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6894590 
Journal Article 
Newspaper 
Company's Silence Countered Safety Fears About Asbestos: [Special Report] 
Michael, M; Adrianne, A 
2001 
0 
New York Times
ISSN: 0362-4331
EISSN: 1553-8095 
New York, N.Y. 
New York Times 
English 
Over the years, documents show, Grace gave that answer in a variety of ways that stopped just short of absolute denial. Sometimes it said Monokote could ''be used as a non-asbestos containing fireproofing material'' and said laboratory tests had found no asbestos; other times, it said the amounts that were detected posed ''no unreasonable health risk.'' But however [Grace] turned it, the message was the same: Monokote was effectively asbestos-free. While the Monokote story is just now coming to light, other Grace products containing tremolite have already become the focus of public concern. Homeowners have accused the company of covering up dangerous levels of tremolite in insulation, which Grace denies. Grace is also facing lawsuits from people who developed asbestos-related illnesses after working with the ore or living near company plants. In Libby, Mont., where Grace mined most of the ore, about 80 people have sued after becoming ill. Grace says it took steps to limit its workers' exposure. From time to time, Grace records show, independent laboratories measured as much as 5 percent asbestos. Grace disputed those findings, and while some laboratories stood firm, the company in 1983 forced asbestos experts at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine to recant their finding of 1 percent asbestos in Monokote at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan. A television news broadcast of the incident reported that several other Monokote samples were asbestos-free. 
General Interest Periodicals--United States; Asbestos; Product safety; Corporate responsibility; Series & special reports; Disclosure; Fire resistant materials