POSSIBLE ASBESTOS HEALTH HAZARD IN AGENCY OFFICE BUILDINGS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-00498A000200120060-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 13, 2002
• Sequence Number: 60
• Publication Date: December 15, 1975
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2002/05/07 : CIA-RDP79-00498A000200
I 29OIO Registry I
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT: Possible Asbestos Health Hazard in Agency Office Buildings
1. A December 10 Washington Post story (attached) cited a study by
New York City's Mt. Sinai School of Medicine pertaining to potential health
hazards from asbestos fibers in office buildings. The author of the study
is quoted:
"We are seeing inside the office buildings concentrations
[of asbestos fibers] that are as high as we saw in areas near
asbestos plants or where spraying was being done, where
there has been illness or death.
The author went on to say that this phenomena "significantly increases the
risk" of cancer to people who work in those buildings on a day-in, day-out
basis. The newspaper article states the problem is primarily with office
buildings constructed since 1958 where asbestos replaced concrete as the
fire-retarding wrapping for steel beams.
2. MAG believes the Agency must as soon as possible determine the
concentration of asbestos fibers in our office buildings. If the level is
unacceptably high, MAG urges rapid action to rectify this serious health
hazard.
STATINTL
For the /Management Advisory Group
Approved For Release 2002/05/07 : CIA-RDP79-00498A000200120060-0
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ASBESTOS, From Al the large office buildings in of asbestos were sprayed in higher than asbestos in the The cancer Bows. the
have not yet offered solutions' the country used various buildings in 1969 and 1970 as outside air. "It was worse in workers from the into their He found that students and asbestos fireproofing. Under city law, the newer buildings," said homes and net orhoods teachers in the building were
for dealing with the asbestos, according spray techniques, the spraying stopped here in Nicholson: being exposed The; idea of addressing the rding to Nicholson. to half a fiber
g One method was to spray a 1970, and as word of its health In addition, the study found where the asbestdlevels are per cubic centimeter -- not
problem by condemning mixture of asbestos and water hazards to workers spread, that four other buildin s in much lower than the fac- high as industrial exposures
buildings is not a happy one
directly on the steel beams, contractors halted the method which asbestos was sprayed tortes. One in thr~inembers go but higher than was found
for New York officials. "I Over time, the asbestos fibers nationwide. for either acoustical or "of families oflasbestos in New Haven,
don't know what we can do Now there isLttle where the
>> come loose and are circulated if any asbestos spraying, but decorative reasons, had ab- workers in Paten, N.J., college is located.
rapidly," said Dr. Edward through the air conditioning the asbestos remains in the normally high levels in some showed X-ray s, s of ex- But maintenance men and
Drndof of
De site's and heating systems, buildings. rooms. posure to asbes~ fibers. Janitors were exposed to far
Department Air the Resources. Nicholson estimated that The at.. Sinai study checked Asbestos levels are hard to . About one in 10pf those higher levels - as much as 50
In his study, Nicholson half the new office buildings in , bestos levels in 19 buildings measure and there is no family memberdies of fibers per cubic centimeter,
recommended installing the the n ntry anice b alling- in five cities - New York, established threshold level , mesothelioma,?ac ling to a ' which is 10 times higher than
improved filters in air sir the 1,0b0 buildings put up here Bo4torr, Chicago, San Fran- between safe and unsafe Mt. Sinai study d
to screen y Dr. the level allowed by federal
sceout a systems of buildings between 1958 and 1970 used cisio and Berkeley, Calif, it exposure. "We are finding Henry A. Anderson laws for industry.
to rsbestos fibers, that method of fireproofing. ? fond, little contamination in asbestos disease at lower and "Because of that we decided
but Ferrand said he isn't sure one buildings where the asbestos lower levels said Nicholson. Those - people 0 being the -only real solution was to
it would work. His own office here is onof exposed to levelshout the take the stuff down if we
OSHA, which appears to them. Pulling aside a large as mixed with light cement About' 7 in 100 asbestos in- same as Nichols!s team wanted to
have federal Jurisdiction, has ceiling panel, he found clumps before it was sprayed. sulation " workers die of found in.some officindings, buildi " said Sawyer. in the
no regular program of in. of asbestos fibers in the cravt But four of six buildings in mesothelloma, a cancer of the ? Dr. Robert Sawydirector It was done in 18dayas during
spectfng office buildings, space between floors. "This Is which asbestos was mixed lining of. the chest and ab of he 1 servicet Yale, last Christmas vaction. In
the fire proof t? a sf?Or a e2 .03 fi'e~IAdRF3W 4! At1 01 d the higsbestos tons
all, ;92 of material from
JamBut.esOSHA spokesman didn't stay on,' a aid, o eves of as estos in 10,000 times among the levels in the arjnd ar- the ceilings was
pest any said the agency New York alone 700 toru s" fibers averaging three times general population.
In taken out and
w~11..inspect abuilding if it = - i;= chitecture buildingt,year, buried.