William P. S. Breese to E. G. Hammel on Caution Labels for Export Sales (1970)

A one-page reply of July 13, 1970, from William P. S. Breese at J-M headquarters in New York to E. G. Hammel, on health hazard notices for Industrial Insulations Division products sold for export by J-M International Corporation. "Legally, the caution labels should be used," Breese writes. "However, there may be policy and/or business considerations with which I am not familiar." He suggests Hammel discuss it with D. T. Colton, and copies Colton, C. Sheckler, H. M. Jackson and others.

What it shows

This answers Hammel's question of July 7. J-M divisions had earlier left caution labels off shipments to Canada and off exported Celite. Breese gives the legal answer and leaves the decision to others; the memo does not say what was decided.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

William P.S. Breese writes a memorandum to E.G. Hammel on 7/13/70, regarding J-M Export Sales. With reference to J-M International Corporation's export sale, Breese states that legally the precaution label should be used. He states, however, that there may be a policy or business consideration with which he is not familiar.