1969 Asbestos-Cement Water Pipe: Dr. Selikoff States that there is no Evidence (at that time) Supporting its use as being a “recognized health hazard.” Johns-Manville Agrees. You decide the Science.

As many of you know, I am researching blue asbestos (crocidolite) issues, including its use in transite pressure piping manufactured at the Waukegan, IL facility. This 1969 document was part of a batch that I purchased this week from the Johns-Manville document repository. I suspect that few people have seen it during the last 30 or so years, but let me know if I am mistaken in that regard.

In April 1969, Johns-Manville was getting concerned about bad publicity focused on its asbestos-cement water pipe in comparison to caste iron water pipe. As such, it prepared a self-serving study titled “Asbestos-Cement Water Pipe and Human Health” that, not surprisingly, concludes that such transite water pipe has no influence on the development of any disease. You can find the Johns-Manville cover letter and the report at https://theasbestosblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Transite-Pipe-1969.pdf .

Interestingly, Johns-Manville hired two doctors to help out. One of the doctors, Dr. Wright, I have never seen in asbestos issues. The second doctor, Dr. I. R. Selikoff, is as well respected on asbestos issues as anyone of his time frame. Dr. Selikoff’s opinion at the time, and as stated in the report, was as follows:

“There is no evidence at all at this time that the presumably very low level exposure by ingestion which might occur by intake of water supplied through asbestos-cement pipe has resulted in a recognized health hazard.”

That is a pretty strong statement by Dr. Selikoff, and one to be taken seriously in the context of his work on asbestos at the time.

I am not a scientist, although I admit to dabbling in the field as I research and publish on the history of asbestos. However, I believe that anyone who is working on the issue of asbestos ingestion potentially causing disease needs to read the article and be able to explain how the current science or evidence makes Dr. Selikoff’s conclusion no longer accurate or, on the flip side, that it is still relevant. Although his opinion is now over 50 years old, the arguments in the article are worth addressing so that we all get the science correct.

Just my opinion. Let me know your opinion by leaving a comment or sending me an email at TheAsbestosBlog@gmail.com. Thanks. Marty.