H. B. Rhodes to W. C. Thurber Transmitting Draft SPE Paper on Consumer Safety in Asbestos-Containing Plastics (1977)

Internal Metals Division memo from H. B. Rhodes to W. C. Thurber, with copies to six others, transmitting a draft paper for a Society of Plastics Engineers meeting in Denver on November 8, 1977. The attached draft, "Consumer 'Safety' in Some Currently-Used Plastics Systems Containing Bound Asbestos Fibers," reviews airborne asbestos fiber measurements for tape joint compounds, roofing compounds, and coatings, and discusses CPSC risk models and regulatory policy. It is followed by figures and data tables.

What the document holds

• Page 1: Internal memo, H. B. Rhodes to W. C. Thurber, Oct. 31, 1977, transmitting draft SPE paper
• Pages 2-20: Draft paper 'Consumer "Safety" in Some Currently-Used Plastics Systems Containing Bound Asbestos Fibers' by H. B. Rhodes (title page dated Nov. 9, 1977)
• Pages 21-22: Figures 1 and 2: graphs of airborne asbestos fiber concentrations during tape-joint compound sanding, wet-out and cleanup
• Page 23: Figure 3: respiratory cancer frequency at four intensity levels for a linear dose-response relationship
• Pages 24-25: Table I: asbestos distribution and end use, 1974 (U.S. Bureau of Mines data)
• Pages 25-27: Tables II-IV: airborne fiber concentrations in tape-joint compound use, including Rohl data, Union Carbide commercial survey, and OSHA compliance data
• Pages 28-31: Table V and further data tables on fiber concentrations during wet-out, cleanup and consumer installations (some OCR garbled)
• Page 32: Table VIII: spraying of roof coatings
• Page 33: Table IX: tear-off and application of built-up roofing (Johns-Manville data)
• Pages 34-35: Tables X and XI: spraying of industrial coatings and asbestos-containing materials
• Page 36: Table XII: grinding and sanding of polyester resin-based systems and vinyl latex paint

People and organizations

From H. B. Rhodes (Technology Manager, "Calidria" Asbestos (Metals Division)) to Mr. W. C. Thurber (UCC-Metals Division, New York); C. R. Allenbach (copy); A. L. Bayes (copy); T. W. Carmody (copy); J. F. Collins (copy); R. F. X. Fusaro (copy); J. L. Myers (copy).

• Harrison B. Rhodes (author)
• William C. Thurber (recipient)
• C. R. Allenbach (copied)
• A. L. Bayes (copied)
• T. W. Carmody (copied)
• Jim Collins (copied)
• Robert F. X. Fusaro (copied)
• John L. Myers (copied)
• Metals Division (its organization)
• Union Carbide Corporation (its organization)
• Calidria Asbestos (named)
• Consumer Product Safety Commission (named)
• EPA (named)
• Johns-Manville (named)
• OSHA (named)
• Society of Plastics Engineers (named)
• U.S. Bureau of Mines (named)

Related pages

Pages on our site about what this document covers: Asbestos Joint Compound, Drywall Mud, and Texture Coatings · EPA · Johns-Manville · New York Asbestos Exposure Sites: Worksites, Industries, and Trust Coverage · OSHA · U.S. Bureau of Mines.

About this copy

This is document UC-1431 of the Union Carbide documents, documents produced and used as evidence in asbestos lawsuits against Union Carbide, 36 pages. Production numbers A10738 to A10739.