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ASBESTOS AND RELATED DURABLE FIBERS: TOO UBIQUITOUS, TOO PERSISTENT, TOO COMPLEX TO PUT HUMAN HEALTH RISKS TO REST?
Citation:
Cook, P. M. ASBESTOS AND RELATED DURABLE FIBERS: TOO UBIQUITOUS, TOO PERSISTENT, TOO COMPLEX TO PUT HUMAN HEALTH RISKS TO REST? Presented at USEPA Emerging Pollutants Workshop, Chicago, IL, Chicago, IL, August 11-14, 2003.
Description:
Asbestos was used for centuries before its health risks became publicly known. Health concerns for non-occupational exposures rose at EPA's inception and these concerns quickly expanded to include risks from inhalation and ingestion of durable mineral jand synthetic fibers that were similar but not identical to fibers in commercial asbestos dusts. There is a need to insure that interpretations of epidermiological data, which are primarily from past occupational exposures with very uncertain characterizations, are consistent with advances in knowledge of the biological mechanisms of action, animal toxicity data, and inclusive, rather than exclusive, dose measurements. In this regard, a tissue fiber dose based, variable relative fiber potency, cumulative risk model for assessing health risks associated with inhalation exposures is proposed for further development and application.