1976: Mass Court Publication Claims that Mesothelioma is caused by Asbestos, Silica, and Polyurethane. Can Someone Help me out?

The full article discussed below is at the following link: https://theasbestosblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1976-Mass-Helath-Affects-Asb-Inhalation-Lit-Review.pdf. Please note that the publication claims that it the opinion of the author and not necessarily the Massachusetts General Court, although that it not the way it reads.

Of course, the exposure to asbestos giving rise to mesothelioma is a given — unless you give credence to the chrysotile dispute, but I will leave that for the scientists and world government authorities. I also have seen some older documents which mix up silicosis with mesothelioma, and so I will leave that issue to those same scientists and world government authorities.

But, mesothelioma being caused by exposure to polyurethane? In September 1976, Douglas Gilbert, a Research Associate with the Massachusetts Asbestos Commission and Science Resource Office of the Massachusetts General Court published The Health Effects of Asbestos Insulation: A Review of the Literature, stating on page 4 (the last sentence on the page) the following:

“To complicate matters, asbestos is not the only cause of mesothelioma; it has also been produced by silica and polyurethane.”

The citations for endnotes 22 and 23 in the Bibliography are as follows:

Also, note that the citation for Number 22 says that mesothelial tumors were produced in rats for chrysotile and crocidolite asbestos. Interesting that the other forms of asbestos fibers were outside the scope of this citation.

This is new to me. I have never before seen claims about polyurethane potentially causing mesothelioma, and yet page 4 of this document claims it as a given. The article cited in the Bibliography in support is behind a pay wall, and so have not been able to find a readily available copy of the alleged testing.

So, has any of you heard of this? I would appreciate some help on this one. Has anyone heard of the Massachusetts General Court requesting such a study or using this document in a lawsuit? How about anyone knowing the author, Douglas Gilbert, Research Assistant? I am having trouble tracking him down.

I am going to be on the road for the next few weeks, and so my next blog likely will not be drafted until sometime in August. For this issue on the polyurethane, I would appreciate any scholarly comments on support or elimination based on testing or reasoning. Thanks. Marty