Document rxv92mGj47MjBEZdzQx76Q87a

nfl*I9IlJZSJBFSTOS UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION MINING & METALS DIVISION ApriI 30, 1973 Mr. P. C. Weeks Union Carbide Australia Ltd. 167-187 Kent Street Sydney, N.S.W., Australia cc\ Jk/tc uOc r A i THE DISCOVERY COMPANY P.O. BOX 179 NIAGARA PALLS, N. Y. 14302 TEL: 716-278-3376 3lw^ - If** 1*4* CwJ W*> oU Dear Phil: Mr. Porter's fears of asbestos are not unusual but a man of his stature would be expected to have an open mind in such matters. The following points and the enclosed information should assist you in allaying his fears. Molten metal will burn you _i_f_ you touch it, maleic anhydride will poison you if you swaI low it, styrene fumes will suffocate you _i_f you breathe too much, silica can cause silicosis if you inhale excess quantities. Asbestos can cause lung damage jf you inhale large quantities for many years. CHRYSOTILE asbestos can cause lung cancer after many years of exposure to high concentrations. RG-244 is CHRYSOTILE asbestos and can be used safely without endangering the health of workers. Just as Degussa says that Aerosil is not a significant hazard, we say that RG-244 is not a significant hazard. Since there has been so much published after the "New Yorker" article of 1968 I have chosen not to make specific comments on it. Most of the information is based on insulation workers exposed primarily to crocidolite and amosite asbestos in a period of poor housekeeping practices. This is just not relevant to the use of RG-244. Enclosed is a packet containing several pieces of information which you can read for background and/or pass on to Hatrick or Monsanto. All of the information can be copied so I am sending only one copy. The paper I presented at the SFE meeting summarizes most of the information and is supplemented by the UK experience. I am sure that most of the objections you receive are based on newspaper articles. Most of these are not written objectively and tend to sensationalize and Mr. P. C. Weeks -2- Aprii 30, 1973 unfairly extrapolate data and studies. The newspaper will not accept any "good" information about asbestos but we are slowly getting favorable coverage in some technical journals, per the attached items. "Ptc.s+'cs TVciwcfosw " "Ti.e ,lP3'o.yv--P ofi '/hlatAlDe'SfjK',' j Silica is one of the five target health hazards announced by OSHA and the criteria for new standards are being prepared. The current U.S. threshold limit value (TLV) for amorphous silica is 20 million particles per cubic foot (Mppcf) or 80 mg/M^. If you can see silica dust the level is very near the TLV. The Hatrick people should have a Reichhold R&D report No. 75 by G. Hicks on the use of RG-244. It was mailed out on March 9 and is very complimentary. This should indicate RCI's acceptance of RG-244 and we hope, to get a further mailing from Mr. H. R. Helbig, Vice-President of RCI's International Division. We have monitored RCI's Azusa plant and found dust levels well below the 1976 OSHA Standards. No material can "conform to OSHA Specifications" as they are not written in this manner or for this purpose. We have made numerous dust counts at various polyester producing plants and find rio levels in excess of the OSHA Standards. When dust levels are not exceeded there are no extensive or expensive OSHA requirements. With regard to laborers, we have found that most workers prefer to handle RG-244 because it is much less dusty and the bags are easier to handle. The many advantages of RG-244 have caused our sales to increase very rapidly and steadily as noted in the attached chart. I have omitted the scale of sales value, for obvious reasons, so you can show this to your customers to demonstrate the acceptance of RG-244. The top of the scale, for your information, is over one million dollars. We are now planning a major expansion of our RG-244 production facility and have just recently done to full seven days per week operation. How is your pricing compared to AerosiI? Do you have any problems competing on price or performance? I have rambled quite a bit on RG-244, do you have any specific questions? Have you contacted Mr. McConchie of the Australian Paper Manufacturers? Hope this information is valuable to you - please let me know if we can be of further assistance. Very truly yours. Jobrv L. Myers^ Marketing Manager Enclosures /cs Enclosures: SPE-RETEC CIBA/GEIGY-UK Health WHO Report Safe Use of RG-244 Dr. Wright Test and Dr. McDonald Test NAS Summary QAMA Sampling Equipment List A-- A ,: i J /' Sydney, N.S.W. Aus+raIia Dear Mr. Weeks: This is in response to your TWX of January 3, 1973 relative to information on asbestos toxicology. The pyrogenic silica suppliers have engaged in the same kind of down-grading approach in this country, Japan, and Europe v/ith very limited success. Several of their customers have asked them to put their allegations in writing; which, so far, they have declined to do. This has not helped their credi bility; and at least in a few instances has turned customers to us. It is difficult to present the whole picture of the asbestos toxicology controversy in a letter of reasonable length. We also do not know which particular questions have been emphasized. We have, therefore, provided information on the main questions that have come up. This information has been attached as a separate package. It is suggested, however, that you select from it only the parts needed to satisfy the customer rather than hand it oui as is. This avoids raising questions which may not come up. The response to a Wall Street Journal article is enclosed for general information. It may also be useful for you to know that Dr. H. B. Rhodes and Mr. B. L. Ingalls of this office met Warwick Williams and Graham Porter of Polymer Corporation last year at the SPI meeting in Washington. They spent considerable time with them. This year's meeting is in early February. If you would like us to meet with either of these gentlemen or their representative please let me know. Assuming that I visit Australia the week of March 5th or 12, I would like to visit all customers who have toxicology questions. I will probably have the equipment necessary to obtain a limited amount of dust samples. You may want to schedule customer visits for this purpose. <- ^ / Mr. P. C. Weeks Aus+raI;a -2- Look forward to seeing you in March. Very truly yours. L. Myers/ () irketing Manager /cvb Attachments January 4, 1973 A 1:0 / 3 7 / C.7Ju \ HJZS3ESTOS UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION MINING & METALS DIVISION P.0. BOX 579 THE DISCOVERY COMPANY NIAGARA FALLS, N. Y. 14302 TEL: 716-278-3376 January 5, 1973 Mr. P. C. Weeks Union Carbide Australia Limited 167-187 Kent Street Sydney, N.S.W. AustraIia Dear Phil: My apologies for not answering yours and Alan Etlinger's letters sooner. I have just returned to work after much travelling and vacation at the end of 1972. A separate letter was sent yesterday to answer recent questions on asbestos toxicology. This letter should answer your other questions, or perhaps raise some more. Please be assured that my future replies will be more prompt. From your letter - Problem #3 - The lower viscosity build reported with RG-244 is not typical of our experience. Over-mixing is the most probable cause. We recommend about 1/2 the mixing cycle used for Aerosil. Again, our normal experience shows that RG-244 tends to settle less than Aerosil at equivalent viscosities. Even though the 244-resin mixture is relatively clear, settling can be detected if it occurs. Problem #4 - We do not have any data or experience on the replacement of Bentones in paint formulations. This restricts interest since most companies do not prefer to "try it and see". We would not expect either RG-144 or RG-244 to be much better than a Bentone for "anti-flatting". In general, either 144 or 244 can be used to replace any Bentone in epoxies and vinyl plastisols; 144 is, of course, the most economical. The greatest single advantage of 144 over Bentone is cost. We also believe it is incorporated easier, results in better stability and has less effect on adhesion. r /* - r\ AcU/ J -f; Mr. P. C. Weeks Aust'alia -2- January 5, 1973 Problem #5 - Tremco has purchased about I80M pounds split 50-50 of RG-244 and High Purity Open. We cannot discuss their formulations or applica tions except that they are generally in the sealant area. In the "Calidria" Asbestos Manual enroute to you is an accumulation of "marketing information" concerning applications for RG-144 and RG-244. Our-most important customers are polyester producers, sealant compounders and epoxy/coal tar compounders. A copy of our sales report for October is enclosed so that you can see the customers we have for various products. The RG-144 and RG-244 literature sets are being sent to you. I would like to discuss other applications, such as waste treatment and rubber reinforcement, during my proposed visit in March. Enclosed are copies of my correspondence with V. J. McConchie of the Australian Paper Manufacturers. Perhaps you could follow-up at your convenience. We will copy you with pertinent call reports and other information to assist your marketing efforts. We appreciate your interest and cooperation and look forward to frequent correspondence. Very truly yours, Marketing Manager /cvb Enclosures A: