Document zoXbd2n1KYXaYbrgzjVb55v1m

FILE NAME: Eternit (ETER) DATE: 1968 Apr 5 DOC#: ETER087 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Confidential Memo from Einar Jeul & Co. to Turner Brothers Asbestos Co. RE Asbestos Hazards Strictly confidentially. ASBESTOS HAZARDS We refer to our meeting on the 3rd April in Copenhagen with Mr. J. Waddell and Mr. D.B. Lodge, during which we reported on conversations we had had with Mr. Homann Pedersen and Mr. W. Johnson of Dansk Eternit-Fabrik. Mr. Homann Pedersen told us that after his visit to London, following Dr. Holmes' visit to Denmark, he was under the impression that the first panic over the asbestos situation had disappeared. This he reported to the Shipbuilders Association and at the same time he sent in copies of "Codes of Practice" received from Dr. Holmes. In the meantime, however, the situation had changed so that the more outstanding problem was not just one of health, but maybe even more one of price. The investi gations which were started up when the first asbestos troubles were reported, had been put into reports issued by Elsinore Shipyard, Nakskov Shipyard, Aalborg Shipyardi and Burmeister A Wain. We understood from Mr. Homann Pedersen that these yards had filled in questionnaires, sent out to them by him. In these reports were concluded that glass cloth, glass rope lagging, glass wool, and similar mineral wool products, locally made as well as imported, would be able to solve practically speaking any insulation demand on a Danish ship yard. For instance Mr. Homann Pedersen mentioned the following fields, being one of the fields investigated* Inlet pipes for turbochargers discharge pipes for turbochargers fittings tanks engine rooms At the same time it had been found that these alter native products were essentially cheaper than asbestos, Quotations had been collected from Germany, England, France, and Denmark. Mr. Homann Pedersen added that market investigations in neighbouring countries had disclosed that such produc, i - 2- mentioned that a German glass cloth with a weight of 750 g. per sq.m, but which "looked like" an asbestos cloth of 1000 g. was considerably cheaper than the asbestos cloth. Hr. Honann Pedersen confirmed that they had also stopped spray. Mr. Honann Pedersen added that the asbestos problem today is an ethic problem and will be so as long as no definite statements or proofs can be referred to, saying that asbestos is not dangerous. Mr. Honann Peder sen's recommendation to the Shipbuilders Association, therefore, was and is that this question should be solved with the "least possible risk for the shipyards and the least possible damage to the asbestos manufac turers" Mr. Honann Pedersen thought that ILO (international Labour Organization) and V.H.O. would issue "Recommends tions" within about 3 years time. Magnesia moulded insulation was included in the specifi cations as a usable material because, as Mr. Homann Pedersen said, "you can also have pure magnesia". Mr. Homann Pedersen ended up by saying that he felt confident that the leading manufacturers of insulating material, and also Turners and Newalls would produce new products which could replace asbestos and which could be used for the purposes mentioned above. As examples he pointed at glass and mineral wool. Mr. Homann Pedersen made no reference whatsoever to the Addendum of 28.2.1968 which we knew he had prepared and sent to the Shipbuilders Association. He seems to treat his reports with the utmost degree of confidence. We then had a conversation with the director of Dansk Eternit-Fabrik Mr. W. Johnson. Mr. Johnson informed us that he too had met Dr. Grut who had told him that he did not necessarily sign or agree with all the various points mentioned in Mr. Homann Pedersen's Memorandum of 7111967 He found Dr. Grut extremely positive and with reasonable and Nr h\( Nr I'mUrum had V t A ivtf M e m o r a n d u m %U tit M t t p b U l I d O I ' a U i M t ' U U w H Ha had succeeded in obtaining a copy and 14ft luterprc* tat ion v tU4 Addendum if ftMftlVbh waa Kit* Mr Ih aw ^Ur*u na intait 44 postulate* 4It his first *'*'** uUtiinf the referenoe 4 Dr, rut** ratommemla ttit that asbestos ihttuui bt avoided whenever psifttbV* ItftA W* MSUt t01d 4 Nr* Johnson that W O had touthed vo subject of it possible committee being formed it* a with ihA asbestos problem* end 4hw4 we fully . ised with Ur rut 4hit4 inch a proedure should ho vvoided b e c a u s e it W O U l d ttftll to tM|U 40A iO lA t l*t'A, a thAi wars in favour of Nr Orut'i idea that vthout too many formalities reaaonabie ml moderate ,ommendation should bo issued, Nr Johns# fully >..ptt4 ouch o policy* mi*. Johusen has applied for visa ml if ho goto 4t ho will attoml tho meeting in Dresden on iho 81st - th April* Wo have already arranged oonUot between . Hoiaoa and Dr rut in Dreaden, amt aiao suggest *d that Dr. Holmoa ohouid offor or try to arrange a full voting in Copenhagen in order to diaouss again ilio oubjoct on the baoie of Aabeotoe Research Counoii'e ovperlenoo* Such a meeting should take place before !> Grut iaeuee any recommendations and before he has oome to any final conclusion. Nr. Johnson would also like to meet Dr. Holmes and we have, therefore, promised him that Dr. Holmen will look for him at the Conference* Please remind Dr. Holt.. of the presence of these two gentlemen, Dr. Orut and Nr* Johnson* Finally we understood from Mr. Johnseu that the Board of Dansk Stern!t-Fabrik would probably oontaot - we are not xiuite sure whom, but we suppose it will be the Shipbuilders Association - and complain on the way in which Mr. Homann Pedersen has treated this whole matter* We ask you kindly to treat these reports strictly confidentially*