The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) requests comment on the revised draft Current Intelligence Bulletin (CIB) “Asbestos Fibers and Other Elongated Mineral Particles: State of the Science and Roadmap for Research” NIOSH Docket Number NIOSH 099-A.

This Information is distributed solely for the purpose of pre-dissemination peer review under applicable information quality guidelines. It has not been formally disseminated by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. It does not represent and should not be construed to represent any agency determination or policy.

Asbestos has been a highly visible issue in public health for over three decades and abundant information is in the scientific literature. However, in part because of the complexity in the mineralogy, the scientific literature has various inconsistencies and inconclusive evidence which have led to uncertainties in identifying and applying the term asbestos for health and regulatory purposes. This has prompted NIOSH to convene a workgroup to investigate this matter. NIOSH is currently considering the scientific research needs to reduce the uncertainties in the science used to develop worker protection policies for asbestos fibers and other elongated mineral particles (EMPs). Subsequently, it is expected that the products of this research will influence how NIOSH views occupational exposure to various minerals when there is a potential for inhalational exposure to EMPs. This document is intended as one step in the process. NIOSH intends to pursue partnerships with other Federal Agencies and other stakeholders to help focus the scope of the research that can contribute to the scientific understanding of asbestos fibers and other EMPs, to fund and conduct the research activities, and to develop and disseminate educational materials describing results from the EMP research and their implications for occupational and public health policies and practices.

As the Federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of worker injury and illness, NIOSH is undertaking a reappraisal of how to ensure appropriate protection of workers from exposure to asbestos fibers and other EMPs. NIOSH prepared a first draft of the document, then titled Asbestos and Other Mineral Fibers: A Roadmap for Scientific Research, and invited comments on the occupational health issues identified and the framework for research. As a result of comments received during the public and expert peer review process, NIOSH has substantially revised the earlier draft and is now disseminating for public comment a revised draft of the document titled Asbestos and Other Mineral Fibers: State of the Science and Roadmap for Research (“Roadmap”). The purpose of the Roadmap is to outline major areas of controversy and to recommend a research framework that can serve as a guide for the development of specific research programs within and across disciplines. The intended goals of the research to be undertaken are to provide answers to current scientific questions, reduce scientific uncertainties, and provide a sound scientific foundation for future policy development so that optimal health protection can be assured.

NIOSH is seeking comments on the scope and presentation of scientific information used to support the development of a research framework for asbestos fibers and other EMPs. Of special interest are comments on the following revisions to the draft document: 1) a discussion of particle characteristics (e.g., dimension, chemistry) and their potential influence on biological responses (Sections 1.6.1, 1.6.2, 1.6.3, and 1.6.4); 2) toxicological research on EMPs (Section 2.2); 3) epidemiological studies of workers exposed to EMPs (Section 2.3.3) and 4) capabilities and limitations of analytical instruments used to identify EMPs (Section 2.4.2). Also of special interest are comments on the entirely new content in the document: 1) a rephrasing of the NIOSH recommended exposure limit (REL) for asbestos and related EMPs (Section 1.8.2); 2) the inclusion of how the proposed research could lead to the development of improved public health policies for asbestos and other EMPs (Section 2.5); 3) clinical issues (Section 1.4); and 4) recommendations for clinical research (Section 2.3.4).

NIOSH continues to be interested in available and forthcoming research results that can help answer the questions set forth in the Roadmap, as well as information on existing workplace exposure data, health effects, and control technologies.

Revised Draft Document for Public Review and Comment
NIOSH CIB: Asbestos Fibers and Other Elongated Mineral Particles: State of the Science and Roadmap for Research (June 2008 draft)	revisedNIOSHAsbestosRoadmap_2008_draft.pdf (142 pages, 1,600kb
Supporting Materials
Prior draft and supporting information	NIOSH Docket Number NIOSH-099
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