Corporate Risk Management: New York State Tremolitic Talc and Asbestos

For over three decades there has been confusion over the presence of asbestos in talc. Allegations by some that asbestos contamination exists in Vanderbilt tremolitic talc have only added to this confusion. Despite these allegations, it is now more broadly recognized that there is no asbestos in Vanderbilt talc. Most importantly, Vanderbilt talc has not been shown to pose an asbestos-like health risk. The following key questions and answers more fully address this matter.

Q. Is Talc Contaminated with Asbestos?

A. Asbestos is not a common contaminant in talc. However, there are several reasons why talc is mistakenly linked to asbestos. Among these reasons are the following:

Claims of Asbestos in Baby Talcum Powder: In the 1970's a series of news reports claimed that asbestos contamination was found in some off-the-shelf cosmetic grade baby talcum powders (100% platy talc). While Vanderbilt tremolitic talc is used only in industrial applications and is not a cosmetic grade talc, these reports fueled broad public perception that asbestos was a common contaminant in all talc. It was later learned that many of these reports were in error due to inadequate analytical techniques and mineralogical understanding. While asbestos contamination in talc may be possible, it is extremely rare. Today, rigorous quality standards, testing, selective mining and an improved understanding of what asbestos is has made findings of asbestos in cosmetic grade talc essentially nonexistent. Further, due to the geological conditions under which talc evolves, asbestos is not a common contaminant in talc mine deposits.

Claims of Asbestos in Vanderbilt Tremolitic Talc: As indicated above, Vanderbilt talc has played a major role in this unfortunate talc/asbestos connection. This is due to the unique and complex blend of minerals found in this talc further complicated by contradictory and erroneous asbestos definitions and analytical procedures.

Fortunately, these definitional and analytical deficiencies are now better understood. Today, no regulatory agency or knowledgeable mineral scientist considers any of the components in Vanderbilt talc to be asbestos. Still, the actual mineral composition of Vanderbilt talc remains a source of confusion for some.

Early in 2000, for example, a series of news reports claimed asbestos had been found in children's crayons. The source of the asbestos was said to be Vanderbilt talc, which was used as a strengthening agent in the crayons. Concerned parents, schools and crayon manufacturers engaged laboratories across the country to test crayons for asbestos. Believing that the term "asbestos" was well understood, there was considerable surprise when some labs found a significant amount of asbestos, others found trace amounts and still others found none. Inadequate understanding of mineral science, conflicting definitions and analytical protocols had once again resulted in mischaracterization of Vanderbilt talc.

Misunderstanding of the term "asbestiform talc": John Addison, a consulting mineralogist specializing in the identification and analysis of asbestos and industrial minerals, their toxicity and effects on human health, recently explained this misunderstanding to a group of scientists as follows:

Asbestiform is a term that is used to describe the mineral habit of minerals that are formed in a fibrous state that resembles asbestos. The common asbestos minerals fit this description perfectly, but in addition they are characterized by having high tensile strength and increased physical and chemical durability. A number of other minerals including gypsum, calcite, brucite and talc can, rarely, occur in a fibrous growth habit that can be described as asbestiform. The use of the term is accurate in that the minerals in this unusual habit do resemble asbestos, but they do not (or rarely) have the other physical and chemical properties of asbestos. In particular they do not have any of the toxicological properties of asbestos.

Certain other minerals have also been referred to as "asbestiform talc". A small number of talc deposits, mostly in the eastern parts of the USA, have been found to contain very unusual minerals that appear to consist of intimate mixtures of talc and anthophyllite, or talc and tremolite. - - - These fibers are not asbestos, and there is little evidence to show that they have the same toxicological properties of asbestos.

Finally, the term "asbestiform talc" has been applied recently to talc containing asbestos. This is a misuse of the term since "asbestiform" can only ever be used to describe a mineral habit. The correct term for this mixture is simply talc containing asbestos. Fortunately, as a result of high standards of quality control and selective mining methods, there is little or no possibility that commercial talc can now contain asbestos.

This explanation applies directly to Vanderbilt talc. This talc does contain a small but observable amount of talc and mixed mineral fibers. These rare components are a key reason Vanderbilt talc is incorrectly thought by some to contain asbestos when in fact it does not.

Q. Mineralogy aside, does Vanderbilt talc pose an asbestos-like health risk?

A. When it becomes clear that Vanderbilt talc does not contain asbestos, concern commonly (and appropriately) shifts to health. Because some of the mineral components in Vanderbilt talc are so easily confused with asbestos, it is reasonable to ask if they might act like asbestos, biologically.

Early health studies did suggest that overexposure to Vanderbilt talc might pose a lung cancer risk similar to asbestos. However, after more discriminating studies were completed, it became clear that the lung cancers observed were not linked to the dust exposure. Routine medical examinations of Vanderbilt talc miners and millers also confirm the absence of an asbestos-like risk. Animal and cell studies that directly tested Vanderbilt talc against asbestos consistently show a marked difference in biological response between actual asbestos and Vanderbilt talc as well.

Dr. Brian Boehlecke, a highly regarded pulmonary specialist from the University of North Carolina, has routinely reviewed the pulmonary status of all Vanderbilt talc workers over the last fifteen years. Dr. Boehlecke has formally summarized his findings as follows:

The medical surveillance results at this time (to Jan. 2001) continue to support the conclusion submitted to the OSHA docket in 1990, i.e., the data do not indicate that the workers exposed to talc at this facility are at risk for developing asbestos related pneumoconiosis.

…essentially, no progression of pneumoconiosis related to cumulative exposure appears to have occurred in men in this workforce for whom I have had serial radiographs to review.

In short, up-to-date medical evidence does not show that Vanderbilt talc poses any greater health risk than any other talc. While excessive exposure to any mineral dust can pose a pulmonary risk, exposure to Vanderbilt talc has not been shown to pose a health risk equivalent to asbestos.

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