Science, public policy, and stewardship.

Synthetic vitreous fibers play an important role in today's economy. Glass fibers, as an example, have found uses in more than 30,000 products that include insulations, reinforcements, fire resistant fabrics, and protective armor. Vitreous fibers also play a direct role in energy conservation. For example, in 1992, a study by Arthur D. Little found that the annual production of fiber glass batts and blowing wool used in U.S. buildings--only a fraction of the current production and use of glass wool--saved the equivalent of 33.4 million barrels of oil in 1992, avoiding the need for nearly 6800 megawatts of power. This is equivalent to 34 new 200-megawatt power plants. An ongoing commitment by the manufacturers to assure the safety of their products paralleled the growth of the vitreous fiber industry. Soon after commercialization of glass wool manufacturing in the mid-1930s, worker concerns about silica gave rise to the first study on the health of fiber glass workers (Siebert, 1942). Since that time, there have been hundreds of studies, published papers, and international reviews that have evaluated potential health effects and exposures associated with synthetic vitreous fibers.