Re: From [occ-env-med-l] Banning Asbestos in USA

[Guest guest]

The potential ramifications and cost of this bill may be staggering.

Asbestos in a friable state is a serious health hazard but in

products such as the tar matrix found in roofing materials it is

nearly impossible to become friable, which means the building

material when dry, can be easily crumbled or pulverized to powder by

hand pressure. Exposure to airborne friable asbestos may result in a

potential health risk because persons breathing the air may breathe

in the asbestos fibers. Non-friable asbestos can not be breathed in

unless it has become friable. I fear that this will open up further

lawsuits, that don't help the victims but pad the lawyers and

special interest groups. Worse yet further regulations to remove all

asbestos not only friable asbestos will further bankrupt schools and

businesses. Under AHERA (40 CFR 763 Subpart E) schools are required

to spend money on consultants and removal operations that in many

cases cause more harm then good. Having worked in the field through

the asbestos scare of the 80s and 90s where school districts were

saddled with enormous debts to remove some forms of asbestos

containing materials that were in excellent shape and had no need to

be removed, it was a shame that the same money couldn't have been

used to improve the education for the kids. Many times the actual

removal process of asbestos can lead to the real health hazards and

exposures.

Also there are some applications where asbestos is the best product

of choice, thus the exemptions provided within this bill. It will be

business as usual for the US Navy which relies heavily on the

positive aspects of asbestos, excellent fire protection, light

weight, compact, etc. to insulate their ships and subs as well as

NASA which uses it extensively to keep space craft from the high

heat of going through the atmosphere.

I agree with continuing the current bans and possibly some new

building materials that are true health threats. The EPA banned most

all asbestos in 1989 and it was overturned by the 5th Circuit Court

of Appeals in 1991. I would guess this may find a similar fate.

--- In , " tigerpaw2c " <tigerpaw2c@...>

wrote:

>

> This is a brief " heads-up " to the list in regard to SB 742,

> introduced by US Sen Patty Murray. It is intended to stop the use

of

> Asbestos in the US.

>

> I have contacted a number of medical organizations (ACCP, ATS,

> ACOEM, AMA, MSMS in addition to the AOEC) and asked that they

> endorse this Bill. I cannot fathom any medical organization not

> putting its support behind an attempt to reduce American deaths

from

> lung cancer, colon cancer, mesothelioma and pulmonary fibrosis

> (asbestosis), but my hope is that participants in this forum who

may

> belong to any of these organizations encourage official support of

> SB 742.

>

> Thanks.

>

> R. Harbut, MD, MPH, FCCP

> Co-Director, National Center for Vermiculite and Asbestos-Related

> Cancers,

> Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan

> Chief, Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine,

> 118 N. Washington

> Royal Oak, Michigan 48068

> 248.547.9100

>