Document zoMmV44aZ5mOXoK6vMrxJ2mzz

ECOLOGY-POLLUTION ASPECTS OF CHLOR-ALKAL1 PLANTS: ASIlf.STOS AND HEALTH Charles G. Kramer, M.D. The Dow Chemical Company Midland, Michigan PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBIT DOW-881 ST0095279 [Presented at The Chlorine Institute, Inc. Fourteenth Chlorine riant Managers' Seminar, Kev Orleans, Louisiana, February 3, 1971] Asbestos is a generic term which includes a variety of fibrous nincrals. It has been used in Finland us long as A 500 year*; ago or. a birder in pottery. Tt van not, however, until the last ICO years that asbestos carte into significant commercial use. There are, at present, at least 3000 up or. for asbestos. `J'vpcs of Aslies I os Theve are five main varieties of asbestos which fit into two separate typos, according to the!** crystalline si rue lure. The two types are r-arpeniJne Ivstns, of which chrysoti 1 e js the only variety, nr.d aisphibolc ashes to*, of whirh th*-re are anionite, creridolite, cnibophylliti* and trcmolite. The. meat r.orr.nnly used Js chryr.m ilc. The different asbestos fibers vary ehi ri f r,,.l J v dfp'r.dlnn rn the rr, nvl ^*'r! **!n r.' "V *>* j ,* f ,s r**.' c .*:* organic. All types arc associated with various trace tnntais. It would he realistic t.<> ."jume lint oven the la:..-- type ce'-.ir-e, Jro.tl diffiiirot kouvcims i:I 1 1 show :.i>: \;u :..:l Iimi in Mi.J-- ; ; ' : . . There is sor.e evidence to this el feet, hut it is not con a! er-ivc. li.t-rafore, at present, we must assume th: s.ssv ha.turd fnr all variuticr. N_ea1th Howards The recognition of some of the r..oro scrijus hazards associated with the inhalation of nnbest.es dust is relatively recent end, in sene quarters, not aih 'iv-.tol y Uu.n r::ti>..ki. A:-!** I (:. [., the fir'l roropr :1 t: ir> .-iso lat t il v.! * '.i : ht h'>lotion of :*;;!> :.t or. u"- , a .:errit" il:r l' lh>' lung vh'-'i often 1e;.d!' to early <'i 'th, ''`hough .isberlos.is j.ill orcur.'1. it Mar w large extent hoi n rent rolled wbe'T adequate industrial hvgien.ard;- h.-vo l,c tin ioj low'd. i:tt Moi i leci'ily, it her !r -.i i . .i tint :v!;v: 1 a lx stcir.i'. Ii iv an i:;tr.- .-i.ii 11 oqn t. imiic. i . ! t ua:: .'' t r : i t ri f lnn:n that tint" is a at t: l ii .-I iurn. :: o in liuig muut in itvi'v . ih:' 1 r: exposed to lofJcr n: ol .vbes: os i'us' which are not enough, to '"I tllirr .-slw-r-: . n;..- * I i1 i f;.I '.ii i : tM mo raei.iT i Utr g.i: i i 'in i:t In.: 1 t rart . and f.'iir; r oi ! In ' in mi. e) ' h Imp. a mi: dnl..:i, I ,i., 1 i ;:.*{ I , iw i i * *i t ii :1 : 4 ll `I ii -I r : ;i \ ll, f ! 3-8 ( Tablo 1 shows the results of t study of ssbostos insulation workers. No studies are available of asbestos workers In tbe chlor-alkali Industry, but the results of studies of other workers Indicate that we Bust be care ful to not over-expose any individual to asbestos dust. TABLE Z Deaths Among 632 Asbestos Insulation Workers Observed Prospectively January 1, 1943 To April 30, 19671*2 Cause of Death Cancer Of The Lung Cancer Of Lining Of Lung Cavity Cancer Of Lining Of The Abdominal Cavity Cancer Of The Gastrointestinal Tract All Other Cancers Asbeatosis All Other Causes Total Deaths - All Causes Number Of Deaths Expected Observed 8.9 .... ` 66' 0.0 6 0.0 8 11.2 25.0 0.0 205.9 251.0 37 27 27 178 349 ^Sellkoff, I. Churg, J., and Hammond, E.C., JAMA, 188:22, 1964 2Sellkoff, I. J., Hammond, E. C., and Churg, J., JAMA, 204:106, 1968 The cancers occurring after over-exposure to asbestos dust were slow in being recognized because of a Jnpne period of 20 to 40 years between the beginning of asbestos exposure and the onset of the disease. Table II Jnd.Icuten the effect of regular cigarette smoking in con tributing to the development of lung cancer. The individual who is rcrcxpor.cd to anbusio:. du.ut end regularly smoko;; cigarettes in far nor,-. 1 to develop lung cancer, .V ST0095280 J ST009528I TABLE XX Lung Cancer Deaths Among 370 Asbestos Insulation Workers January 1, 1963 to April 30, 1970 Kumbor Of Vorkmon Lung Cancers Lung Cancer Deaths Mo History Of Clgsrstts Smoking 87 1 1 History Of Regular Clgaretea Smoking 283 38 33 It is esc lastad thst tho individual who is over-exposed to as bestos dust and also smokes cigarettes is 90 times more likely to devel op lung cancer chan an individual not exposed to either of these factors. Control Methods If we are to avoid tho consequences to the vorfanan of over-expo sure to asbestos dust, we must control his exposure. Control methods should be such that they also eliminate any hazard to fellow workers?*end prevent contamination of the community atmosphere. Table III lists some methods of controlling asbestos-containing dusts in different processes. TABLE III Methods Of Controlling Dust Containing. Asbestos Fiber . . r.Wettiag'DownrWithvVater. Mixing Crushing Certain Textile Operations Demolition2 2. Dust Collecting Equipment Cyclones - Multiclones Wet Collectors - Low And High Efficiency Scrubbers Electrostatic Precipitator Bag Mouses Othor Methods - Settling Chambers. Filters Construction Controls - Saw Pickup, Dust Containment ST0095282 3 r 1 3. Modification Of Produce Or Packaging Chang* In Foraulation Subatltuelon With Loss Haxardous Kacerlals ModifiesCion Of Material Handling Modification Of Production Line Asbestos In Plastic Bags (Can ba vetted before unloading.) A. Respiratory Protection--If Asbestos-Containing Dust Cannot Ba Controlled. (Use only approved respiratory protective devices.) . Medical control methods are of secondary importance to engineering control methods since, by the time a health problem is apparent. It is frequently too late for satisfactory treatment. Among medical control mathods are programs to discourage cigarette smoking by asbestos workers and periodic exams to discover early evidence of disease. Community Air Pollution There has been considerable alarm about asbestos exposure of the general population. Some local governments have already established regu lations controlling asbestos contamination of the community atmosphere. It is expected that Federal criteria on airborne asbestos will be devel oped soon. Not all invastigatora agree that thara la reason for alarm. How ever, prudence should prompt us to avoid contaminating the community air before ve find ourselva in the midst of another environmental crisis. (The tables and much of the material used In this presentation were ob tained by thu author while utfending the course on Asbcstonis given by The Mount Sinai School of Medicine in June 1970. Thu help of all those presenting the course iu gratefully acknowledged.)