Document wr8j5BLy106Ep0EEpej2E3d8d

04 i the ASBESTOS INFORMATION ASSOCIATION North America , Serving A Vital Industry North Amarlca ASBESTOS INFORMATION ASSOCIATION 1660 L Street. N.W.. Washington, D.C. 20036 01--0217868 m North Am*nc* asbestos information association 1660 L Street, N.W., Washington, O.C. 20036 in recant years, intensive interest has bean focused on man's environment: the air ha breathes, the water he drinks, the condition of his workplace, the products available to him which might be harmful. In the rush to publicize man's environmenu! problems, asbestos became a prime target of some writers and spokesmen who seized upon the freely admitted fact that axcasBve exposure to asbestos dust can be injurious. More frequently than not, those who addresred themselves to the asbestoe-health issue did so with words to frighten rather than enlighten. Cursory reference to scientific data and little or no account of the accomplishments of the industry to protect its workers and control the discharge of asbestos fiber into the environment was usual rather than ex ceptional. AIA/NA Is Establitfwd For many years, most asbestos producer and processing companies have had programs for dust control and worker protection. Individually, they responded to the questions of governmental agencies, rmts media, public interest groups, and the general public with regard to hazards of asbestos in the workplace and in the environment. These individual efforts, costly and oftan duplicative, Isad to the formation, in Oecamber of 1970, of the Asbestos Information Asaoa* sdon/Nordt America: a youp of artwstos companies in the United States and Canada working together for the com mon interest of a vital industry challenged by relatively nmv r> and oftan confusing information concerning a*sstos and health. At the time AIA/NA wes established. government agwtdee were formulating programs to regulate md control materials deemed hazardous to health. Asbestos was pro nounced one of these materials. AIA/NA filled the gap for the asbestos industry for a collective orpnization to obtain and di--mimte authoritative information concerning the industry with emphasis on the safety, health, and environmental dsues. Today, AIA/NA uniquely represents the overall asbestos industry with governmental groups, news media, and others, focusing its attention on the work of the industry in occupational safety, health, and environ- Q21786? 01- mental affairs and on the lifesaving end other benefits available through the many uses of asbestos. The govern ment and oublic relations services of AIA/NA are *aiiab<e to product-oriented trade groups associated with the industry. Organization of tht Association AIA/NA is an incorporated, non-profit organization. Any company or corporation involved in the mining, milling, processing, or selling of asbestos in the United States or Canada is eligible for membership in the Assod* ation. Each .member- company or corporation is entitled to a seat on the board of directors through its authorized representative, with full and eauai voting rights for the conduct of the Association s affairs. Regular meetings of the directors are heid quarterly. Committees meet as necessary to provide study and advisory functions for the Association. The annual meeting of AIA/NA is held in September at which time officers of the Association are elected. The work of the Association is funded from dues of its members, based on a percentage of cost of fiber purchased for use in the manufacture of products Members who do not manufacture asbestos produets ere assessed a flat fee determined by the directors. '. * I AIA/NA Objectives These are the objectives of the Association: To provide industry-wide information on writriM and health, and on industry afforts to eliminate existing hazards. To cooperate with governmental agencies in developing iand implementing industry-wide standards for worker protection and for the control of asbestos diet amissions into community air and water. > To exchange information on methods and techniques of asbestos dust control. To correct misleading end uninformed reportage on asbestos-health problems. To publicise the unique benefits and importance of asbestos products and otherwise rapteeent the tsbsnss industry. Government Relations, in 1973, the AIA/NA office was moved from New York City to Wellington, D.C. to facilitate liaison with the Federal Government The Asaocietion routinely reports on activities of Congressional com mittees concerned with activities reietable to the a^etm industry and provides a continual working relationship with such government regulatory agancies as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Environmental Pro tection Agency. Pood and Drug Administration, and Bureau of Mines. The Association has appeared before these groups, provided written comment where appropriate, made available specialists from its members to stt on governmental advisory committees, and has presented specific guidance for the preparation of standards affecting the industry. AlA/NA's government relations are also actively involved with state and local regulations concerned with control of asbestos. Medical Affairs. Besides serving as a central agency for the collection and dissemination of medical information on asbestoreiated disease, AIA/NA is represented at major medical meeting of interest to its members and powort medical rewrch on asbestos and health. Environmental Control. Through its Standards and Technical Committee of experts in the fields of industrial hygiene, occupational safety and plant engineering, AIA/NA follows and evaluates new developments in dust control methodology and monitoring techniques. The Association makes available its findings through various publications. Public Relations. To meet the public interest in the asbestos-health rsue, the Association is extensively involved in answering queries of news media; private groups and individuals; preparing letters to editors in whose publica tions misieeding snides appear; assisting feature writers, and, in short taking ail reasonabia steps to present to the public a balanced view of the asbestos-health issue. AIA/NA has distributed over 3,000 specially prepared information kits concerning asbestos and related health problems. Lagti Affairs. AIA/NA seeks to provide its meirbets with information on responsibilities and obiignions under the various laws and regulations that affect the use of asbestos Employee Relations. The Association makes available informational materials to assist its members in presenting a realistic picture of health problems --ncisted with the proceating of asbestos and the procedures required to eliminate hazards to health in the workplace. Customer Relation*. Because of the widaqyaad and often misleading publicity whleh asbestos has received in recent years, special effort has bean made by tha Awocietion to provide its members with factual information to overcome the apprehensions that have arisen in some customer relationship*. Intar Industry Relations. AIA/NA maintains a dose working relationship with various groups swotinert with tha industry, such as the Asbestos Textile Institute, The Asbestos Cement Pipe Producers Association, The Asbestos Cement Products Association, the Nstionel Association of Filter Material Manufacturers, tha Thermal Insulation Manufacturers Association, Inc, and the Friction Materials 01--0217870 Standards institute, Inc. The Association contributes its exoertise to the American Society for Testing end Materials, American National Standard Institute, American Industrial Hygiene Association, and other technical ttsocia* lions. International Relations. The health problems which have been associated with asbestos are not, of course, unique to North America. Indeed, a greet deal of the medical literature on asbestos and health and dust control tech nology come from outside the United States, though America is the largest processor of asbestoe-containing products AIA/NA is privileged to exchange information and is eloskly associated with the Quebec Asbestos Mining Association and the institute of Occupational and Environ* mental Health (Canada), the Aabestosis Research Council and the-Asbestoe Information Committee (United King* dom), the Chambre Syndicate de i'Amiante (France), and similarly oriented groups throughout the world. AIA/NA recognises the health problems associated with excess** exposure to astmtoa dust The Association dedicam in efforts to the control of this hazard so that it is possible to continue to enjoy the unique benefin of asbestos without risk. For further information: Robert H. Mereness. Executive Oirector Asbestos Information Association/North America 166QL Street. N.W. Washington, 0-C. 20036 (202) 223*4885 ' m North America ASBESTOS INFORMATION ASSOCIATION Ametax Corporation Nomytown, Pennsylvania Adas Asbestos Company Montreal, Quebec, Canada The Bendix Corporation Southfield, Michigan Cattiar Asbestos Corporation, Ltd. Toronto, Ontario. Canada Cement Asbestos Products Compeny Birmingham, Alabama Certain-teed Products Corporation Valley Forge, Pennsylvania Congo!aum Industries, Incorporated Keamy, Now Jersey Nationte Association of Filter Manufacturers, Inc. Kington, New York The FKmkot* Co. East Rutherford, New Jersey GAF Corporation New York, N.Y. Gerlocfc Incorporated Rochester, New York Southern Asbestos Compeny Charlotte, North Carolina Jim Walter Research Corporation St. Petersburg, Florida Johns Manville Corporation Denver, Colorado Kamila Floors, Incorporated Brooklyn, New York National Gypsum Company Buffalo, New York rlVCQf^a IRQIInitVif inCOvpO^RIO Ambler, Pennsylvania North American Asbestos Corporation Chicago, Illinois ilsybcstos*Mtei!istteo, Inc. Trumbull, Connecticut Supredur Mwiufacturing Corporation Nsw York, N.Y. Union Carbide Corporation New York. N.Y. Uvalde Rock Asphalt Company San Antonio, Taxaa 01-0217871