Document O1xy50G438OGeggM6QxmZ06vp

* ( NEW YORK POST - JUNE 30, 1971 PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBIT Tak Mfr. Chafes at Warning BV STEVE LAWRENCE One of the country's lar gest manufacturers of baby powder insisted today there was no asbestos in its prod ucts. City Environmental Pro tection Administration chief Jerome Kretchmer called yesterday for a federal study of the amount of asbestos in common talculm powder, say ing tests on two brands "re vealed abestos content rang ing from 5 to 25 per cent." Kretchmer said on the basis of these tentative find ings, "a prudent mother should look for other alter natives. such as cornstarch," for use as baby powder. No Proof, But Prudence The EPA administrator conceded he could offer no proof that breathing asbes tos fibres In baby powder was harmful. But, he said, "the adverse effects of lar ger exposures have already been proven so definitely that it is only prudent to mini mize all exposures unless they have been demonstrated conclusively to be harmless." Studies done by Dr. Irving Selikoff at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine have shown that breathing asbes tos fibres over long periods can cause cancer. Johnson and Johnson Co., one of the largest makers of baby powder, issued a state ment vehemently denying any potential danger from Its product. I The firm "takes great care to assure the purity of its products even to the extent of mining and processing our own talc for use in body pow der," a spokesman said. "Our 50 years of research know ledge in this area indicates there is no asbestos in the powder made by Johnson and Johnson." The spokesman said he could not vouch for the prod ucts made by other compa nies. EPA would not release the names of the two brands of powder tested by Dr. Seii- koff at Mt. Sinai and found to contain asbestos. Selikoff was somewhat more cautious than Kretch- mer in his evaluation of the problem. "I don't know if there is danger, but there's no doubt a study should be done.-' he said. EPA has submitted nine other powder samples for [ testing at Mt. Sinai, but Dr. ( Selikoff said these would not j be analyzed immediately. , "Just because asbestos is pre- ; sent in the material doesn't mean it's necessarily dangerous," he said, "it depends on : j ' how much there is and how much is respirable." -- Asked if ho wasn't alarm ing people needlessly on this issue, Kretchmer said, "all we're saying is it's a potent ial hazard and were trying to light a fire here to push this research. A few years ago no one thought there was a problem with leaded paint or cigaret smoking." DAPCO KIN 0001296