Document ydmmgY1mV7xa8YLZbJ7VbyG3

52ETT ^FEATURES 893?. eooi Latest word on asbestos represents a whopping 177o of all cancers detected annually in the U.S. won't be the last The joint study's figures on expo sure for workers are taken from HEW estimates (the department believes that 1.5 to 2.5 million U.S. workers, are Scientific evidence against asbestos continues to still being exposed to asbestos), while the fatality percentages are borrowed accumulate, and OSHA's much-delayed exposure standard directly from a World Health Organi zation (who) position paper issued in goes on bringing criticism .from all concerned parties. Meanwhile, millions of workers remain exposed to early 1977. This link with the WHO document is confirmed by Joseph Wagoner, special assistant for carcino asbestos dust in plants throughout the world. genesis with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), who was a member of the group of 7 ' * health experts that authored the WHO |~| Bad news about asbestos continues study estimates that between 8 and 11 study. to make headlines. In September, for million U.S. workers have been Meanwhile,, a spokesman for instance, Joseph A. Califano, Secre exposed to asbestos since the beginning NCI/NIEHS says that the joint report is tary of Health, Education, and Wel of World War II. Of these, about 4 basically an update of epidemiological fare (hew), drew attention to an million have been "heavily ex data on' asbestos, in the light of new alarming statistic in a new study by the posed,"--i.e., worked directly with the information uncovered in the past National Cancer Institute (NCl) and material most of the time--and 4 to 7 year. the National Institute of Environmen million have received "peripheral" Whatever its origin, the NCI/NIEHS tal Health Sciences (niehs): An aston exposure--e.g., of the sort that a' ' work is attracting its share of criticism ishing 17% of all cancer deaths in the maintenance worker would get in a by way of an attack on Califano's U.S. over the next few decades will be plant where asbestos was being recent statement. Some claim that the linked to some previous exposure to installed. HEW secretary is unnecessarily alarm asbestos. The, nci/niehs report assumes that ing the public. Asbestos no longer Speaking at the AFL-CIO National 20 to 257o of those in the first, group causes widespread sickness because Conference on Occupational Safety will die of lung cancer, 7 to 107a of working conditions have changed, they and Health, Califano said that the NCI/NIEHS report definitely rejects the conventional estimate that 1 to 5% of all U.S. cancer incidence is related to pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma (a particularly lethal cancer), and 8 to 9% of gastrointestinal cancer. Assum ing that the risk to the second group is say. Dr. Irving J. Selikoff, a well-known authority on asbestos, and director of Mt. Sinai Medical Center's Environ occupational exposure to carcinogenic 25% that of the first one, the report mental Health Laboratory (New York agents. Estimates of 20% to as high as concludes that a total of 2.15 million City), notes that "Califano's remarks 387a are not unreasonable, he added. workers will die over the next 30 to 35 are projections based on limited data, EXPOSURE THAT KILLS--The joint years, or about 67,000 per year. This and probably represent an upper limit." But he warns that even if Cali fano's figures are off by a factor of two, the problem is enormous. However, a spokesman for the American Cancer Soc. (acs), New York City, feels that the NCI/NIEHS report does overstate the problem. INDUSTRY RESPONSE--The Asbestos Information Assn, (aia), Arlington, Va., an organization of asbestos processors, says that the NCI/NIEHS data are being analyzed by the group's scientific advisors, and that a statement will be issued when the study is complete. Meanwhile, an AIA press release calls the report "simply anoth er extrapolation in statistical terms from the same data which have been available to the international scientific community for some time." Another aia press release, issued in response to a Califano statement (made in April) regarding a large HFM - 003708 SCF-FA-"'^^ 8002 0001A methane. Another popular process, the chemical recovery--Chem Sys erally needed, he says, is a highly Winkler route, yields some methane, tems has performed an economic anal leveraged utility-style financial pack but no liquids (Chem. Eng., July 22, ysis of chemical byproduct output age, comprised of about 757o or more 1.974, pp. 91-92). from Lurgi-type SNG plants, while debt. Such financing not only lowers .Products obtained from synthesis recognizing the uncertain outlook for costs, but also spreads the risks. gas, .besides ammonia and methanol, this manner of coal utilization. The Considering the high price tag on coal includle acetic acid, ethylene and ethyl firm found that the recovery of gasification projects--an estimated $2 ene glycol. Monsanto and BASF have benzene, toluene and xylenes from the billion for Exxon's East Texas com both operated commercial acetic-acid crude gas-naphtha stream of Montana plex, for example--risk reduction is venture^ feeding on a methanol/car sub-bituminous and Illinois bitumi especially important. bon monoxide feedstock. Ethylene can nous appears economic. Sulfur and H. James Michaels and Howard F. be worked up from synthesis gas via a ammonia, while not profitable, would Leonard, of Koppers Co.'s Engineer number of schemes, including Fischer-' usually be recovered also, in order to ing & Construction Div. (which builds Tropsch synthesis, methanol homolo meet environmental constraints. Re K-T units)--in a paper presented at gation to ethanol, followed by dehy covery of anything else appears margi-. last June's 85th national meeting of dration, dimethyl ether cracking, and nal for chemicals, more likely for fuel. AIChE, in Philadelphia--call the direct synthesis from CO/Hs, and Whatever the degree of chemicals financing method the "largest single possibly someday via the Mobil route. recovery, substances obtafhed this way tactor," at least when it comes to deter Chem Systems Inc. (New York City) would barely deny U.S\. supply mining the cost of hydrogen made by has identified methanol homologation needs--filling no afore than' 7% of coal gasification. ' as the ethylene route with the "best demand in the yea/2000, assuming 25 C. Edward Lorenz, director of the potential," though the method nev coal-based SNG plants, 75% of which feedstocks division of Du Pont's Cen ertheless rates poorly against conven would employ the Lurgi process. . tral Research & Development Dept., tional steam cracking of naphtha or For chemicals obtained not as direct observes that in order to put together ,*as Oil. byproducts but by processing synthesis But that's not all. Old-timers- like' gas, Chem/ Systems believes that Du Pont's Carnell (he joined the firm \ammonia and methanol produced via projects of this sort, clear policy deci sions are also needed from the federal government. Whether Du Pont would in 1942) remember that before World "second-generation" gasifiers, such as want to get involved in a utility-style War II the world chemical industry thk Texaco and slagging Lurgi ver project, presumably tied in with an was largely coal-based. Even Du sion^: now) being investigated with DOE assortment of credit guarantees and Pont's first polyethylene was made support, /could compete with steam- regulatory restrictions, poses a "legal from ethylene derived from coke-oven methanw reforming in the 1980s. muddle" that cannot b'e answered gas (though the process would hardly However\fhe success of this competi today, Lorenz states. be worthwhile at today's production tion depends, on a trade-off between Whatever the financial arrange scale). Du Pont products based on coal's lower raw material cost, and a ment, the concept of a centralized ammonia and methanol at that time coal-based plant's higher capital risk. medium-Btu-gas facility, as embodied are listed in the table. Syntnesis-gas-based\ethylene glycol, in Exxon's East Texas project, fits the When coal gasification attracted renewed attention a few years ago, initial thinking centered on the large for example, is not now competitive with'- either conventional, ethylene- oxidfs-derived glycol, or that obtained organizational pattern of a utility. At the Fifth Annual International Conference on Coal Gasification, Li "first-generation" plant providing front the newer acetoxylation route, quefaction and Conversion to Electric pipeline-quality gas for fuel use only. though the picture might change if. ity, held at the University of Pitts Since "first-generation" meant Lurgi ethylene prices take off, Chem Systems burgh, Aug. 1-3, Carter Oil's John P. in many cases, some chemical byprod indicates. And ethylene synthesis itself, Racz described the thinking that went ucts were also foreseen, though much as already noted, cannot yet compete into the plan, starting in 1974. of these byproducts are considered with steam cracking of naphtha or gas The company placed its highest plant fuel. . oil. priority on an assured outlet for prod A number of such substitute natural 1ft the area of coal liquefaction, ucts. Some of the other chief criteria: a gas plants were announced earlier this Chem Systems points out that even if low-cost, reliable and suitable source decade, though only one seems still 25 plants rated at 100,000. bbl/d of coal, proven technology, favorable alive today, and barely alive at that. capacity were to come onstream by the public attitudes at chosen sites for such This is American Natural Resources' year 2000, the contribution to U.S. facilities, and fairly close proximity of North Dakota lignite gasifier, recently feedstocks supply would be small. mine and gasification plant to markets. reorganized under the name Great Benzene production could meet only Carter Oil has made lignite discoveries Plains Gasification Associates, a con 9% of projected demand. The C2/C4 in Texas that meet these criteria. sortium including American Natural feedstocks obtainable for ethylene pro Realizing that industrial natural gas and four other utilities. However, last duction could meet only 15% of esti users would be the first affected by month the Federal Energy Regulatory' mated demand for the olefin. . shortages, and that a good many of Commission declined to certify con financing--Joseph P. Leonard, of these users are concentrated in the struction of a 137.5-milIion-Btu/d Chem Systems, points out that financ Gulf Coast area, Exxon's thinking unit, arguing that no five firms alone ing methods are one of the greatest gravitated naturally to the medium- should bear the heavy financial risk determinants of economic viability of Btu utility-style project. . involved. coal conversion projects. What's gen John C. Davis CHEMICAL ENGINEERING NOVEMBER 6. 1978 75 HFM - 003709 Why you should give our new business the business. You know us. We're the company making everything from 1/2 to 24 inch and an all-new, a giant impression in the carbon steel welding exclusively stainless steel, manufacturing facility fittings and flange business.Well, now we've got in the Chicago area. To take charge of the opera- a new angle. Stainless Steel. A new TUbe-Line tion, we selected the best and only man for the division that deserves your undivided attention, job. JoeRomanelli. A man whose reputation is What weVe done is taken all the Tube-Line as stainless as our steel, quality, service, reliability, and price, and put So if you thought we gave great service in them in a totally new division, dedicated solely to meeting your Introducing carbon steel, wait till you get a load of our stainless. For more stainless steel needs. Stainless SteelHere's what we've information, just call our president. got going for you: a full Joe Romanelli range of stainless steel Tube-Line Corporation fittings and flanges in Stainless Steel Division 170 Tubeway Drive Carol Stream, IL 60187 312/690-7000 or toll-free 800/323-1306. Circle 421 on Reader Service Card I00 8 HFM -003710 U.S. firms still use it, despite its checkered career 8-h, time-weighted basis, with a 15ntin ceiling of 5 fibers/cm3. All limits apply only to fibers longer than 5 (tm. The term "asbestos" comprises a group of impure magnesium (MOSH, which senes in an advisory i silicate minerals--e.g., chrysoiile, amosite--that occur in fibrous form. capacity, has recommended a limit of Reports of the toxic properties of asbestos date back to the 1920s in 0.1 fiber/cmJ.) the U.S. However, it wasn't until the war broke out, when millions of OSHA is currently evaluating the i workers were employed in shipyards insulating warships, that mass economic impact of the proposed stan exposure to asbestos dust occurred in this country. dard, which is bound to affect both The material enjoyed wide popularity as an insulator in plants and processing and use of the material. buildings until 1970, when, in response to mounting evidence of its toxic properties, manufacturers stopped producing insulation made of loosely bound asbestos fiber. The Asbestos Information Assn, says that the 3,000 asbestos products made today in the U.S. contain chemically and physically Predictably, industry reponse to the idea has not been favorable, aia calls the 0.5-fiber/cm3 limit "not technical ly feasible," and recommends instead the adoption of 2 fibers/cm3 as a bound fibers that do not flake ofT. Current end-use breakdown: asbestos cement products (pipe, sheets), 22.4%; roofing products, 34.9%; asbestos paper, 4.3%; flooring products, 15.6%; packing and permanent standard--one that can be realized at a reasonable cost for dust control. , gaskets, 2.8%; thermal and electrical insulation, 1.2%; friction On the other side of the spectrum, products (brake linings), 8.8%; coatings and compounds, 2.7%; Roy Steinfurth, the asbestos workers' plastics, 3.0%; textiles, 1.0%; and miscellaneous, 3.3%. ii spokesman, feels that the only accept able level is no asbestos exposure at all. i The union official says that, even if the t outbreak of asbestos-related diseases leading maker of asbesios products): exposure level is reduced to 0.5 i among World War 11 shipyard work "Clinical evidence shows that lung fiber/cm3, a worker would breathe in ers, explains that such a heavy expo cancer in asbestos workers is virtually 4 million fibers in an 8-h workday. He sure to asbestos existed before medical limited to those who smoke cigarettes, estimates that as many as 50% of the information revealed the dangers in and that for practical purposes, lung members of his organization will even volved. Since then, millions of dollars cancer as an asbestos-related disease tually die of asbestos-related diseases. have been spent in dust-control equip would not be a problem were it not for In Europe, there is also a move to ment by miners, millers, processors cigarette smokers." cut down on the exposure level, which * and manufacturers of asbestos. A1A is currently on a vigorous has been 2 fibers/cm3 in the past few Si ii In addition, note other asbestos- campaign to persuade industry work years. Italy, which lacks asbesios C l| industry spokesmen, the type of prod ers to stop smoking. deposits, is attempting to phase out the ucts made in the past--e.g., asbestos "There is no doubt that exposure material completely. Sweden moved to thermal insulation--are no longer and cigarette smoking have a synergis a 1-fiber/cm3 standard a year ago, produced. They were phased out in tic effect," says an ACS spokesman, and U.K. authorities are clamoring for the early 1970s, when the inherent hazards became apparent (see box). Nevertheless, asbestos is still used as "but since so many workers included in past studies were smokers or ex smokers, it's difficult to assess the risk a reduction of the present limit. Critics who complain that the OSHA proposal does not go far enough in S'. & an insulator or fire retardant in more to non-smokers." protecting workers also question why & i than 3,000 products ranging from The synergism is acknowledged in the standard should apply only to lwater pipes to brake linings. And an the WHO document. "Both cigarette fibers longer than 5 /tm. Both SelikofT estimated 500 million tons of the mate smoking and exposure to asbestos and Wagoner, for example, believe rial are still around in plants and independently cause lung cancer. that the smaller fibers are even more buildings throughout the U.S., accord However, when present together, they active in producing lung tumors. And, ing to Roy Steinfurth, administrator of act in a multiplicative fashion." The according to SelikofT, "For each fiber the insulation health-hazards pro NCI/NIEHS study agrees, and admits longer than 5 /tm, there may be as grams for the International Assn, of that it would be an error to attempt to many as 100 shorter ones." Heat and Frost Insulators and Asbes blame each type of cancer mentioned OSHa's Health Standards Project tos Workers (Washington). Workers in the report on an exclusive cause. Officer William Warren says that the still exposed to asbestos are not A NEW STANDARD?--The current 5-/tm length was the most practical 4* adequately protected, charges SelikofT. flareup of the asbestos controversy is of alternative because detection equip- . CIGARETTE link--Industry spokes more than marginal interest to OSHA, ment does not pick up anything small men also point out that exposure to which has been trying to modify pres er. Warren notes that available moni asbestos alone may not be enough to ent rules governing exposure to the toring units detea only "from a few cause lung cancer--the disease most material (the agency is studying the percent to 50%'' of the actual number commonly associated with the breath NCI/NIEHS report). of fibers in a sample. ing of asbestos fibers--and that the For more than three years, OSHA INSULATION DANGER --Spot checks connection between exposure and ciga has been pushing a proposal to reduce with a number of U.S. insulation rette smoking has not been stressed the permissible level of airborne fibers manufaaurers turned up no one still enough. Says John A. McKinney, in the workplace from a present vhlue making the asbestos-containing ver president of Johns-Manville Corp. (a of 2 fibers/cm3 to 0.5 fiber/cm3 on an sion. However, there are still tons of it P . 78 CHEMICAL EKC1NEERIKC NOVEMBER 6. 19?S FOS 0007189 . ' . >> .. ,) p,J GG. ."few <& J | If .. "' ,? syce ' ' ,':. '. . -.wB- , % f hr'i'.'yM -- >. # 'wf' ` *. :*> -S'. .. J. M '$ 1 '4':' as;. i :*> :l \; A >*': #" V :if .-'I ,*? 4' `.f There ere a lot of lighting fixtures on tin; maiket impersonating haz ardous location lighting. Pretending, lobe something they're ; toi. If luminaires arc described with foggy-sounding words like "complitts with hazardous' ioculitat .specifica tions,'' "approved.'' "conforms to." . "designed for" or "designed to meet," beware! ' . Those tire dangerous word games. Only those luminaires having a label saying "UL Listed Electric Lighting Fixture for Hazardous Locations" meet the UL 844 test ing procedures tor lighting .fixtures for hazardous environments, . Don't, be deceived by UL 57 either..This is the UL Listing that eppliesbo any electrical lighting fixture found electrically safe by UL testing. UL 57 Listed luminaires are not necessarily safe for.use in haz ardous environments. ' General Electric hazardous . . location-luminaires are UL 844' Listed..They meet the rigorous 1 design,-, test and inspectic ht re- quiremenis necessary to receive , this listing. V - You can) afford to be deceived- about hazardous lighting. Send to day fur more information about ' General.Electric's complete line of; UL S44 Listed hazardous location luminaires. Write: ---------tkt--------- General Electric rifedyO' Section -160-19; / 'fslifpfe : .Hendersonville; ' ' ij|H||i `N.C. 28739. " ' SWS : GENERAL ^ ELECTRIC Cir(tie`422 on Reader Service Card . HFM -003712 installed ill chemical plants .ill ova ihc world. Ninir II,r asbcsio> ia m^c!\ bound. the tuning. handling and icar- ing down of such insulation poses a health hazard. "if the insulation is intact, there's no problem." says an engineer with Brit ain's 1CI, Ltd., "Whenever mainte nance requires stripping down and removal, we replace with a substitute material." He adds that the firm does not specify asbestos for any new plants. "We slopped using asbestos for insulation about seven or eight years ago," claims the safety manager of a U.S. refinery. "Although it is cheaper and easier to apply, the health risks persuaded us to switch to fiberglass and calcium carbide." He further notes that although some asbestos is still used, it is of the bonded type, which does not present a potential dust hazard. . The indirect risks of asbestos insula tion were highlighted in a recent study of maintenance workers at American Cyanamid's facility in Bound Brook, N.J. The survey, commissioned by the International Chemical Workers Union (k:ut). Washington, and car ried out by the Mt. Sinai Medical Center, identifies the risks faced by maintenance workers (other than insu lation installers) when working in the vicinity of an insulation job. According to Larry Ahern, director of health and safety for 1CWU, the results show that 44% of all workers, regardless of job function, had some form of asbestos-related lung abnor mality. One group of workers exposed for less than one month experienced a significant increase in the incidence of lung disease. Wbrsc. the researchers discovered that many of the workers' relatives, who had not been in direct contact with the material, were affected. "About 123 wives were sick," says Sieinfurih. ` HOW ABOUT SUBSTITUTES?--Such popular asbestos replacements as fi berglass, mineral woo) and calcium silicate may have health hazards of their own, but these have vet to be identified. . In a criteria document issued in April 1977, NIOSH said: "Fibrous glass seems to be considerably less hazard ous than asbestos . . . and, until more information is available, the recom mended standard can also be applied to other manmade mineral fibers." The NIOSH paper suggests a standard of 3 fibcrs/cms for fibers or less than ' 3.5-jtm Tftt. Larger fibers are not thought jo be respirable. Ralph Zumwaldc, an industrial hygienist at MOSH, points out that most of the exposure to fiberglass involves fibers with diameters greater than 3.5 pm, even though some special products contain thinner ones. "Fiberglass is an irritant, and can cause skin irritation or upper respira tory irritation." says Dr. Donald J. Billmaier, assistant medical director of Owcns-Corning Fiberglas Corp. (To ledo, Ohio, "but our studies show that there are no chronic adverse health effects from using the material." Calcium silicate is classified as a nuisance dust, not a fiber. The OSHa standard is 15 particles/cm3 for the respirable fraction. Vincent Cavaseno Gulf Coast buildup may ease olefin glut A more hopeful outlook for ethyl ene derivatives is triggering major expansions in the Gulf Coast area, and these may help alleviate, at least local ly, the ethylene surplus that is predict ed through the early 1980s (('hem. Eng., Mar. 27, p. 80). Consider, for example, the current buildup at the Raporte, Tex., complex of the USI Div. of National Distillers and Chemical Corp. The company, which last year increased its highdensity polyethylene (hdpe) capacity to 500 million lb/yr, boosted its lowdensity polyethylene (LDPE) capacity by 200 million Ib/yr this spring. Another ethylene-consuming addition is under way--USI will complete early next year a vinyl acetate mono mer ex pansion.This will raise monomer capacity from 375 million lb/yr to 600 million Ib/yr. The three expan 80 sions will consume a total of just under 500 million Ib/yr of ethylene. Shell has marked the tenth anniver sary of its complex at Geismar, La., byinaugurating ethylene oxide and ethyl ene glycol trains, now about 60% completed. About a year ago. the company began work to increase oxide production from 300 to 700 million Ib/yr, and glycol output from 150 to 350 million lb/yr. "This expansion will be ready for startup in early 1979," says plant manager Fred Foster. The ethylene oxide boost will require 3-10 million Ib/yr of ethylene raw material. Shell will also add flexibility to the Gulf Coast ethylene distribution sys tem with a new 254-mi ethylene pipe line that will run from Mont Belvieu (just east of Houston) to Napoleortville, La., near Shell's petrochemical n- . CHEMICAL ENGINEERING NOVEMBER 6. I9J* plant at Norco. The company is build ing a 1.5-billion-lb/yr ethylene plan: there, which is expected to go onstream in 1981. Says A. R. Flora, Shell's olefins business manager, "The pipeline will help to eliminate spot shortages in Texas and Louisiana complexes, which are the heart of the petrochemical industry." USI executives now speak more optimistically about the future of downstream products, and predict a better supply/demand balance. Ac cording to George Kappas, vice-presi dent of National Petrochemicals Corp. (jointly owned by National Distillers and Owens-Illinois), HDPE is currently moving away from oversupply. "At present," says Kappas, "there is a slight surplus of HDPE. However, producers are not building up yearend inventories, and demand is grow ing steadily. Consequently, in I960 and 1981, supply and demand will be somewhat tighter than they are today." Kappas notes that domestic need for the resin has grown at an average annual rate of more than 11% since 1971. LDPE will be in balance by 1980, according to USI estimates. FOS 0007190