Document xj52RdxQ0dXwknYa17yp5xEEg

FILE NAME: Celanese (CEL) DATE: 1970 Dec 16 DOC#: CEL028 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Letter with Asbestos Toxicology Report Tab F JWD-30-71 At tachaants ... j TO E DISCOVERY COMPANY ON CARBIDE CORPORATION MINING AND METALS DIVISION 27D PARK AVENUE. N EW YORK. N EW YORK 10017 E REPLY TO: "CALIDRIA ASBESTOS" - P. O. BOX 5 7 9 - NIAGARA FALLS, N. Y. 14302 December 16, 1970 M r. W illiam F re e d C ela n ese P la s tic s Co.. 160 T erm in al A ve. .C lark , N J 07066 Dear M r. Freed: Thank you for your phone c all Monday afternoon. . . * ', 'A s with any d u sty m a te r ia l, we reco m m en d the u se of a r e sp ir a to r when the concentration of dust b ecom es higher than 2. 4 ppm p e r cubic foot. G enerally speaking, the only tim e th a fth is level can be reach ed is when b ags a re being opened. P ro p e r ven tilation alone would p rob ab ly red u ce the concentration within accep tab le lim its. To be ab so lu te ly safe how ever, we do recom m end the u se o f a r e s p ir a to r . rX h ave e n c lo s e d an in fo rm a tio n c ir c u la r pu t out b y the U . S . B u r e a u o f M in e s concerning r e s p ir a to r s approved fo r a sb e sto s dust. Our plant in King C ity u se s the W illson Mono M ask num ber 600-A. It is not uncom fortable and is e ss e n tia lly 100% e ffe c tiv e . .P le a se let u s know if we can be of a ss ista n c e in any w ay. If so ,' com plete the e n clo se d card , w rite, o r phone u s d ire ctly . . Your in te re st in our prod u cts is gre a tly ap p reciated . V ery tru ly yours, 7L / E . J. K leber Lc.v- V . Custom er Service R epresentative CALIDRIA A sbe stos - :/c 27645 ASBESTOS TOXICOLOGY REPORT It has been known for years that some persons working in asbestos production were prone to develop a disabling lung disease. In time, this condition became known as asbestosis and was related to exposure to high concentrations of asbestos dust. With further experience, it was found that men could work with asbestos'without development of lung disease if dust concentrations were kept below a certain level. . i It has been generally accepted that a worker -will not / develop asbestosis If he is exposed to no more than 5 million particles per cubic foot of air, even if- this exposure con- * tinues for his entire working lifetime. Although no cases of t asbestosis are known to'have.-occurred _when-exposureshave been maintained at or below this level, the ACGIH (which sets | the threshold limit value (TLV) in the U. S. A.) has indicated they intend to lower the TLV for asbestos to ' ' 2 million particles per cubic foot In an effort to Increase ^ the safety factor incorporated in the limit. The U. S. Department of Labor has already issued a regulation under the Walsh-Healy-: Act placing the TLV for asbestos at 2 million particles per cubic foot for public contracts in which they have jurisdiction. This concentration of dust is generally not visible in the average work area unless a 27646 beam of light causing a Tyndall effect is present. Usually the dust concentration must be from 8-10 million particles per cuibc foot (MPPCF) before'its presence it visible in average lighting conditions. Several years ago, it was reported that there was an increase in the incidence of cancerous tumors, especially of the lung, associated with asbestosis. Recently there have been reports of some .cancers occurring in individuals exposed to.asbestos dust, but who have not developed clinical asbestosis. It is believed by :-most authorities that these 'cases have been associated with exposures significantly exceeding the Threshold Limit Value. A type of cancer named mesothelioma has been noted to be associated with asbestos exposure in recent years. These tumors, while rather few in number to date, may occur in individuals with histories of only slight exposures, and that as much as twenty to forty years earlier. There is considerable evidence that crocidolite is most frequently associated with mesotheliomas. From the data available it appears that the TLV of 5 MPPCF is not low enough to protect against mesothelioma, and it is quite possible that 2 MPPCF is not, either. Research on the problem continues. Control of asbestos dust exposure is therefore necessary The control methods are the standard ones applicable to a variety of dusty operations.They include closed flow systems, 27647 have to be well in excess of any levels acceptable to the consumer for the asbestos concentrations to approach the Threshold Lifliit Value. In conclusion, while asbestos dust in excess of the Threshold Limit Value is potentially harmful, as are many other dusts encountered in industry, it is as readily controlled as other such dusts and it can be used safely vjlth appropriate precautions. * s . . Industrial Medicine And Toxicology Department Union Carbide Corporation