Document x1OOXEk9BrVzobY2kJRgLOpBJ

FILE NAME: Newspaper & Magazine Articles (NMA) DATE: 1966 Sept 10 DOC#: NMA015 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Chemical Week - Asbestos: Awaiting 'Trial' t ^ . --5 / Taking Giant Steps Sources of airaorne asbestos Two chemical proem coarpantq IV! K: . t -. . . . toot giant *? toward diversifying im o> w aym phy 1 w i i w V and two paper campanio with eotn- : bined* a l a ofneacty SI* BSmulycar readied a tuaoBv_ agreement to K (1) Bendix jEorp. ; (Detroit) " pandedjts oceanic activities by_ Asbestos-lined ducts used in centrally air<onditioned building Asbestos ducts and insulation in home- rentraT-heating plants. 'J T Motor vehicle brake finings and dutch plates. ,,.Auto undercoatings.. .r. *S`- --'.'w -^Asbestos ceiling and -Jloor tiles* _ t : : r<r ^ u m nt ^ g r 'iii .ruum owo mM * .i ~ jfe; C jlB in.t.Jun "Urw aem onliafT= r^ c r.-r^ g iio c k Marine'**Advisca (La - ^ oIla.^ * j ^ w fitting. cutting, and removing asbestos-filled w allboards a EveSB32anZLL.`prodo^er of oeeaapnphie'iar^S S B tfK ^iloonnE S J>>ping and insulation. '~Ji{**?**>*2-****. '~r'T ~ r -^dv- effluent from asbestos processTng plants. '^ ?7*yff' 0 Fluor Corp. (Los Angeles) sod B. L. McFarland and Associates 1>_ (Ftt* Worth and Midland, Tex.), a ' ^ ' v . ; ' P W of five companies involved in ft/ *. ..;oflshoreand_ onshore drfifing opera* _ `rlions, have agreed* to merge; subject . to stoikckkho.Ulde^rsI' a.pp<rnovnall. *Tnh._e MU e,-. -/T rFariand group operates five offshore ; drilling rip in this Gulf of Mexico. (3) A tentative agreement to merge has been reached by U.S. Plywood Corp. (New York) and -Champion Papers. Inc. (Hamilton. O & 'R ar set-' ject to both directors' and stockhold ers' approval The corporate identities of both companies will be preserved. Reducing Gas Rates The Federal Power Commission has ordered 1 Paso Natural Gas Co. and Tniuwesttern Pipeline Co. to reduce by S17 mtllion/year the price of na' .total gas in the southern California market. The rate cut stems from the July 26 decision in which FPC turned down the application of Gulf Pacific Pipeline Co. (a Tenncco subsidiary) ` to supply gas to the Los Angeles area (CIF. Aitf. 6. p. 20). Gulf Paeifie last week filed for a rehearing. Itt. Paso and Transwestern were told they .would have to lower their rates to retleer the lower costs result ing from the bigger deliveries pos sible in the expanded system. At the om e time. FPC said it would conduct further* proceedings to decide if cus tomers should get additional benefits resulting from more liberal deprecia tion allowances. FPC has given the companies 45 days to show cause w-hy the reduction should not take place. W _ "Asbestos: Awaiting `T ria i' The asbestos Industry whose cud ' products are valued at more than SSOO mfflioa/ycir mry be (a for a shake* up. It could come iu the form of federal legislation limiting the use of asbestos, because asbestos has bees sc* eased-- though not yet "convicted"-- L.a**7Stgnifieit. health- bazar* -Prob^. . * able 'contender for asbestos murkest plastics. Recent studies have convinced ILS. Public Health Service specialists and other medical authorities that about 405 of all Americans have mild, chronic eases of asbestosis, even though most of them never worked directly with asbestos. Unlike other airborne dust panicles, asbestos fibers have the ability- -*! must as much as activated carbon-- to absorb polycyclic hydrocarbons and anenicsts. Furthermore, says USPHS. in the past 30 years the as bestos-related cancer rate has in creased sixfold. The Inferences: While the average asbestos worker is well protected, the m:m on the street is not. The 3x1m i--,,is a*-lK*ins .V-t-- in his lungs can ct-t*.e from a variety of sources {tabIt, r' *C**. \nd medics! exnerts say there's no **. *. \* ax** hydrocarbon content . -r :ru*vj lung deposits. \iucriean Cancer Society research er- feel certain there is a synergistic relitirn-hip among airborne asbestos, siii'.'kittg and lung cancer. They reason ll-_t the rusndcgradable. hydrocxrben-f.ilcd filters may well be a eshsfant routes of lung irritation. -_ P H 5 officials think it may them up to five yean to cat asbestos' true role as an air poll However. Congresa may act b the research is finished. Says R tentative Robert Watkins QL. "We're seen enough evidenet .ready. Asbestos will never get a < bill of health. With just a little . data well move for controls strict ones." Some fo ra of asbestos connin the oiling, public health off are certain, it only part of a L* dcan-ambient-air program. How there is the danger that Congress enact rigorous controls on the qu ty of asbestos that could be uscc la that ease both Canada and asbestos products manufacf would be hard hit. Of the five t< "of asbestos mined today, chry. asbestos holds the predominant-- ket position because o f its ins ing and processing qualities. Ca produces more than 30% of the c settle asbestos used in the U.S both countries, a number of sc: dislocations would occur. At present, there is no known ferial that could fill all of asbe strategic roles. On the other h should federal controls merely for higher standards for binders shielding*, that would spark a ris new products, with plastics tal the lead. Reason, say industry jpokesr present polymer technology a easily turn up products to replace bestos in most end-uses. 32 CHEMICAL WEEK September 10. 1966 .r'-.'x-r .-v z Z s z * ? -'