
criteria such as bonding
products to control likenleicheososdaroyf braenlenaisneg osfpecaiifribcornaes yfeitberusniodfentified
asbestos
a Thank you for your interest further assistance
Please let us know if we can be of
Sincerely yours
Enclosure Constituent's letter
Gerald F. Meyer Director Office of Legislative Services
CC Your Washington Office