Norwest Corporation and Subsidiaries - Page 9

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          introduced.  The returned air is subsequently recycled through the          
          building.  The area between the decking and the suspended ceiling           
          in the Douglas Street building functioned as the return air plenum.         
          The top part of the return air plenum, the decking, was one of the          
          components of the building where asbestos-containing materials had          
          been sprayed during construction.                                           
               Over time, the decking, suspended ceiling tiles, and light             
          fixtures throughout the building became contaminated. This                  
          contamination occurred because the asbestos-containing fireproofing         
          had begun to delaminate, and pieces of this material reached the            
          top of the suspended ceiling.                                               
               D.  Federal Asbestos Guidelines                                        
               In the 1970's and 1980's, research confirmed that asbestos-            
          containing materials can release fibers that cause serious diseases         
          when inhaled or swallowed. Diseases resulting from exposure to              
          asbestos can reach the incurable stage before detection and can             
          cause severe disability or death. Asbestosis is a progressive and           
          disabling lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers that              
          become lodged in the lungs.  Persons exposed to asbestos may                
          develop lung cancer or mesothelioma, an extremely rare form of              
          cancer.                                                                     
               On March 29, 1971, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)           
          designated asbestos a hazardous substance. The parties have                 
          stipulated that Federal, State, and local laws and regulations at           
          all relevant times did not require asbestos-containing materials to         




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