Document zbRba63xQvk55b6RG4XNq7Qb0

FILE NAME: Kaiser Cement (KCEM) DATE: 1972 M ay 12 DOC#: KCEM006 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Mem o KAISER C E m E N T 6^ G Y P S U M C O R P O R A T I O N INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM TO G. C. D a v i s COPIES TO DATE May 12, 1972 W.C./teCo-t- FROM J. C. McCoe SUBJECT .REPLACEMENT OF A S B E S TOS IN P L A S T I C AND GUN P L A S T I C CEMENTS Due to the i n c r e a s e d a d v e r s e p u b l i c i t y o f p o s s i b l e d e t r i m e n t a l h e a l t h e f f e c t to w o r k e r s f r o m u s e o f a s b e s t o s b u i l d i n g p r o d u c t s , I c i r c u l a t e d s e v e r a l memos to company personnel re q u e s tin g an i n v e s t i g a t i o n to f i n d a s u b s t it u t e for asbestos in our p l a s t i c and gun p l a s t i c cements. Asbe sto s serves a dual pur pose in these cements. It functions as a l u b r i c i t y in gun p l a s t ic to f a c i l i t a t e pumping, as well as i n c r e a s e s c o h e s i v e n e s s whi ch f a c i l i t a t e s placement on vertical wail surfaces. J. P o s t h a s f u r n i s h e d me w i t h a c o py o f a b r i e f r e p o r t d a t ed Ma r ch 10, 1972, from Ph il W e stfall which states: "Among t he p o s s i b l e r e p l a c e m e n t s e v a l u a t e d were c o a r s e and f i n e wood f i b e r s , pressed p o ly s t y r e n e beads, diatomaceous earth, Methocel (a m e t h y lc e llu l o s e po lym er) , la t e x and v e r m i c u l i t e . The cement w i t h Methocel r e p l a c i n g the a sb e sto s e x h ib it e d c o h e siv e ne ss and l u b r i c i t y , both of which are d e s ir a b le c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s f o r a p l a s t i c o r gun p l a s t i c cement. However, a s u b s t a n t i a l s t r e n g t h red uctio n was r e a liz e d upon re p la c in g the asbestos with Methocel*. None o f the o t h e r m a t e r i a l s e v a l u a t e d when i n t e r g r o u n d w i t h cement produced a cement which approached the laboratory ground gun p l a s t i c . " * N o te : S t r e n g t h r e d u c t i o n s were too major f o r consumer acceptance. a p p r o x i m a t e d a 76% r e d u c t i o n a t 1 and 7 d a y s , 80% a t 7 da y s . These This means they have not to J. P ost they e v a l u a t e or quantity of limestone l o c a t e d a s a t i s f a c t o r y s u b s t i t u t e . I recommended use o f limestone c h i p s as a s u b s t i t u t e . The q u a l i t y a t Per ma nente may n o t make t h i s f e a s i b l e . R e g a r d l e s s , 1 fe e l t h i s m at t er sh o u l d be b r o u g h t to the a t t e n t i o n of our l a w y e r s i n the e v e n t we may sometime have l e g a l a c t i o n i n s t i t u t e d by someone u sin g the cement. F O R M ISO