H. M. Hay to N. W. Hendry on Safe Handling of Asbestos Fibre (1972)

A two-page memo of March 3, 1972, from H. M. Hay of J-M's Asbestos Fiber Division to N. W. Hendry, headed "Safe Handling of Asbestos Fibre." Hay wrote that J-M had always packed and shipped fiber "in the most economical manner," in paper and jute bags, but that the new emphasis on environmental control and health had forced it to "give dust control a higher priority than cost." Customers, he thought, would pay a reasonable price for a ready-made answer to the dust problem, and he wanted J-M to be "indisputable leaders in the field of safe handling of asbestos fibre," which would "enable us to increase our share of the market."

What it shows

Hay's ideas included bulk tank cars from which fiber was flushed out with water rather than air, sealed box cars unloaded by machine, railcars painted with "ASBESTOS THE SAFE WAY," bags that dissolve in the customer's mix, and central mixing stations for small users so that fewer of them would be trying to set up dust control and "giving the industry a bad name." Until then, by his account, fiber had gone out in ordinary paper and jute bags. The memo treats safer handling mainly as a way to sell more fiber: it ends, "this approach should lead to increased fibre sales."

In Johns-Manville's chronology

Johns-Manville's own chronology of what the company knew describes this document as follows:

H.M. Hay (A.F.D.) in a memorandum to N. W. Hendry, dated 3/3/72, states that a new emphasis is being placed upon environmental control and health which has forced J-M to revise some of its ideas and give dust control a higher priority than cost. Hay states that J-M should not be reluctant because of cost to investigate and develop new packaging and shipping methods which will satisfy environmental control standards; in most cases, customers will pay an extra charge (if reasonable) for safety and health.

Hay states that "I would like to see more work done on this program so that we shall be indisputable leaders in the field of safe handling of asbestos fibre. If achieved, this would, I am sure enable us to increase our share of the market." Hay then lists some new ideas for safe handling of asbestos fiber.