LETTER TO THE EDITOR AND RESPONSE

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Notes

1 59 FR 40966 (1994); Similarly, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) current Threshold Limit Value for Asbestos requires that asbestos concentrations shall be reduced to the lowest feasible levels and shall in no case exceed 0.1 fpcc (TWA₈).

2 51 FR 22644 (1986). This risk assessment was reaffirmed as valid in the 1994 rulemaking.

3 59 FR 40978 (1994).

4 As OSHA put it: “Rather than reducing the PEL for [the automotive brake and clutch service industry] to 0.05 fpcc, OSHA has chosen to specify work practices and controls which … will in fact have that effect” 55 FR 29723 (1990).

5 29 CFR §1910.1001 Appendix F: Work practices and engineering controls for automotive brake and clutch inspection, disassembly, repair and assembly—Mandatory.

6 Martonik, J. F., Nash, E., and Grossman, E. 2001. The history of OSHA's asbestos rule makings and some distinctive approaches that they introduced for regulating occupational exposure to toxic substances. AIHAJ 62(2):208–217.

1 Paustenbach, D. J., Finley, B. L., Lu, E. T., Brorby, G. P., and Sheehan, P. J. 2004. Environmental and occupational health hazards associated with the presence of asbestos in brake linings and pads (1900 to present): A “state-of-the-art” review. J. Toxicol. Environ. Health. B 7:33–110.

2 ICF, Inc. 1988. Asbestos exposure assessment. Prepared for Dr. Kin Wong, Chemical Engineering Branch, Office of Pesticides and Toxic Substances, US Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). March 21.

3 Paustenbach, D. J., Richter, R. O., Finley, B. L., and Sheehan, P. J. 2003. An evaluation of the historical exposures of mechanics to asbestos in brake dust. Ann. Occup. Hyg. 18:786–804.

4 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2003. Peer consultation workshop on a proposed asbestos cancer risk assessment. 68 FR 5873-5874. February 5.

5 Hodgson, J. T., and Darnton, A. 2000. The quantitative risks of mesothelioma and lung cancer in relation to asbestos exposure. Ann. Occup. Hyg. 44:565–601.

6 Easter Research Group, Inc. 2003a. Report on the expert panel on health effects of asbestos and synthetic vitreous fibers: The influence of fiber length. Prepared for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Division of Health Assessment and Consultation. March 17.

7 Eastern Research Group. 2003b. Report on the peer consultation workshop to discuss a proposed protocol to assess asbestos-related risk: EPA contract no. 68-C-98-148. Prepared for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. May 30.