WESlIERN ASS0C[ATl[0N NEWS

Lumber Merchants Associatlon of Northcrn Californla has set its annual Owners Seminar for Nov. 2O-22 at the Ventaua Canyon Resort" Tucson, Az.

Comrnittee co-chairmen Bruce Pohle and John Saunders have developed a program featuring John MacKay, v.p., Profit Planning Group, Boulder, Co. He recentIy completed the National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association's Cost of Doing Business survey, which analyzed financial data on 360 lumber yards nationwide, including 23Vo of LMA's own members.

Informal roundtable discussions will address business management concems.

Wcstcrn Building Material Association's Educational Link Scholarship Fund selection cornmittee has awarded three $500 scholarships to dependents of em- ployees or owners of WBMA member firms.

Recipients are Michael Alan Coleman, son of Robert Coleman, Sunrise Trustworthy Home Center, Poplar, Mt., who will attend Montana State University, Bozeman; Tyler James Duvall, son of Dwayne Duvall, Broadway Builders Supply, Nortb Bend, Or., who will attend Oregon State University, Corvallis, and Kaj-Patrick Gould Trapp, son of Dave Trapp, Sequim Lumber, Sequim, Wa., who will attend tbe University of Puget Sound, Tacoma. They were chosen from 34 applicants.

Tbis is the first year scholarsbips have been awarded from the IRS-approved fund. In order to make the program viable and ongoing, the committee decided to limit scholarships to 75Vo of the interest earnings on the fund each year. Present value of the fund is $40,412, representing donations, memorials and bequests.

Does Fiberglass Insulation Cause Cancer?

Responding to demands by the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association representing the four largest U.S. fiberglass manufacturers, the Deparunent of Health and Human Services has ordered a review of research concluding fiberglass insulation is a possible carcinogen.

In 1989, the departrrent's National Toxicology Prograrn proposed listing "glass wool (respirable size)" in a government report on carcinogens, saying research suggested fiberglass insulation may be "reasonably anticipated to caus& cancer in humans." Any health threat is thought to be to insulation manufacturing workers, not homeowners or construction workers.

The insulation association maintains there isn't sufficient scientific data to prove inhaled fibers could cause cancer. Sheldon Pine, general counsel, challenges the progmm's testing methods which relied on injection rather than inhalation studies, and criteria, which require finding of cancer in only two tests to place a substance on Oe possible carcinogen list. Listing fiberglass on the report would unnecessarily alarm the public, as well as cause its members economic harm, said the industry.

Being cited on the carcinogen list carries no legal penalty, but there could be additional labeling requirements to warn of a cancer threat and encourage protective measures, such as the use of face masks and gloves in handling it. Program scientists consider the listing a red flag warning of a possible threat.

Scientists have spent more than 15 years testing the effects of fiberglass insulation on rats and hamsters. Cancer malignancies, not just small bumps, appeared on the two test species and limited human tests in the U.S. and Europe produced similar cancerous results, according to Dr. Jarnes Fouts, National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences. Epidermal studies have been limited to factory workers who produce fiberglass.

This is the first time HHS has called for a review of research by the National Toxicology Program. Completion of the review is expected by the end of the year, but no report will be issued until the fiberglass issue is resolved. Only data new since the

The previous studies will be examined, with no review of challenged criteria. However, carcinogen list criteria for future evaluations of other substances will be examined in a separate meeting.

lllegal Toilets Soak Ernst

Ernst Home & Nursery, Seattle, has agreed to reimburse customers who purchased toilets exceeding water-use limits for installation and removal expenses.

Ernst sold an unspecified number of 3.5 gallons-per-flush toilets after July 1, when a Washington state law limiting flushes to 1.6 gallons wenr into effect. The chain said they thought it would be permitted to sell its remaining inventory beyond the deadline.

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Warm and fruitwood tones were tabulated at 24.9Vo. Very dark burnished and cordovan brown held at 9.5Vo: Ian and honey browns at 9.3Vo. Light browns were l3.9Vo with bleached or grey tones 8.37o.