Document z57O9Lk70X5rdvOBagKL6Mp7

FILE NAME Newspaper & Magazine Articles NMA DATE 1978 Dec 3 DOC NMA130 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Kansas City Star - Millions Infected by Cruel Patient Killer - Part 1 of 3 The Kansas City Fi Infected by Kiler By Rick Lyman 1 Alember Alember of the Staff a It's Sunday morning time for little quiz What do the fullowing people have in com mon . Your uncle who was a shipbuilder dur Ing World War 11 Nae Your aunt who washed his clothes Your sister who visited them on week- Your father who worked even if only * for one day long ago in an insulation factory . Your hrother who grinds and fits his own brake linings Your child who goes to school in an old building where the insulation is flaking off a You just for being around the rest of Giveup - ASBESTOS ate 4 DEATH BYFIBER ras . ECCS First of Three Articles ~ ee Well federal officials say they all share a risk much higher than the average person of developing either asbestosis known as seen known } - white cancocre ancr er of the lungs rectum calon stomach ingredient Asbestos is the key ingredient h^'reAu- thorities are convinced that it can be danger- ous even kilt Federal officials this year estimated that as many as 5.6 million workers could die from cancer or other disease as a direct result of exposure to asbestos And it's a cruel and unusual killer they charge because the disease doesn't even show up unul anywhere from 15 to 40 years after exposure A person could breathe asbes tos fibers and decades later develop a tumor lung ailment It can happen scientists say It's happenIng now to hundreds of thousands of Ameri canx Although there is unanimity in the belief that exposure to asbestos can contribute to the later development of cancer and asbe . tosis some scientists and industry d^>ficials disagree with the alarming government sta- See ASBESTOS on Page 11 ee ven Asbestos Restrictions Too Late for Many Continued From Page LA the lungs of workers shoppers and also concluded that there is no such tion are being produced The asbestos schoolchildren tistics thing as a safe level of asbestos fi- being produced and sold today is well t There are too factors in the Asbestos is described by the Nation- bers within federal regulations they say ! many development of a cancer to single out al Safety Council as a hydrated mag- The Asbestos Workers Union head- safely prevented from escaping into \ asbestos as the primary cause they nesium silicate in fibrous form quartered in Washington has long the atmosphere by a layer of sealant i Among toxic substances it classified been aware of what it considers to be While asbestos has not been out- 327 AS a pneumonocorosis the dangers of asbestos They charge lawed a number of regulations now Government and industry officials believe they have most of the problem dust That means the Uny asbestos fibers its that the asbestos industry also knew of govern the dangers as long as 50 years ago The use Environmental Protection under control the future Asocs lodge in the lungs and remain there and covered them up until conclusive Agency has rules specifying what pre" Los is no longer being widely used as an forever grinding away at the lung tis- medical research was released in 1964 cautions must be taken when an eld irsadetor and most of its current ap- sue They can scar the lungs causing The union now is seeking national building containing asbestos Insula plications are considered safe because asbestosis or they can increase the legislation banning asbestos charging tion is torn down prevent the wind the libars are exfezuvely sealed and body's susceptibility to cancer Re- that safer alternatives are readdy from carrying the deadly fibers into can't escape float around and end up in your lungs cently has been shown that the fibers also can lodge in the stomach or intes- available The union also is batting to force the asbestos industry to ad the lungs of passersby Also the EPA has ruled that the lev But there are fears that problems will crep up from its past use Millions of prople who were exposed to the fi- bers before their danger was widely known are only now entering the crita- gat period period when when the illness is most like- like- develop . * thousands of buildings that do unes or pass through the bloodstream and lodge in the body's inner lining In each case asbestos is a stubborn menace refusing to deteriorate or pass away and significantly increasing the risk of cancer according to several research studies The National Institute of Occupa tional Safety and Health NIOSH says workers who have been stricken by el of asbestos in construction mater cancer or asbestosis als must be lower than 1 percent Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed The Food and Drug Administration to by former asbestos workers now doesn't want see asbestos showing stricken whu seek compensation of up in food aid in paying their medical bills At The Consumer Product Safety least one action suit is asking the Commission has banned at least two court to force an asbestos company to products that contained asbestos relinquish every cent of profit it has filler used to repair cracks and chips have asbestos constructed there is conclusive evidence that ex- ever made on asbestos in plaster or dry wall and asbestos back when if wit ennisidered safe and posure to a bcatosibers causes can- For their part industry officials say treated fireplace logs graztu graztu ave now starting to deleris Take Tiny particles of asbestos flaking away from the building's man- lation at at adhesive corroles are feating into the atmosphere and tuto cer and asbestosis in man NIOsli an agency within the De- partment of Health Filucation and Kelfare that does research on work related issues of safety and health they were aware of some evidence of health risks over the creades no cunclusive medical evidence v15 available Now that the evidence has surfaced alternative forms of irou Monday In The Star A brief history of when und where asbestos has been used when the first signs of health hazards appeared and what the interrening years of research have shown ee ~ tte ee ee BMA 02773