Suggestions for covering or remediating asbestos-suspect floor adhesive or mastic.
This article points out that while most mastics and adhesives are not friable thus not easily airborne, there may be reasons to cover up such materials to reduce possible future indoor airborne asbestos exposure.
This article series answers questions about floor tile, sheet flooring, or roofing cutback adhesives or mastics that may contain asbestos. Does or did roofing mastic products & sealants contain asbestos? What are the hazards of demolishing or working on floors or roofs where asphalt-based asbestos-containing mastics, cutback adhesives, or sealants were used? Page top photo of black mastic floor tile adhesive provided courtesy of reader G.M.
InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.
- Daniel Friedman, Publisher/Editor/Author - See WHO ARE WE?
Reader Question: has this asbestos-containing flooring adhesive mastic been properly covered and is it safe?
Hi, I came across your site while looking into asbestos and hoped you could answer a question.
[Click to enlarge any image]
We took possession of a property which had some asbestos removal and cleaning done to it. We were told that there was bitumen adhesive in the bathroom but that it had been covered to make it safe.
Can you tell from the picture I have included if a covering has been put on [effectively]?
Thanks R.F. - United Kingdom, 10 September 2013
Reply:
Normally I'm reluctant to make a firm promise or diagnostic about building conditions from a simple email or a photo or two. We know that an onsite expert will virtually always see important clues or even more dangerous conditions than those that might be reported by a normal homeowner or occupant.
That apologia made, if you click-to-enlarge the photo at above left - that you provided in nice detail, one can see that a tan floor tile mastic remains in place and even looks a bit fragile in some areas (photo right side).
I also see what looks like pinkish paper-like material that may have been red rosin paper or more likely, the backer of sheet or tile flooring that was removed from the area shown.
In my OPINION we are looking at a sloppy, amateur floor covering removal that left old materials in place.
As you can read beginning at MASTIC, CUTBACK ADHESIVE, FLASHING CEMENT ASBESTOS, some floor adhesives contain asbestos, others don't. If your floor was installed prior to 1985, it would be prudent to treat the flooring as well as its adhesive as "PACM" or presumed-asbestos-containing material. Where costs to remove, clean, or cover-over such a floor are not a major expense I'm not sure that testing is warranted.
The EPA and other expert sources explain that the presence of asbestos in buildings does not necessarily warrant its removal, stating:
... not all asbestos-containing products are dangerous. A health risk exists only when asbestos fibers are released from a product [into the air where they are inhaled for example]. Products that are friable (easily crumbled or made into dust that is easily airborne) are more dangerous than products in which binders immobilize the asbestos fibers.
EPA also indicates that not everyone exposed to asbestos will develop an asbestos-related illness or disease. Most people exposed to small amounts of asbestos do not develop asbestos-related health problems. Cigarette smokers are at much higher risk of asbestos-related disease. [1][2][3][4][5]
It is usually reasonable to cover over an asbestos-suspect floor, thereby significantly reducing the risk of sending asbestos fragments or particles of flooring or floor adhesive into the air at detectable levels. And by leaving the flooring material in place you actually expose the building to less asbestos hazard risk than by removing it (in most cases).
For a sloppy job such as the floor in your photo, I would consider the following:
Address the question of amateur asbestos removal - and thus possible building contamination that could require further cleaning using proper methods
Question: Best way to seal remaining asbestos-containing floor tile mastic
Last week I had the asbestos tile and mastic removed from the concrete floor in our basement. The project manager seemed like he was really rushing to get it done in one day so that his crew could have a long Labor Day weekend.
He told me to wait until the solvent completely dried and then rinse the floor. He also said that there was some mastic left over that it was impossible to remove.
He said that, if they couldn’t get it off, there was no way it was going to harm us.
...
I waited for the floor to dry and was about to mop, when I stepped on some of the mastic and it stuck to my foot like tar. A lot of the mastic they left was now tar-like and sticky.
It appears that the solvent penetrated the mastic more deeply after a few days. There’s also a lot of leftover sawdust under the baseboards.
Is that normal? Or did they rush this? I have called them and they are not responding. Not sure what to do.
Any advice is appreciated. - 2020/09/07 Anonymous by private email
...
Moderator reply:
They rushed and didn't finish the job, though I cannot see large troubling areas in your photos and I agree that it's nearly impossible to remove all traces of asbestos-suspect black or brown flooring mastic adhesive;
I agree with the foreman that sticky tile mastic is not friable and even if it contains asbestos isn't likley to produce a detectable airborne asbestos hazard unless it's part of a grinding sanding operation in the future. Just covering it over is fine.
If it's sticky and remains exposed, old flooring mastic adhesive does need to be treated to avoid that aggravation.
Fortunately there are sealants that can bind, coat, and stabilize old mastics - discussed at our website.
It makes sense to treat the floor and adhesive as presumed to contain asbestos.
On 2019-06-03 y Hannah
My husband has pulled up the carpet in a house we've bought, there was carpet, underlay then under that real cork, and under that this black substance over concrete? Trying to understand if it is black mastic adhesive, it's dried out and brittle in places and in others perfectly solid with long seam lines. Appreciate any advice. Can't be sure but the house's interior was in keeping with 50's/60's style but built 1885
On 2018-10-06 by Anonymous
Remodeling a townhome and changing out ceramic tile. When pulling up the ceramic in the kitchen, it is apparent there was some smaller tile 9x9 previously in place. Apparently some time in the past someone pulled the vinyl tiles and laid ceramic over the black adhesive. Now that i am pulling up the ceramic do i need to be concerned about asbestos? Am I ok to continue removal? I intend to simply lay new tile on top. I do not plan to sand or scrape. However the floor may remain uncovered for a few weeks.
On 2017-04-17 by (mod) -
You're right, Cassie that when a material contains less than 1% asbestos, according to the U.S. EPA standards it doesn't have to be treated as an asbestos-containing-material (ACM).
My OPINION is that I prefer to avoid sanding if possible because of the tremendous levels of dust raised and the risks, especially in an older home, that such dust may be high in multiple irritants and possible contaminants: insects, mold, lead, and sometimes asbestos. However when sanding is really necessary what makes sense is to use intelligent precautions: dust control for the work area and personal protection equipment.
You might find that getting up black tarry mastic is a messy job. If you go to sanding right off you'll find that the mastic clogs the sanding belt, increases the job time, and risks heating and melting the tarry mastic back into the now gouged (from first pass rough sandpaper) wood. That's been my experience but of course I haven't seen your jobsite.
If the adhesive is not thick on the floor you might go right to sanding. But alternatively, using a solvent can sometimes help get the thick goop off using a scraper and reducing the later sanding needed. Solvents range from odorless paint thinner to even plain water - do some simple tests to see what dissolves your adhesive. (I suspect that old black mastic is probably a tar or bituminous product that'll need an organic solvent).
In general for any old house restoration work it's best to start by trying the least aggressive cleaning or stripping methods first - solvent, scrape, and less aggressive sanding on floors.
Finally, (well it's never really final until we're dead), additionally, then, check for evidence that the floor was sanded previously - you'll often find older ridges of higher flooring near walls or in corners. If the floor was sanded previously and it's T&G, you'll have another reason to sand off as little of the top surface as you can since you don't want to over-thin the floor (risking exposing the tongues/grooves).
Please also see WOOD FLOOR REFINISHING SAFETY - courtesy of my friend Mike Litchfield, found at https://inspectapedia.com/Home_Renovation/Wood_Floor_Refinishing_Safety.php
On 2017-04-17 by Cassie Tharinger
Hello,
We've recently purchased a house built in 1908-9 (in New England) and a contractor pulled up the kitchen flooring (vinyl stick-on tiles, and some sort of tiles or possibly sheet flooring underneath?) We were planning to sand/refinish the pine floors underneath) After reading a lot on this site, we sent samples of what was left stuck to the floor to be tested by Western Analytics, and the results came back showing trace amount of chrysotile in the mastic.
and the lab said in their notes: "mastic / adhesive contains less than 1% asbestos (type: chrysotile). it appears asbestos is due to contamination from remnants of an older asbestos linoleum backing. if i'm not mistaken in your state a material having less than 1% asbestos concentration is equivalent to non-asbestos containing. still, do not sand this material."
though our research online shows that less than 1% is not technically acm, we are concerned about sanding, and having a lot of trouble finding any information about this particular scenario.
any advice or info on how to handle this situation and whether we can use/preserve the wood flooring would be so helpful!!!!
Or use the SEARCH BOX found below to Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia
Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia
Try the search box just below, or if you prefer, post a question or comment in the Comments box below and we will respond promptly.
Search the InspectApedia website
Note: appearance of your Comment below may be delayed:if your comment contains an image, photograph, web link, or text that looks to the software as if it might be a web link, your posting will appear after it has been approved by a moderator. Apologies for the delay.
Only one image can be added per comment but you can post as many comments, and therefore images, as you like.
You will not receive a notification when a response to your question has been posted. Please bookmark this page to make it easy for you to check back for our response.
Our Comment Box is provided by Countable Web Productions countable.ca
In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.
[1] EPA, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Asbestos in Your Home, web search 08/31/2011, original source: www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/ashome.html
[2] EPA Guidance for Controlling Asbestos-Containing Materials in buildings, NIAST, National Institute on Abatement Sciences & Technology, [republishing EPA public documents] 1985 ed., Exposure Evaluation Division, Office of Toxic Substances, Office of Pesticides and Toxic Substances, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington,D.C. 20460
[3] EPA: "Asbestos Management", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7, original author: Todd H. Dresser, Environmental Engineer,
(formerly of),
Burlington Board of Health, 29 Center Street, Burlington, MA 01803, web search 3/4/2012 original source: epa.gov/region07/education_resources/teachers/ehsstudy/ehs2.htm, [copy on file as: /hazmat/Asbestos Management _ Region 7 _ US EPA.pdf ]
[6] EVER WEAR TILE CO is currently (2009) in the Terrazzo, Tile, Marble, and Mosaic Work industry in Fallon, NV. 775) 423-6221. [We do not know the company history nor whether there is an association with EverWear vinyl asbestos floor tiles discussed in this article.]
[7] HISTORY OF ASBESTOS IN THE UK - THE STORY SO FAR ..., Silverdell PLC, 14 Buckingham St., London WC2N 6DF TelP 0207 389 6906, email: info@silverdell.plc.uk website: www.silverdell.plc.uk. Web search 3/4/12, original source: issuu.com/silverdell_plc/docs/silverdell_history_of_asbestos_article
[8] Armstrong ® Residential Flooring - Website 05/15/2010 https://www.armstrongflooring.com/ lists current flooring products provided by the Armstrong Corporation, including Armstrong's current vinyl floor tile products at https://www.armstrongflooring.com/flooring/products/vinyl-floors
[9] Armstrong Corporation, Corporate History - https://www.armstrongflooring.com/corporate/corporate-history.html - Web Search 05/19/2010
[10] Armstrong vinyl asbestos floor tiles: photos of asbestos floor tiles as catalog pages (PDF form) are at www.asbestosresource.com/asbestos/tile.html
[11] Thanks to Armstrong Corporation (800-356-9301) for providing information about the dates of manufacture of peel-and-stick floor tiles, email July 2010
[12] "Asbestos in your home or at work," Forsyth County Environmental Affairs Department, Winston-Salem NC
12/08
[13] "Asbestos Floor Tile Removal", the University of Minnesota's advice on removing VAT (vinyl asbestos or asphalt asbestos floor tile) can be read in detail at www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/asbestos/floortile/index.html
[14] ASBESTOS IN YOUR HOME U.S. EPA, Exposure Evaluation Division, Office of Toxic Substances, Office of Pesticides and Toxic Substances, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington,D.C. 20460
[15] Resilient Floor Covering Institute, 1030 15th St. NW, suite 350, Washington D.C.
[18] Asbestos products and their history and use in various building materials such as asphalt and vinyl flooring includes discussion which draws on ASBESTOS, ITS INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS, ROSATO 1959, D.V. Rosato, engineering consultant, Newton, MA, Reinhold Publishing, 1959 Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 59-12535 (out of print).
[19] David Grudzinski,
Advantage Home Inspections,
is a professional home inspector in Cranston, RI. 02910. He can be reached at 401-935-6547,
fax- 401-490-0607 or by email to contact/us@advantagehomeinspections.us 04/26/2009
[20] LIFE Feb 14, 1955 p. 105, advertisement for Congoleum flooring products and listing of Gold Seal products by Congoleum.
[21] Rotterdam Convention PIC, see http://www.pic.int/home.php?type=s&id=77, and for a PDF on the composition of vinyl-asbestos flooring, see http://www.pic.int/en/DGDs/Alternatives/USA/American%20alternatives%20part%203.pdf where PIC refers to Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade on 10 September 1998.
Major Provisions of the Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent Procedure PIC
The Convention covers pesticides and industrial chemicals that have been banned or severely restricted for health or environmental reasons by Parties and which have been notified by Parties for inclusion in the PIC procedure. One notification from each of two specified regions triggers consideration of addition of a chemical to Annex III of the Convention, Severely hazardous pesticide formulations that present a hazard under conditions of use in developing countries or countries with economies in transition may also be nominated for inclusion in Annex III.
There are 40 chemicals listed in Annex III of the Convention and subject to the PIC procedure, including 25 pesticides, 4 severely hazardous pesticide formulations and 11 industrial chemicals. Many more chemicals are expected to be added in the future. The Conference of the Parties decides on the inclusion of new chemicals. Once a chemical is included in Annex III, a "decision guidance document" (DGD) containing information concerning the chemical and the regulatory decisions to ban or severely restrict the chemical for health or environmental reasons, is circulated to all Parties.
Parties have nine months to prepare a response concerning the future import of the chemical. The response can consist of either a final decision (to allow import of the chemical, not to allow import, or to allow import subject to specified conditions) or an interim response. Decisions by an importing country must be trade neutral (i.e., apply equally to domestic production for domestic use as well as to imports from any source).
The import decisions are circulated and exporting country Parties are obligated under the Convention to take appropriate measure to ensure that exporters within its jurisdiction comply with the decisions.
[22] CERAMIC TILE - WHAT IS ASBESTOS ? [PDF] Resource4Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma Information and Legal Guide web search 3/6/2012, original source: resource4mesothelioma.com/topics/whatisasbestos.html and
also CERAMIC TILE ASBESTOS [local copy] original source mesothelioma.com/asbestos-exposure/products/ceramic-tiles.htm
[23] ASBESTOS, ITS INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS, D.V. Rosato, engineering consultant, Newton, MA, Reinhold Publishing, 1959 Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 59-12535 [out of print, original copy, text and images provided by InspectAPedia.com (c)].
[24] Microwave thermal inertisation of asbestos containing waste and its recycling in traditional ceramics.
Leonelli C, Veronesi P, Boccaccini DN, Rivasi MR, Barbieri L, Andreola F, Lancellotti I, Rabitti D, Pellacani GC.
Dipartimento di Ingegneria dei Materiali e dell'Ambiente, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Vignolese 905, 41100 Modena, Italy. leonelli@unimore.it Journal of Hazardous Materials 135 (1–3): 149–155 - Citation: J Hazard Mater. 2006 Jul 31;135(1-3):149-55. Epub 2006 Jan 10., web search 3/6/2012, original source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16406335 Abstract:
Asbestos was widely used as a building material prior to the 1970's. It is well known that asbestos is a health hazard and its progressive elimination is a priority for pollution prevention. Asbestos can be transformed to non-hazardous silicate phases by microwave thermal treatment. The aim of this investigation is to describe the microwave inertization process of asbestos containing waste (ACW) and its recycling in porcelain stoneware tiles, porous single-fired wall tiles and ceramic bricks following industrial manufacture procedure. Inertised asbestos powder was added in the percentages of 1, 3, and 5 wt.% to commercially available compositions and then fired following industrial thermal cycles. Water absorption and linear shrinkage of the obtained industrial products do not present significant variations with additions up to 5 wt.% of microwave inertised ACW.
[25] ASBESTEOS-CERAMIC, Wikipedia, web search 3/6/2012, original source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestos-ceramic
Thomas Hauswirth, Managing Member of Beacon Fine Home Inspections, LLC and (in 2007) Vice President, Connecticut Association of Home Inspectors
Ph. 860-526-3355 Fax 860-526-2942 beaconinspections@sbcglobal.net 06/07: thanks for photographs of transite asbestos heating ducts
[26] "History of asbestos discovery and use and asbestos-related disease in context with the occurrence of asbestos within ophiolite complexes", Malcolm Ross, Robert P. Nolan, Geological Society of America, Special Paper, 2003. Abstract: Two ancient asbestos mines, one near Karystos, Greece and the other southeast of Mount Troodos, Cyprus, were located in what we now know to be ophiolite terrane. Evidence suggests that asbestos was discovered and utilized in Cyprus,perhaps as long as 5000 years ago, for manufacture of cremation cloths, lamp wicks, hats, and shoes. Some of the adverse health effects became known only in the early twentieth century, but it was not until the 1960's that the asbestos-related diseases - asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma - were fully understood. Approximately 855 of the world's asbestos was produced from ophiolite complexes, most of which as the chrysotile variety; termolite, actinolite, and anthophyllite asbestos accounting for only a few percent of the total. Asbestos minerals crystallize within tectonized ophiolites -along shear, fault, and dilation zones, and at contacts with intruded dikes and sills. Important chrysotile asbestos mines are found in the ophiolites of eastern Canada, the Russian Urals, California, northwest Italy, northern Greece, and Cyprus. A high incidence of mesothelioma, a cancer of the lugn lining, is reported among residents of villages located within or near ophiolite complexes in Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Corsica, and New Caledonia. These villages were exposed to tremolite asbestos while processing stucco and whitewash for application to homes. Asbestos contamination in various geographic localities has generated concern about health risks and has prompted costly remediatl actions, especially in the United Kingdom and the United States. A scientific basis for public policy is offered to address the utilization of asbestos-bearing rocks.
[27] 57 F.Supp. 339 (1965), TILE COUNCIL OF AMERICA, INC., Plaintiff, v. CERAMIC TILERS SUPPLY, INC., Defendant. No. 62-267. United States District Court S. D. California, Central Division. August 13, 1965. Quoting "the 392 patent ... It also discloses composition containing the ingredients above mentioned which include sand as well as one which includes asbestos but not sand together with the other ingredients heretofore mentioned. The 382 patent also discloses a method of manufacturing such compositions."
[28] "The transformation sequence of cement–asbestos slates up to 1200 °C and safe recycling of the reaction product in stoneware tile mixtures
A.F. Gualtieri, C. Cavenati, I. Zanatto, M. Meloni, G. Elmi, M. Lassinantti Gualtier, Journal of Hazardous Materials Volume 152, Issue 2, 1 April 2008, Pages 563–570 " Quoting: " The material was powdered and studied to see if it is suitable to be recycled in stoneware tile mixtures similarly to the protocol used in Gualtieri and Tartaglia [20] " " The product of transformation of cement–asbestos (CATP) has a phase composition similar to that of a natural or a low temperature clinker with the exception of having a larger content of aluminium, iron and magnesium. This product can be safely recycled for the production of stoneware tile mixtures. The addition of 3–5 mass% of CATP does not bear significant variations to the standard parameters of white porcelain tile mixtures. "
[29] "A glass-bonded ceramic material from chrysotile (white asbestos)", K. J. D. Mackenzie and R. H.Meinhold, JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE
Volume 29, Number 10, 2775-2783, DOI: 10.1007/BF00356832, Abstract: A process has been developed for bonding chrysotile asbestos into a robust, dimensionally-stable lightweight ceramic material by fusing it with sodium silicate and/or ground waste glass. The chrysotile can retain its desirable properties of fibrous morphology and porosity, but the fibre bundles are stabilized by fusion into a glassy matrix, reducing the respirable fibre concentration. The glass-bonded materials have good resistance to mechanical abrasion, and any resulting dust is found by SEM to be particularly free of fibres. The thermal treatment also converts the chrysotile into crystalline forsterite, which should destroy its cell toxicity. Other methods of glass-bonding chrysotile compacts (hot pressing and impregnating with glaze) were also investigated, and the properties of the resulting materials are reported. Reference Type: Journal Article Author: Mackenzie, K. J. D. Author: Meinhold, R. H. Primary Title: A glass-bonded ceramic material from chrysotile (white asbestos) Journal Name: Journal of Materials Science Cover Date: 1994-01-01 Publisher: Springer Netherlands Issn: 0022-2461 Subject: Chemistry and Materials Science Start Page: 2775 End Page: 2783 Volume: 29 Issue: 10 Url: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00356832 Doi: 10.1007/BF00356832
[30] "Firing transformations of cretaceous clays used in the manufacturing of ceramic tiles",
M.M Jordána, Corresponding author contact information,
A Boixa,
T Sanfeliua,
C de la Fuenteb, Applied Clay Science, Volume 14, Issue 4, April 1999, Pages 225–234
[31] "Use of granite sawing wastes in the production of ceramic bricks and tiles",
Romualdo R. Menezesa, Corresponding author contact information, E-mail the corresponding author,
Heber S. Ferreirab, E-mail the corresponding author,
Gelmires A. Nevesb, E-mail the corresponding author,
Helio de L. Lirab, E-mail the corresponding author,
Heber C. Ferreirab, E-mail the corresponding author , Journal of the European Ceramic Society, Volume 25, Issue 7, May 2005, Pages 1149–1158
[32] [Chapter 4.4. Clay Masonry Units] of Olin's Construction: Principles, Materials, and Methods, 9th ed., H. Leslie Simmons, John Wiley & Sons 2011, ISBN 978-0-470-54740-3
Barsoum, Michael W. (1996). Fundamentals of Ceramics. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Bender, W. and F. Handle, eds. Brick and Tile Making: Procedures and Operating Practices in the Heavy Clay Industries. Bauverlag GmbH, 1982.
Jones, J. T. and M. F. Berard. Ceramics: Industrial Processing and Testing. Iowa State University Press, 1972.
Kingery, W. D.; Bowen, H. K.; and Uhlmann, D. R. (1976). Introduction to Ceramics , 2nd edition. New York: Wiley.
Pellacani, G. and T. Manfredini. Engineered Materials Handbook. ASM International, 1991, pp. 925-929.
[35] Ceramic Tile Institute of America, CTIOA, Tel: 310-574-7800, website: www.ctioa.org/ Email: ctioa@earthlink.net Quote: The mission of CTIOA: To promote appropriate and expanded use of ceramic tile and natural stone through education. The Ceramic Tile Institute of America Inc. provides manufacturer’s information only. The Ceramic Tile Institute of America Inc. does not test the products listed nor do we validate manufacturer’s claims. The Ceramic Tile Institute of America inc. is not responsible for the performance of the products shown on this site.
[36] POTENTIAL ASBESTOS HAZARD in ART CLAY, [PDF] Mark K. McQuillan,, [letter] Connecticut Department of Public Health, 26 June 2007, CT DOH, Phone: (860) 509-7740 Fax: (860) 509-7785
Telephone Device for the Deaf (860) 509-7191
410 Capitol Avenue - MS # 11EOH
P.O. Box 340308 Hartford, CT 06134 web search 3/8/12 original source: ct.gov/dph/lib/dph/environmental_health/asbestos/pdf/ArtClayLetter.pdf [copy on file as: /hazmat/ArtClayLetter.pdf ] Excerpt: Talc is added to certain clays as a “flux” to lower the temperature at which the clay needs to be heated. The DPH has become aware that the talc from at least one mine in the Northeast may be contaminated with a type of asbestos called anthophyllite. Although there has been debate if the asbestos found in talc actually falls under the regulatory definition of asbestos, there is enough uncertainty to warrant caution when using clays with added talc. A recent court case in New Jersey found talc mined by the R.T. Vanderbilt Company of New York was responsible for an asbestos-related cancer ( mesothelioma) in a pottery shop owner. The pottery shop owner had purchased talc (Nytal 100) in large bags and mixed it in clays he used and sold.
[37] CPSC and Milton Bradley Co. Recall "Fibro-Clay", US Consumer Product Safety Commission, Release #83-012, March 1983. web seach 3/8/12 original source cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml83/83012.html [copy on file as /hazamat/FIBRO-CLAY_ Recall.pdf ] Excerpt: Milton Bradley made Fibro-Clay from 1967 until 1975, when it ceased manufacture of the product. The firm stated that no asbestos has been used in the formula since 1972, and that the quantity sold by its Educational Division was relatively small.
[38] US CPSC FOIA Request S606074: Duggan v. Duncan Ceramics, Report 950907CWE7271 and related investigation reports and correspoindence ..., [letter, CPSC to Jennifer N. Willis], 22 July 1997, with attachments, documents, technical articles, [copy on file as /hazmat/CPSC_FOIA_S606074.pdf ]
[39] "Precautions for Elementary and Secondary Art Teachers", Ida Herma Williams, Center for Occupational Hazards, [available in op.cit. #37]
[40] "Ceramics", Michael McCann, Ph.D., C.I.H., Center for SAFETY in the Arts, 5 Beekman St., New York NY 10038, [undated, available in op.cit.#37]
[41] "Art and Craft Safety Guide", US CPSC, Publication #5015, original source: http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/5015.pdf, [copy on file as /hazmat/CPSC_5015.pdf
[42] Asbestos Testing Laboratory Survey, Daniel Friedman (editor), InsapectAPedia.com, March 2012. Using the U.S. NIST directory of accredited laboratories certified for asbestos fiber analysis, [http://ts.nist.gov/standards/scopes/plmtm.htm] we polled at least one laboratory in each U.S. state, Puerto Rico, two Canadian Provinces, and laboratories in Japan and Korea, asking each if their laboratory had ever received ceramic tiles for asbestos testing and whether or not their lab had ever detected asbestos in ceramic tiles used on walls, floors, or other building services. Results will be included in this article.
[43] "Where can you find asbestos? Floor tiles, textiles, composites", Health and Executive Safety, web search 3/8/12 original source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/essentials/floortiles.htm Quoting: HSE is the national independent watchdog for work-related health, safety and illness. We are an independent regulator and act in the public interest to reduce work-related death and serious injury across Great Britain’s workplaces.
[44] International Asbestos Testing Laboratories, Frank E. Ehrenfeld III, Laboratory Director - Vice President, 9000 Commerce Parkway, Suite B, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054, Office: 856 231-9449, psersonal communication, email & telcon: 3/8/2012
[45] Handbook of Clay Science, R.E. Grim, Elsevier Science, 2006, ISBN-10: 0080441831 ISBN-13: 978-0080441832[WATCH OUT the price for this book is very high]
[46]The Clay Minerals Society
3635 Concorde Pkwy Suite 500,
Chantilly, VA 20151-1110,
United States, Tel: (703) 652-9960, Email: cms@clays.org website http://www.clays.org/,
[48] Sheet silicates (phyllosilicates): clays, micas and serpentine (including chrysotile asbestos), E&ES213: Mineralogy
Lecture March 22, Ellen Thomas, Wesleyan University, 45 Wyllys Avenue, Middletown, CT 06459, (860) 685-2000 [copy on file as /hazmat/Clays and asbestos_EThomas_Wesleyan.pdf] [Helpful definitions & descriptions of clay & asbestos from an environmental scientist - ed.]
[49] Phillip A. Peterson, Vice President, Fibertec Industrial Hygiene Services, Inc., 1914 Holloway Drive
Holt, MI 48842, Phone: 517-699-0345, ext. 1, www.fibertec.us. Personal correspondence 3/14/2012 - DJF.
[51] "Arts and Crafts, an Industrial Hygiene Challenge", Monona Rossol, The Synergist, May 2012, pp. 34-37American Industrial Hygiene Association.
[53] The Artist's Complete Health and Safety Guide, Monona Rossol, Allworth Press, 2001, ISBN-10: 1581152043
ISBN-13: 978-1581152043 - Quoting: Dozens of at-a-glance tables and charts present vital information about art materials, ingredients, technical hazards, proper protective equipment, and safe work practices simply and accurately. This brand-new third edition is now completely revised and expanded to detail lifesaving new safety and ventilation equipment, present urgent new discoveries on toxins and pollutants found in arts and crafts materials, and explain the controversies surrounding new government regulations. A virtual lifesaver for all art and craft workers.
Asbestos Identification, Walter C.McCrone, McCrone Research Institute, Chicago, IL.1987 ISBN 0-904962-11-3. Dr. McCrone literally "wrote the book" on asbestos identification procedures which formed
the basis for current work by asbestos identification laboratories.
Stanton, .F., et al., National Bureau of Standards Special Publication 506: 143-151
Pott, F., Staub-Reinhalf Luft 38, 486-490 (1978) cited by McCrone
In addition to citations & references found in this article, see the research citations given at the end of the related articles found at our suggested
Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. Tel: (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 Email: info@carsondunlop.com. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
Carson Dunlop Associates provides extensive home inspection education and report writing material. In gratitude we provide links to tsome Carson Dunlop Associates products and services.