Industry Trade Organizations
The asbestos industry’s trade organizations produced a surprising array of periodicals, reports and other documents. Even in recent years, the international asbestos industry has been formally united through the Asbestos International Association, headquartered in London, with member firms from more than 30 countries. The larger industry trade groups published reports and formed committees that held conferences on such topics as industrial hygiene, workers’ compensation and warning labels. These manufacturer groups also sponsored research that in some cases was never published or even alluded to in the published literature.
One of the earliest asbestos trade organizations, the Industrial Hygiene Foundation, was founded in 1936 under the auspices of the Melon Institute by several large industrial companies. The Industrial Hygiene Foundation was promoted by industry as a “creature of industry” and the one institution upon which employers could rely completely for a sympathetic appreciation of their “view point.” Other major trade organizations included the Asbestos Brake Lining Association, Asbestos-Cement Pipe Producers Association, Asbestos Cement Products Association, Asbestos Information Association, Asbestos International Association, Asbestos Paper Manufacturers Association, Asbestos Textile Institute, Asbestosis Research Council, Friction Materials Standards Institute, Magnesia Insulation Manufacturers Association, National Insulation Manufacturers Association, Resilient Floor Covering Institute, The Chemical Manufacturers Association, The National Safety Council, Thermal Insulation Manufacturers Association, and many others. In all, over 100 such associations existed to serve the asbestos industry.
