Another American Industry Is Gone Forever

Now that the phosphate household detergent industry has been completely disassembled and only a few derelict factories stand rusting and deserted, there are any number of articles being published with a message. Phosphates are not as bad as we thought that they were. Zeolites may be worse than phosphates. Are Acrylics causing problems Shell fish production has diminished now that the 

Most of the more than 3000 known uses of serpentine minerals can be satisfied by the appropriate selection of phosphate fibers. Those uses where asbestos will withstand years of submersion in aquatic environments cannot be obtained with phosphates. 

Gregory, in High-Technology Applications of Organic Colorants (A. R. Katritzky and G. J. Sabongi, eds.), Topics in Applied Chemistry, p. 176, Plenum Press, New York and London (1991). 

Hydraulic Disk and Drum Brake Manual, p. L Wagner-Lockheed Brake Company, St. Louis, Missouri (1970). 

It has been my steadfast conviction from the time I first conceived of phosphate fibers that they are a product that requires no toxicological study. This is the driving force that caused me to initiate the project in the first place. If the fibers are not obviously safe, it made no sense to begin a project. Fibers of phosphate are not new and have been used in all manner of household and industrial products for several lifetimes. They have never caused any toxic problems for people, animals, or vegetation. Literature mentions were made that many phosphates were fibrous and resemble chrysotile in appearance. No use had ever been made of their fiber properties. As long as they were merely being eaten, drunk, and inhaled, no notice was taken of the fact that they were fibrous. It was only when they were to become a safe replacement for asbestos that their safety was questioned. The same is true again today we continue to eat, drink, and breathe phosphates and no one questions their safety. 

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