W. R. Grace Defense Attorney Challenges Key Government Witness

MISSOULA, Mont. - In what many have called the industrial pollution criminal trial of the century, on Wednesday, March 25, a former Grace executive and key government witness, Robert Locke, was harshly cross-examined by Grace defense attorney David Bernick. The trial is the result of indictments against five former Grace executives that date back to 2005, when the Maryland-based chemical giant's executives were charged with conspiring to violate provisions of the federal government's Clean Air Act. The defendant's face up to 70 years in prison for covering up the fact that Grace's vermiculite mining operations near Libby, Montana had been responsible for exposing mine workers and Libby townspeople to dangerous levels of asbestos-a known cancer causing agent.

Locke is a former global vice president of Grace's building products division, and is named in the government's prosecution as an unindicted co-conspirator who has refused government offers of immunity in the case, but who has decided to testify against his former employer anyway. Locke also has a lawsuit against Grace, and defense counsel Bernick accused Locke of offering self-serving testimony against a company he has a personal grudge against.

"You're a Harvard MBA. You have personal knowledge about the facts in this case. You have a lawsuit of your own against Grace, and you have volunteered evidence in this case against Grace," Bernick said. "Correct?"

"Yep. It was time to stand up and do the right thing," answered Locke.

"You're part of a case that you would very much like to see prosecuted to success, right?" questioned Bernick.

"I can't answer that question without an explanation," countered Locke. "You're putting a spin on this."

Bernick has taken strong objection to Locke's testimony that Grace attempted to thwart a government investigation into the possible health hazards of the company's Montana mining operations. Locke further testified that Grace executives knew full well of the dangers of asbestos, yet decided to continue to expose mine workers and Libby citizens to the extremely hazardous material.

Asbestos exists in abundance in countries around the globe. It can be found in the ground or in above grade rock formations in a variety of chemical compositions, colors, and types. Asbestos is a naturally occurring silicate mineral that has been utilized by mankind for thousands of years, and from the late 1800s until the early 1970s, asbestos was widely prized by countless industries around the world. Asbestos has superior resistance to heat, electrical current, and corrosive chemicals; asbestos has a very high tensile strength as well, and for all these reasons and more, asbestos found its way into countless products from auto parts to soil aeration products to talcum powder.

In the early 1970s, scientists and health experts confirmed the fact that certain types of exposures to asbestos posed a significant threat to human health. When microscopic, airborne asbestos fibers are inhaled into the lungs, they become permanently imbedded in soft tissues where they can remain dormant and undetected for decades before causing the onset of serious respiratory diseases such as asbestosis and peritoneal mesothelioma, the latter being a particularly aggressive and lethal form of cancer. All of this, according to Locke, was well known by Grace executives when they literally coated every square foot of Libby with a layer of asbestos dust that has since been blamed for over 200 deaths, as well as approximately 1,000 asbestos-caused illnesses in the tiny mining town with a total population of less than 2,700 citizens.

Locke's testimony for the prosecution is buttressed by numerous internal memos and other confidential Grace documents he managed to remove from company files before he was fired in 1998. Locke stored his cache of Grace Company documents in boxes in his basement in case the day would come when he would need them, and government prosecutors say they're glad he did.

Beverly Hills Middle School Shuts Doors, Possible Asbestos Release

On March 19, Beverly Hills Middle School officials in Huntington, W. Virginia, closed the school after a renovation project was suspected to have released a small amount of asbestos.

According to William Smith, superintendent of Cabell County Schools, a contractor engaged in the renovation inadvertently drilled five ¼-inch holes in a ceiling known to contain asbestos.

The release is not considered a major incident under the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act because the area itself is less than three linear feet, requiring only cleanup. Nonetheless, school officials felt that air sampling was essential to verify that there was no danger before pupils and teachers were allowed to return.

The school, located in the Cabell County School district, serves 555 students in grades 6 through 8 and has 38 teachers. Cabell County was created in 1809 from part of Kanawha County, W. Va., and buildings in the area are correspondingly old, meaning the discovery of asbestos - banned in 1989 - is not surprising.

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that was used in insulation, floor and roofing tiles, tile glues and some acoustical ceiling panels up to the 1970s, when health officials began to recognize its dangers. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned most uses in 1989. Nonetheless, asbestos persists, especially in older buildings, where fibers - accidentally released - can cause a variety of illnesses, most notably mesothelioma, an almost incurable form of cancer that often doesn't manifest for three or more decades, by which time the prognosis is very poor. Most people who are diagnosed with mesothelioma die within 18 months.

The asbestos inspection contractor, Pinnacle Environmental Consultants of Hurricane, W. Virginia, reportedly took ten samples throughout the building, and then personally delivered them to an independent, third-party air-testing facility in Louisville for more extensive analysis.

According to Cabell County School Spokesperson Jedd Flowers, the tests demonstrated that air quality levels in the school were well within acceptable limits as established by the federal Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA). The school reopened on Monday, March 23 and classes resumed their regular schedule.

"We're extremely pleased with the results we have received," noted District Superintendent William A. Smith.

"Not only were the tests within acceptable limits, they established that the air quality in the school was actually quite good. I feel completely confident the building is safe for our students and staff to occupy, and look forward to reopening the school on Monday."

Beverly Hills Middle School is one of the lucky ones. Many school officials do not know that the schools they work in, and supervise, contain asbestos. Other school districts have such poorly planned and badly implemented hazardous release protocols that the damage remains unassessed and unmitigated for days, even weeks, endangering both students and staff.

New Jersey Appellate Court Releases Body of Mesothelioma Victim

Superior Court Judge Phillip Paley, who denied Chrysler's March 3 request to prevent Harold St. John being buried, affirmed that decision again on March 12. Unfortunately, in the meantime, Chrysler had already gotten a ruling from a previous appeal and delayed the interment of St. John on the day of his funeral, with his widow and children in attendance to witness the travesty.

St. John, 67, was in the process of suing Chrysler, Honeywell, and a dozen other companies in Middlesex County court for what he charged was work-induced mesothelioma as a result of his employment as a brake mechanic in his father's Jersey City auto repair shop during the 1950s through the 1960s.

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that was used in brake pads, insulation, floor and roofing tiles, tile glues and some acoustical ceiling panels up to the 1970s, when health officials began to recognize a pattern of illnesses. Asbestos fibers, inhaled, cause lesions which lead to a number of diseases, most notably pleural mesothelioma, an almost incurable form of lung cancer that often doesn't manifest for three or more decades, by which time the prognosis is very poor. Most people who are diagnosed with mesothelioma die within eighteen months.

St. John died on Feb. 28, mere days before the March 2 trial was due to start. During his funeral, a Chrysler company spokesman, Michael Palese, waited with a court order in hand. Immediately before St. John's body was placed in the ground, Palese presented his order, terminating the final disposition of St. John's body, to the horror and sorrow of family members, who say the move was a delaying tactic, since St. John had already undergone a lung biopsy while still alive.

According to Palese, the company didn't intend any disrespect, adding that the kind of evidence sought (by an autopsy) is the sort "regularly used by expert witnesses in asbestos lawsuits", and that numerous studies have "refuted the link between automotive products and asbestos-related diseases".

Both Palese and Honeywell spokeswoman Victoria Streitfeld extended their condolences, on behalf of their companies, to the St. John family. This did little to appease the outrage. Judge Paley's March 12 upholding of his earlier ruling, denying the autopsy based on the religious and moral objections of the St. John family, did.

This ruling, which said that the religious and moral objections superseded the company's need for information, pointed out that, had St. John lived to see his day in court, the companies would have had to proceed with their cases without the benefit of whatever medical evidence an autopsy provided. Thus their cases were not materially impacted by the lack of autopsy.

The panel advising Judge Paley's decision, St. John v. Affinia Group, affirmed on March 18 his negative autopsy ruling but not the religious objection portion, stating that mere assertion of an objection was insufficient and would "allow litigants to thwart completely and without justification a proper request".

However it was arrived at, the ruling seems a vindication for the St. John family, who can now bury their loved one, and for the American people. It is a clear rejection of corporate ruthlessness. Chrysler, facing bankruptcy, could surely have proceeded without the autopsy, and has now garnered the sort of PR likely to make future auto sales uncertain even if it survives bankruptcy.

Michigan Governor Wants to Halt State Asbestos Inspections

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - It's another sign of the current tough economic times. Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm says her state can no longer afford the high cost of asbestos inspections of buildings that are slated for renovation or demolition. Asbestos is a known carcinogen that is commonly found in building materials used in the construction of older residential and commercial structures, and because of the extreme toxicity of the substance, proper handling and disposal of the material is critical when it comes to minimizing health risks associated with exposure to airborne asbestos fibers.

Anytime an older building is torn down or undergoes extensive renovations, the possibility of asbestos fibers being released into the environment is quite high. At the present time, Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) oversees an inspection program designed to alert builders to the presence of asbestos, and the agency is also responsible for the enforcement of strict asbestos handling and disposal regulations that call for substantial fines (and possible prison time) for intentional violators of those rules. The problem is, the DEQ's asbestos inspection and enforcement program is expensive, costing the state $350,000 annually, though, $100,000 of that amount is covered by a federal grant.

If Gov. Granholm has her way, as is outlined in her proposed budget, the DEQ will eliminate the asbestos inspection/enforcement plan and turn those duties over to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Environmentalist critics of Granholm's plan say that the asbestos program is badly needed, and that they don't trust the EPA to do a competent job of protecting the public's health. Critics also say that $250,000 is but a tiny fraction of the DEQ's $341 million budget, and because of the extreme toxicity of asbestos, this is one of the last programs the state should eliminate to help reduce Michigan's projected 2010 deficit of $1.4 billion or more.

Asbestos was once considered to a wonder material because of its numerous desirable qualities. The naturally occurring silicate mineral is virtually fireproof, has a high tensile strength, superior resistance to harsh corrosive chemicals, excellent thermal and electrical current insulating characteristics and more. Asbestos can be found in the soil or in above ground geologic rock formations in countries around the world, and while asbestos exists in a variety of types, colors, and chemical compositions, certain types of exposures to asbestos in any form can pose a dire threat to human health.

Once embraced by countless industries, asbestos found its way into hundreds of products that many people continue to be exposed to every day. Asbestos was used widely by the building products industry, and millions of older structures in the United States were built using asbestos-containing materials. When many of these building materials are disturbed, microscopic asbestos fibers can be released into the air where, if inhaled into the lungs, they can cause serious respiratory illnesses decades after the exposure. Asbestos fibers can cause a number diseases, including malignant pleural mesothelioma, a deadly and incurable form of cancer.

DEQ spokesman Robert McCann says the agency has no choice. "You can discuss scaling it back, but at a certain point you can't do that anymore, and you have to cut entire programs," said McCann. "We don't want to do it. There's obviously a value in remediating the asbestos in these old buildings."

Proponents of the Governor's plan to eliminate the state program point to the fact that the EPA handled Michigan's asbestos-related functions for over a decade back in the 1980s, and only ceased doing so when the state volunteered to take over the federal government agency's duties. It remains to be seen whether or not Michigan's State House and Senate members will go along with the governor's budget recommendation.

Massachusetts Contractor Receives Hefty Fine for Asbestos Violations

WESTBOROUGH - Massachusetts contractors beware. When it comes to working with or disposing of asbestos-a known cancer causing agent-state and federal environmental agencies have little sympathy for those who knowingly and willfully violate the strict guidelines that govern the handling and disposal of the extremely hazardous material. This fact was borne out again when the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently assessed a fine of over $18,000 against the Environmental Source Corporation (ESC), a Lawrence-based contracting firm that had been performing asbestos involved renovations on a structure in Westborough in April of 2008.

According to documents obtained from the DEP, the Lawrence contractor's workers, as part of a larger renovation, had been removing cementitious, asbestos containing shingles from a Westborough structure located at 245 Main Street. When DEP inspectors visited the site last April, they discovered numerous violations of state regulations that apply to asbestos related construction or demolition projects.

While the state calls for strict asbestos handling protocols, ESC workers at the Main Street site had followed none of them. Massachusetts regulations require that any individual who removes asbestos shingles from a structure must ensure that the shingles are kept wet, that they be lowered to the ground with great care taken not to fracture the shingles, and that they then be sealed in an airtight container that is properly labeled to warn others of its highly toxic contents.

Asbestos is a material that has fascinated and served mankind for thousands of years. Asbestos comes in a variety of chemical compositions, types, and colors, and it can be found in abundance in countries around the world. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that can be mined from deposits below the earth or extracted from above ground rock formations. The material is characterized by a broad spectrum of unique properties: asbestos first fascinated ancient man when it was discovered that the material was virtually fireproof; asbestos has superior insulating qualities; the mineral is highly resistant to harsh corrosives and has a very high tensile strength.

For all the above reasons and many more, asbestos is a material that was prized by a wide variety of industries that used the material in countless products from building materials to automotive brake pads to baby powder. All that came to an abrupt halt in the early 1970s, however, after it had been confirmed that exposures to microscopic, airborne asbestos fibers posed a significant threat to human health. When asbestos fibers are inhaled into the lungs, they can remain there for up to 50 years before causing the onset of respiratory diseases such as asbestosis-a severe scarring of the lungs that results in significantly decreased respiratory function. Asbestos fiber inhalation is also the only known cause of pleural malignant mesothelioma, a highly aggressive, incurable, and always fatal form of cancer. For these reasons, the DEP took a very dim view of the fact that ESC workers were casually fracturing dry wall shingles as they removed them from the Main Street structure; workers then tossed the potentially lethal materials into open debris piles on the site. "You have to lower the shingles very carefully...you want to be sure they're not broken up in any way," said DEP spokesman Ed Colletta."

Lee Dillard Adams, Deputy Director of the Worchester DEP office said, "Licensed asbestos contractors are fully aware that the prescribed regulatory work procedures are critical to the protection of their workers, public health, and the environment. Failure to strictly adhere to all required work practices inevitably results in significant penalty exposure and escalated cleanup."

While ESC has been fined over $18,000, the contracting firm will be eligible to recoup up to $8,600 of that amount if they do not commit any further asbestos related safety violations in the state of Massachusetts for a period of one year.

Television networks band to fight cancer

On September 5, 2008, the three major television networks will join together with film, sports, and music stars for an unprecedented initiative to help raise money to contribute to research which will, hopefully, put an end to cancer's current status as a leading cause of death. The initiative will be called Stand Up To Cancer.

The networks will donate one hour of commercial-free primetime television to the cause, during which the fundraiser will be held. The initiative was announced by Charles Gibson, Katie Couric, and Brian Williams during live appearances on ABC's "Good Morning America," CBS's "The Early Show," and NBC's "Today Show."

"For people struggling with this disease, or those who will be diagnosed, scientific breakthroughs can be a matter of life or death -- literally. We want everyone to know that they can make a difference in this fight," said Couric. "Television is a notoriously competitive business. For the three major broadcast networks to join forces is a wonderful example of the power of working together, and we're very grateful to have the opportunity to reach people all over the country through this show."

"As a motion picture and television producer, I've learned how incredibly powerful these mediums can be in generating public discourse, sometimes almost overnight. Our goal with this initiative and TV show is to 'tip' the conversation in this country about cancer - to get people riled up, so they want to do something about the fact that it still takes so many lives," said Laura Ziskin, who will produce the September 5th broadcast. Ziskin is a cancer survivor.

"The statistics are staggering," Gibson said. "Cancer claims one person every minute of every day in the United States. Every year in this country, it takes the lives of more than half a million people...worldwide, cancer kills more than six million people annually. There has been progress on both the research and awareness fronts; as a result, there are over ten million cancer survivors in the US today. More work urgently needs to be done so that more people will survive," he said.

"Not only has cancer touched all of our media organizations in profound ways, but it has touched each of us personally. This extraordinary broadcast will serve a number of purposes - we'll share vital information with our viewers and hopefully raise funds that are so critical in the fight against this insidious disease," said Williams.

Asbestos delays school renovation

Madison County, GA - Renovations work at Madison County Middle School has been delayed after officials found asbestos in the building.

Fortunately, Superintendent Dr. Mitch McGhee said the delay won't be as long as they had originally been told. The initially estimation was that asbestos cleanup would hold the project back for two weeks and cost the school system about $200,000. However, upon further review, the delay is only expected to be for two to three days and cost $41,000 for abatement of the cancer-causing material.

Dr. McGhee was relieved to hear the new numbers, saying he felt like he was having a heart attack when he heard the initial estimates. According to the superintendent, students and staff were not at risk for exposure from the asbestos, and the school has hired a professional contractor to perform the asbestos removal.

The goal behind the renovation project is to transform the old MCMS building into a hybrid that will serve multiple purposes. It will house the central office as well as the Danielsville Elementary Colt Academy and the Madison County High School Freshmen Academy.

The construction crew performing the renovation work found floor tiles containing asbestos underneath carpet in the freshmen academy section of the building. The tiles were beneath layers of flooring that have been installed over the years since the building's construction in 1956.

Dr. McGhee said that although asbestos has been removed from the school before, they had no documented reports of these asbestos-laden tiles. He added that the school system is audited every three years for asbestos by a professional firm.

Supreme Court Rejects W.R. Grace Appeals

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected appeals by W.R. Grace and six of its executives charged with violating the Clean Air Act. The ruling moves the case back to U.S. District Court where it may now proceed to trial.

In February 2005, the government indicted seven W.R. Grace executives on charges of violating the Clean Air Act. The government alleged that officials knowingly endangered the lives of miners and Libby residents by continuing to operate the town's vermiculite mine despite knowledge of the dangers of asbestos.

After the indictment, lawyers for Grace filed an appeal arguing that the EPA's definition of asbestos did not cover most of the fibers that contaminated the vermiculite. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy agreed and issued a decision in August 2006 that nullified much of the government's case.

The government's case seemed to fall apart after Molloy ruled the government could not bring "knowing endangerment" charges which carry up to 15 year prisons terms for each charge. In addition he barred the prosecution from calling on certain witnesses and banned crucial documents on the health impact of asbestos exposure.

All of those decisions were later overturned by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In April Grace took the case to the Supreme Court but the court refused to hear their case and it is now expected to go to trial in the late fall or early winter.

Asbestos related diseases have now claimed the lives of 300 to 400 residents and sickened hundreds more in the small Montana town. A key component of the government's 30-page brief to the Supreme Court was that if the case continues to drag on, the number of potential witnesses will steadily decrease as they are dying from the affects of asbestos exposure. In fact one of the executives charged in the initial indictment, Alan Stringer has already perished (his death was not related to asbestos exposure).

2008 has seen a number of major legal developments involving W.R. Grace. In April the company agreed to provide $3 billion to settle lawsuits brought by those sickened or killed by asbestos exposure and earlier agreed to pay the government $250 million to reimburse cleanup costs for Superfund sites across the United States.

Asbestos to finally be removed from Wyoming lot

Neighborhood residents breathed a sigh of relief Wednesday when asbestos-contaminated construction rubble was hauled away from a nearby lot after two years of debate.

Neighbors watched as workers in bulldozers and dump trucks took care of the debris from the site where asbestos fragments were discovered in 2006. However, authorities debated over whether the waste posed a health risk and if there was a chance that it could drift away from the site.

Officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency assessed the area in December 2006 and stated that the asbestos was not friable, which meant it could not be pulverized into dust and become airborne. Non-friable asbestos does not pose a health risk.

However, both the expert hired by the residents and the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality found friable samples of asbestos when they surveyed the site. A written plan of removal and disposal was then requested.

The asbestos contractor who was hired to supervise the cleanup said that 560 pounds of asbestos debris was cleared from the lot in October of last year and another 60 pounds of material was removed on Wednesday. The waste will be covered and hauled to a landfill approved for construction material.

The final cleanup, which will remove about 40 truckloads of material, is expected to take three additional days. However, due to scheduling, the days will not be consecutive so the project will not be completed for another few weeks.

Major asbestos case over compensation to begin soon

UK - A landmark court case over compensation rights for asbestos victims is expected to start soon.

The battle is over the issue of whether insurers should be forced to pay for asbestos-related damages dating as far as the initial exposure or from when the sufferer is diagnosed. The ruling will be decided by the High Court.

The workers affected and the Unite trade union said the insurance industry is trying to evade its accountability and hoping to profit at the expense of others' suffering. A union official said insurance companies have a duty to help victims. He called the situation "sickening" and said the union plans to fight against the insurers every step of the way.

However, the insurance companies are disputing the claim, saying it only makes sense that they should be responsible only starting from when the victim becomes ill. They argue that their policies are only evoked when the condition is diagnosed.

Millions of dollars are at stake that could be provided victims and their families. The case is expected to go on for about two months, with a decision likely to be made in the fall.

Both sides have already stated that they plan to appeal should the ruling go against them.

Asbestos-related illnesses, which typically take decades to show up after initial exposure, are responsible for the greatest amounts of work-related deaths in the country. Tradesmen most likely to develop a condition are former shipyard workers and those from other heavy industries.

What Every Firefighter Should Know About Asbestos

Firefighters are at risk of asbestos exposure because of its frequent use in older structures and its ability to linger in the air even after a fire has been extinguished. Our goal is to provide firefighters with the information they need to minimize their risk of exposure including:

• Asbestos and Firefighters
• Exposure Risks
• 9/11 and Asbestos
• Firefighter FAQs

Firefighters are at risk of repeated asbestos exposure because they work in environments that can release asbestos fibers and over time this can lead to serious health problems including cancer. Following the attacks of September 11th asbestos and many other harmful substances were released into the air which has subsequently sickened hundreds of first responders and people within the area. Our goal is to show firefighters how they can reduce their exposure risks to asbestos and other chemicals by taking simple steps to protect their health..

What is Asbestos

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral which was used in a variety of construction materials before 1980. The material was eventually phased out of construction following the publication of studies that showed asbestos to be a carcinogen. However many buildings and homes contain asbestos containing materials, one estimate says that up to 80 percent of all buildings constructed before 1978.

Firefighters are often exposed to the fibers after they become airborne as a result of the fire itself and structural deterioration or failure. The following list show some of the more common asbestos containing materials. (A more complete list of asbestos-containing materials in the home.)

Definitions for Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs)

Friable: Material containing more than 1 percent asbestos (by weight) that can be reduced to dust using hand pressure. The danger with this type of material is that given its relatively low strength, it is more likely to release asbestos fibers during a fire Common examples include acoustic tiles, pipe/duct insulation, plaster, and block insulation on boilers and hot water tanks.

Non-friable: Material containing more than 1 percent asbestos (by weight) that cannot be crumbled into dust using hand pressure. This form of asbestos containing material is divided into two categories:
Category I includes gaskets, resilient floor coverings and asphalt roofing products.
Category II contains any other non-friable ACM not included in Category I.

Regulated asbestos containing materials (RACM) include friable asbestos materials and the following:

• Category I non-friable that has become friable;
• Category I non-friable ACM that has or will be subjected to sanding, grinding, or cutting
• Category II non-friable ACM that has a high probability of being reduced to powder by demolition or renovation activities.

Demolition for flooded homes raises concern about asbestos release

Iowa City, IO - As part of Iowa's rebuilding plans after the recent flood, the Environmental Protection Agency is testing air samples in several communities to determine if dangerous amounts of asbestos fibers are present.

The EPA is concerned that demolition projects for homes and structures too damaged from the flood to be fixed may cause the release of the cancerous particles into the air. The agency said it has been monitoring air levels for more than two weeks as a precautionary measure, similar to the procedures taken last year for the floods in Coffeeville, Kansas and for the tornado that recently hit Parkersburg, Iowa.

In Cedar Rapids, more than 40 homes have been identified as requiring demolition. However, officials don't think Iowa City will require such a high amount. An EPA on-scene coordinator said he didn't believe any of the homes he saw needed to be torn down.

Air samples collected in Iowa City so far have tested safe, but the EPA said it will remain cautious and continue testing air levels for a few more weeks.

According to the EPA website, asbestos has strong heat-resistance properties and was often used in the past in insulation materials. Because it is both light and strong, even a small amount can cause serious health conditions, such as asbestosis and mesothelioma, if inhaled. However, symptoms for asbestos-related diseases take decades to show up.

The material is safe is undisturbed but renovation and demolition work like the projects in Iowa can break it and release airborne fibers.

MESOTHELIOMA TREATMENT OPTIONS

The treatment program for mesothelioma depends on many factors, including: the stage of the cancer, where the cancer is, how far the cancer has spread, how the cancer cells look under the microscope and the patient’s age and desires.

TIME MATTERS

People diagnosed with this disease are often told the expected survival rate is only eight to twelve months. However, specialists in treating malignant mesothelioma at the leading cancer centers often have better statistics.

For instance, the five-year survival rate has approached 40% for selected patients of Dr. David Sugarbaker at Brigham and Women’s Center in Boston. To qualify for Dr. Sugarbaker’s treatment you must meet certain criteria. One of them is being in the early stages of the disease, so time is of the essence. To find out more about Dr. Sugarbaker and other physicians and cancer centers specializing in mesothelioma click on Finding Specialists.

Keeping track of your medical treatment is useful and a personal medical records file can help.

TRADITIONAL CARE

There are three traditional kinds of treatment for patients with malignant mesothelioma:

• Surgery (taking out the cancer)
• Chemotherapy (using drugs to fight the cancer)
• Radiation Therapy (using high-dose x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells)

Often two or more of these are combined in the course of treatment. (NEW! Click here for the newest trial of trimodal lung-sparing treatment for pleural mesothelioma: The Columbia Protocol.)

MESOMARK BLOOD TEST

In January 2007, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the MESOMARK assay to help monitor response to treatment in epithelial and bi-phasic malignant mesothelioma patients. A specific protein, or biomarker, called Soluble Mesothelin-Related Peptide (SMRP), may be released into the blood by mesothelioma cancer cells. By measuring the amount of SMRP in a blood sample, doctors may be able to better monitor a patient's progress. Based on the limited amount of data currently available, use of this test may be beneficial, but effectiveness has not been determined at this time. The MESOMARK blood test has NOT yet been approved for the early diagnosis of mesothelioma.

This test has been approved as a Humanitarian Use Device (HUD), meaning that physicians must follow certain procedures to qualify their patients for testing. Once the physician is certified, informational brochures will be sent to be distributed to each applicable patient.

Those wishing to take part in

MESOMARK testing will be asked to provide one or more samples of blood. The blood samples will then be sent to a national reference laboratory for testing. In conjunction with other clinical and laboratory data obtained by your doctor, decisions regarding your treatment and care may be simplified. You may discontinue testing at any time.

The costs associated with the MESOMARK blood test may not be covered under health insurance, therefore, you may be required to pay all or part of the costs out of pocket. It is recommended that you check with your insurance carrier to determine whether coverage is available under your policy.

SURGERY

Diagnostic Procedures

As previously mentioned in the "Symptoms" section of this website, a diagnosis of mesothelioma from fluid is many times inconclusive. Given this fact, diagnostic surgery becomes a necessary next step in confirming and staging mesothelioma.

Thoracoscopy enables a physician to evaluate the pleural cavity and to conduct multiple tissue biopsies under direct vision. In up to 98% of cases, a definitive diagnosis can be obtained. Often, chemical pleurodesis aimed at relieving the accumulation of fluid in the intrapleural space, can be accomplished during the same procedure. It is also possible to gauge the extent of the tumor, and make a determination of surgical resectability. While less invasive than an open biopsy, it can only be performed on patients where tumor has not obliterated the pleural space.

VATS, or video-assisted thoracic surgery is an alternative to thoracoscopy, although because of its more invasive nature, concerns of tumor seeding increase. By utilizing small incisions, the physician can view the pleural space with the assistance of a camera, and obtain sufficient tissue samples for analysis by a pathologist. Extent of the tumor (i.e., pleural involvement, chest wall invasion) may also determined, and recommendation as to the type of debulking procedure necessary can be made at this time.

Mediastinoscopy is sometimes used as an aid in staging extent of disease when enlarged nodes are seen using imaging techniques.

Laproscopy is used in mesothelioma patients in cases where imaging techniques suggest possible invasion of the tumor through the diaphragm. This information can be important in evaluating a patient for potential pleurectomy or extrapleural pneumonectomy.

Palliative Procedures

Palliative surgical procedures are those which treat a symptom of mesothelioma, without aggressively treating the disease itself.

Chest Tube Drainage and Pleurodesis is considered the most common of palliative treatments. Fluid build-up, or pleural effusion, is most often the first symptom which will prompt mesothelioma patients to seek medical attention. Once this effusion has occurred, it is many times persistent, returning rapidly after initial thoracentesis (draining of the fluid). In order to eliminate this problem, the pleural space must be closed. This is accomplished by use of a talc slurry or other sclerosing agent which produces an adhesion.

Thoracoscopy and Pleurodesis is done in conjunction with VATS using a powdered form of talc versus talc slurry. Both this and chest tube drainage and pleurodesis will be only effective if there is no tumor encasing the lung which restricts its expansion.

Pleuroperitoneal Shunt plays a limited role in palliation for several reasons. It involves placement of a catheter run under the skin from the pleural to the peritoneal cavity. Obstruction of the catheter and possible seeding of the tumor into the abdominal cavity may be concerns.

Pleurectomy, used as a palliative procedure, may be performed where more extensive surgery is not an option. In these cases, it is understood that all visible or gross tumor will not be removed. It is considered the most effective means of controlling pleural effusion in cases where the lung's expansion is restricted by disease.

Potentially Curative Procedures

These procedures are performed with "curative intent". Their goal is removal of all gross disease, with the knowledge that microscopic disease will most likely remain. Adjuvant therapy (another form of treatment in addition to the primary therapy) is typically aimed at eliminating residual disease.

For Pleural Mesothelioma:

• Pleurectomy/Decortication is usually performed on patients with early stage disease (Stage I and selected Stage II), and attempts to remove all gross tumor. If it is found that all tumor can not be removed without removing the lung, this may be done at the same time and is called pneumonectomy.
• Extrapleural Pneumonectomy is considerably more radical than other surgical approaches, and should be carried out by surgeons with great expertise in evaluating patients and performing the procedure itself. (See Finding Specialists.) Because in the past surgery alone has failed to effect a cure, or even to help prolong life for any extended period of time, it is currently being combined with traditional chemotherapy and/or radiation, or other new approaches such as gene therapy, immunotherapy or photodynamic therapy.

  General Patient Selection Criteria for Extrapleural Pneumonectomy

  Extrapleural pneumonectomy is a serious operation, and doctors experienced in this procedure choose their patients carefully. It is up to each individual surgeon to advise the patient on its feasibility and to conduct whatever tests he/she feel are necessary to optimize the patient's chances for survival and recovery. Following is a general list of patient selection criteria. This list may not be all inclusive, and may vary according to the preference of the surgeon.

  • Karnofsky Performance Status score of >70. This score relates to what symptoms of disease the patient may be experiencing and how well they are able to conduct their daily activities. Some surgeons may require a higher performance status than others.
  • Adequate renal (kidney) and liver function tests; no significant kidney or liver disease.
  • Normal cardiac function per electrocardiogram and echocardiography.
  • Adequate pulmonary function to tolerate the surgery.
  • Disease limited to the ipsilateral hemithorax (the same side of the chest in which the mesothelioma is located) with no penetration of the diaphragm, extension to the heart or extensive involvement of the chest wall.
  • Age of the patient is taken into consideration, but may not be as important as their overall status.

  Surgeries of this nature should always be done with a complete understanding of the possible benefits and risks involved. If you are considering surgery as a treatment option, speak openly with your doctor about your concerns, and be sure all of your questions are answered to your satisfaction.

For Peritoneal Mesothelioma:

• Cytoreductive Surgery is aimed at removing all or nearly all of the gross or visible tumor in the peritoneal cavity. In order to treat any remaining cancer cells, Intra-Peritoneal Hyperthermic (heated) Chemotherapy (IPHC) is then delivered to the abdominal cavity. The type of chemotherapy drug used may vary according to the physician’s preference. Click here for more on treatment of peritoneal mesothelioma.

TOP

CHEMOTHERAPY

Chemotherapy is defined as the treatment of cancer using chemical substances. When cancer occurs, abnormal cells continue to divide uncontrolled. Anticancer, or chemotherapy drugs, work to destroy cancer cells by preventing them from multiplying. Read more on types of chemotherapy medicines.

Purposes of Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy may be used to achieve different goals, depending on the stage of the cancer at the time of diagnosis and the age and health of the patient. Since chemotherapy for mesothelioma is not considered "curative", the goal is:

• To control the cancer by stopping its spread or slowing its growth.
• To shrink tumors prior to other treatments, such as surgery. This is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
• To destroy microscopic disease which may remain after surgery. This is called adjuvant chemotherapy.
• To relieve symptoms, such as pain. This is called palliative chemotherapy, and is given in cases when a drastic reduction in the tumor is not expected.

The most common use for chemotherapy in mesothelioma patients, is as an option for those who are not surgical candidates, however, various cancer centers are now conducting trials using the neoadjuvant approach. Alimta (pemetrexed) is a drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use with Cisplatin in the treatment of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma whose disease is either unresectable or who are not candidates for curative surgery. Alimta is the first drug approval specific to mesothelioma.

The Alimta/Cisplatin chemotherapy regimen is the first Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved treatment specifically for malignant pleural mesothelioma. This is currently considered the most effective first-line treatment for mesothelioma patients who are not surgical candidates. A multi-targeted antifolate drug, Alimta works by blocking the enzymes necessary for DNA copying and cell division. During the clinical trial process, Alimta/Cisplatin improved median survival for pleural mesothelioma patients by approximately three months over treatment with Cisplatin as a single agent. Eli Lilly's information on treatment with Alimta.

As with any medical treatment, it is important to discuss the use of Alimta with your doctor. This conversation should include all pertinent information regarding effectiveness, administration and possible side effects of the drug combination. It is also important to begin vitamin supplementation of B12 by injection during the week prior to treatment (to be repeated every 9 weeks), and folic acid by mouth daily (to be continued until 21 days after the last cycle of Alimta). Additionally, you will be given an oral steroid medication to minimize the risk of skin rash or other possible side effects. Your doctor will have information on the correct dosages of each medication. Be sure to tell your doctor of any other medications you are taking (including non-prescription drugs) so he may be aware of any adverse interactions.

Alimta/Cisplatin is administered to patients on an outpatient basis every 21 days. This cycle of treatment involves a 10-minute IV infusion of Alimta followed by a 2 hour infusion of Cisplatin. How many cycles of treatment you receive will be dependent on your response rate to the drug (regression of the tumor or halt to progression of the disease) and the side effects you might experience.

Side effects of Alimta/Cisplatin are mild to moderate for most mesothelioma patients, i.e., nausea, vomiting and fatigue, and can usually be managed by your doctor. For some patients, however, side effects may be debilitating, and may require a decrease in dosage or removal from the program. All potential side effects should be mentioned to your doctor. Never assume any complaint is minor.

Administration of Chemotherapy

The most common way to administer chemotherapy is intravenously, or through a vein. A thin needle is inserted into a vein in the hand or in the lower arm. Intravenous administration of drugs allows for rapid entry into the blood stream. Drugs may also be delivered via catheters and/or ports.

• Catheters are soft, thin, flexible tubes placed into a large vein in the body. They remain in place for as long as they are needed.
• The catheter may sometimes be attached to a port, a small round plastic or metal disc placed under the skin on the chest. Ports also remain in place for as long as necessary.

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy may also be delivered through a catheter or a port. The catheter is inserted through the abdominal wall. Chemotherapy drugs can then be infused directly into the abdominal cavity. Ports may also be placed under the skin of the abdominal wall and the catheter tunneled between the skin and muscle into the peritoneum.

Side Effects of Chemotherapy

Cancer cells grow and divide more rapidly than normal cells, but some normal cells also multiply quickly, particularly those in the digestive tract, reproduction system, and hair follicles. It is the damage done to normal cells that causes side effects. The type of side effects you might experience and how severe they are, depend on the type of chemotherapy you are receiving, the dosage given and how your own body reacts. Before beginning any chemotherapy treatment, you will be asked to sign a consent form. Before signing the form, be sure your doctor informs you of all the facts regarding the treatment he/she will be administering, including information about the particular drug or combination of drugs to be used, the possible risks or side effects (including nausea and vomiting and peripheral neuropathy), the number of treatments you will receive and how often, and whether it will be given during a hospital stay or on an outpatient basis. More on vomiting and nausea from chemotherapy. More on peripheral neuropathy. More on anti-nausea treatment for chemotherapy patients.

Click here if you are interested in learning more about chemotherapy for mesothelioma and the types of questions you should ask your doctor.

Chemotherapy Schedules

How often you will receive chemotherapy will be determined by your doctor, taking into consideration factors such as the stage of your cancer, the types of drugs you receive, the anticipated toxicities of the drugs and the time necessary for your body to recover from these toxicities. The doctor may also consider whether the goal of the chemotherapy is to control the growth of the cancer, or to ease symptoms associated with the disease.

In general, chemotherapy treatment is administered in "cycles" — a "cycle" being defined as a period of treatment followed by a period of rest. This cycle allows the cancer cells to be attacked by the drugs, and then allows the body's normal cells time to recover. The combination of drugs used, the length of time to administer the drugs, how often they should be repeated and the number of cycles recommended have been analyzed throughly in clinical trials. For mesothelioma patients, the "standard" treatment is a combination of Alimta and cisplatin, administered IV, with a 10 minute infusion of Alimta followed by two hours of cisplatin, given in 21 day cycles. Modifications to this schedule may be made according to what your doctor feels is appropriate in your particular case.

The number of treatment cycles, or the length of time between the beginning and end of chemotherapy may vary, however in general, 3 to 4 cycles of treatment are given before response is evaluated; 2 to 3 cycles are considered a minimum to assess for effectiveness. After response to the treatment has been determined, the following criteria will be used to decide whether chemotherapy should continue:

• If there is shrinkage of the tumor, or the disease is kept stable, chemotherapy may be continued for as long as it can be tolerated and there is no disease progression.
• If there is continued disease progression, chemotherapy will be stopped, and the patient will be given alternative options.

The goal of setting a chemotherapy schedule is to make treatment as effective, timely and trouble-free as possible, but while the drugs are working to kill cancer cells, they may also affect healthy cells causing side effects. One of the most common side effects, and one your doctor will monitor carefully, is a chemotherapy-induced low white blood cell count (neutropenia) which means your immune system is weakened, therefore leaving you more prone to infection. While this side effect is anticipated when someone is undergoing chemotherapy, it can cause delays in your treatment schedule, or changes in the dosage of the drugs you will receive. Click here for more on understanding your blood counts.

TOP

Note to Patients:

Chemotherapy treatment should be a cooperative effort between you and your doctor. The interaction that takes place is important to your health. It will not only help you feel better, but will also address any potential problems with miscommunication.

1. It is necessary for your doctor to be aware of any side effects which may result from your chemotherapy treatment.
   These may include:
   • Fever of, or greater than 101 degrees
   • Nausea or vomiting
   • Diarrhea or constipation
   • Fatigue
   • Tingling or numbness in the fingers or toes
   • Ringing in the ears
   • Bruises or rashes
   • Sores in the mouth or throat
2. Taking other medication of any kind can alter the effects of chemotherapy or cause undesirable interactions.
   Be sure you report all over-the-counter and prescribed medicines to your doctor. Don’t take aspirin unless it has been approved by your doctor. Ask your pharmacist if aspirin is contained in any drugs you plan to purchase.
3. Take extra care with your daily health.
   Try to maintain a stable weight by eating a healthy diet and drinking plenty of fluids. If your stomach is upset, ask your doctor for helpful hints or work with a nutritionist who can tailor a program to your needs. Brush your teeth after every meal, or if you can’t brush, rinse your mouth thoroughly with water.

   Stay away from people who have colds or the flu. Chemotherapy can compromise your immune system and lower your resistance to germs. Make sure you keep appointments for blood work – these tests help your doctor monitor your health.




4. Be open about your feelings regarding your treatment.
   It is normal to feel sad, angry or afraid, however, letting these emotions get out of control can be detrimental to your overall well-being. Seek out the help of family, friends, your doctor, a counselor or a support group.

RADIATION THERAPY

Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, treats cancer by using penetrating beams of high energy or streams of particles called radiation. In treating mesothelioma, radiation may be used aggressively in combination with surgery, or palliatively to control symptoms.

In an aggressive combined modality approach, radiation is used to attack microscopic or residual disease remaining in the chest cavity after extrapleural pnuemonectomy. An example of this is Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), which uses x-rays of varying intensities in conjunction with computer generated images to deliver targeted radiation directly to cancer cells while reducing the amount of radiation to surrounding healthy tissue. More on Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT).

Used palliatively, radiation can help control metastases (spread) of the tumor along tracks left by invasive procedures such as thoracoscopy, needle biopsy and chest tube drainage, or to control disease symptoms, such as pain or shortness of breath.

An exciting new development in radiation oncology is tomotherapy. A brief description of steps in the helical tomotherapy process.

Apartment fire raises concern about asbestos exposure

Boulder, CO - A three-alarm fire occurred on Saturday at the Boulder's Hill House Apartments and displaced residents are unable to determine if their belongings are salvageable until Tuesday at the earliest because of the risk of asbestos exposure.

Nearly 50 people, mainly University of Colorado students, have been displaced by the fire but luckily, no injuries have been reported. However, for some residents, it is believed that they will not be able to reclaim any of their possessions due to asbestos contamination.

Crews discovered asbestos in the drywall mud on Sunday morning, which resulted in the four-story apartment being declared unfit for living. The police have told residents that they can't go back in their units until air quality tests are completed.

Investigators hadn't been able to trace the source of the fire as of Sunday morning. However, they said they believe it was an accident and that it is doubtful that the source was fireworks are a barbecue grill.

Over 50 firefighters from Boulder and surrounding areas were called in. One firefighter injured his shoulder and suffered heat exhaustion. Only the top two floors, where the fire appears to have started, are expected to be damaged by the fire but all units are expected to have water damage.

The property managers at Millennium Harvest House helped by taking in 15 residents while the remaining residents went to stay with family or friends.

Red Cross volunteers have responded as well by providing counseling and helping residents with creating lists of items in their units. The University of Colorado also offered to help with housing and food if needed.

Austrailia: Asbestos presence at Brisbane club

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia - According to a report by the Brisbane City Council, over 60 sporting and community clubs have been identified as containing asbestos.

The council said the buildings, which are also occupied by arts and school groups, pose no present danger but are deemed potential risks and will require regular monitoring. It claims all building occupants have been notified, but at least a dozen clubs have responded that they haven't been informed of the problem or were not aware it was their responsibility to deal with the substance.

The council's Community Services chairwoman, Geraldine Knapp, said every club was notified and told that state legislation requires they take care of it. She added that the council had set aside budget to for the clubs to manage the asbestos issue. However, some clubs are insisting that the council should be responsible for dealing with the asbestos problem because they weren't qualified to deal with the matter.

The Queensland Asbestos-Related Disease Support Society said the council was trying to push its responsibilities onto the clubs and that smaller clubs especially should not be obligated to take on the dangerous problem.

A Brisbane Institute of Art manager said his organization moved into their building nearly 10 years ago and were told that the building was safe. They had been told that facilities deemed as "high risk" had been dealt with but risk ratings for each building would not be disclosed.

New Asbestos Registry Created for Baie Verte Asbestos Miners

A registry for former Baie Verte asbestos miners is being created to identify mine employees who have developed asbestos related diseases.

Former mine employees are being asked to join the registry which will be monitored by the SafetyNet research unit of Memorial University. Those employees will be asked to provide the following:

• 1.5840 or 1.5945 Employment history
• Asbestos exposure information
• Current health status

The Baie Verte Asbestos Mine employed approximately 3,000 people from the time it opened in 1955 to its closure in 1992. In 1976, Dr. Irving Selikoff examined mine workers after a successful request by the United Steelworkers of America. Selikoff discovered that of the 485 workers he examined, 10 percent had an asbestos-related disease and numerous other workers showed possible signs of illness.

30 years later the United Steel Workers, Baie Verte Peninsula Miners' Action Committee and the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission are coming together to build the registry which was finalized in October 2006.

The registry proposal has been criticized by the leader of the New Democratic Party for not including immediate family of miners. Workers who brought home asbestos fibers on their clothes have in some cases exposed family members to asbestos fibers which resulted in them contracting an asbestos related disease. More information on second hand asbestos exposure.

Asbestos cleanup to cost $12 million for two buildings scheduled to be razed

A Buffalo developer has said that $12 million will be poured into an asbestos abatement project for two buildings in downtown Buffalo prior to their scheduled demolition.

Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp.'s chairman, Jordan A. Levy, said the Memorial Auditorium and Donovan State Office Building both require asbestos removal before the structures can be torn down without releasing deadly asbestos fibers on the town. The buildings' demolition is part of a $400 million Buffalo waterfront redevelopment project.

Levy said the company wants to have the work done as quickly and safely as possible, but one can't afford to be cheap when it comes to dealing with asbestos, a naturally-occurring material that causes serious health illnesses if inhaled.

Over 1,250 tons of asbestos-containing materials have been removed from the two structures since the work began in April. The list of things removed includes pipe insulation, fire-retardant wall coatings, and floor and ceiling tiles.

The debris has filled up 70 tractor-trailer loads and has been transported to a federally-approved landfill for asbestos in Ohio.

According to officials close to the project, the asbestos abatement is nearly 60 percent finished. More than 100 asbestos-certified workers and supervisors are working on the site everyday.

Crews are outfitted with safety suits, respirators, and multiple layers of barriers. After their shifts, crew members are also required to shower before changing back into their non-work clothes.

Asbestos work on Memorial Auditorium is expected to be completed by October 3 and cleanup on the Donovan site is scheduled to wrap up by December 9. Both buildings will be demolished before construction season in Spring 2009.

Parents turn to city council for help with asbestos concern

Montclair, NJ - The newly elected Township Council, in their first meeting, were faced with a large group of concerned parents who called for an independent review of asbestos at Renaissance Middle School.

The parents claimed that the Board of Education had not adequately addressed their worries so they're requesting assistance from the council. They believe there is a chance that their children may have been exposed to the cancer-causing substance and that the board is not taking the issue seriously.

Mayor Jerry Fried promised the parents that he would ask the Board of Education for a report with the timeline of when asbestos was present in the school. The parents requested that the BOE submit the report within 30 days.

Fried said the city does not have jurisdiction over the school board and he is not trying to be an advocate for either party. He stressed that he is only trying to help reconnect the lines of communication between the board and parents.

The asbestos issue started in May when workers hired by the facility's owner, the Newark Archdiocese, broke into a plaster wall while in the process of installing a new fire door. Schools officials responded by performing a test to determine if asbestos had been released. The findings of the tests confirmed that asbestos inside the wall had been disturbed and asbestos was also found on the building's third floor. The school was closed for three days following the incident.

Man pleads guilty to releasing asbestos in a church

A Bronx man has entered a guilty plea before a Superior Court judge for unsafe handling and releasing of asbestos in public areas.

Tyron Maple, 51, had removed asbestos insulation from Friendship Baptist Church, of which he is a member, using unsafe techniques which led to the release of hazardous asbestos fibers into nearby areas. He handled the asbestos without a license and did not follow the stringent state and federal guidelines that were established to protect the public.

One of the areas of the church that was contaminated by the asbestos Maple released was a section leased a daycare, putting children at risk for asbestos exposure which could lead to life-threatening illnesses in the future.

An investigation uncovered a contract Maple had signed with Friendship to perform removal of asbestos insulation from steam pipes, which were in need of repair but required asbestos removal prior to it. The unlicensed repairman completed the job last December for a fee of $6,200.

For his crime, the New York boiler repairman could be sentenced to a maximum of three years in a state prison for knowingly causing the release of a toxic substance.

In February, the church conducted air tests after a member complaint. The results revealed increased levels of asbestos everywhere in the church's first floor, and the building had to be closed for several days while a licensed asbestos professional performed a cleanup.

Asbestos found in Columbia County Wisconsin courthouse

Portage, WI - Tens of thousands of dollars are expected to be poured into an asbestos abatement project at the Columbia County Courthouse.

Along with the hallway ceilings on all three levels, 16 other areas of the 46 year old building have been identified as containing asbestos and will need to beworked on. The inspection that led to the discovery of the ceiling asbestos was spurred on by the March discovery of asbestos which caused the district attorney's office to close for half a day.

Asbestos was found on a ceiling tile on March 31, which led to the shutting down of the DA's office for the afternoon. It was believed that the asbestos had fallen from piping insulation.

The ceiling tiles themselves don't contain the cancer-causing material but some pipes in the building's infrastructure do have asbestos insulation around them. One of the goals of the abatement project is to cover up these pipes.

Cory Wiegel, the county's building and grounds department director, stressed that the asbestos in its current condition does not pose a health risk to anyone who works at or visits the courthouse. He said employees have performed work inside the ceiling countless times in the past 40 years with no health problems.

However, he said the county does want to ensure the safety of its employees by hiring certified contractors to remove the asbestos. The start date for the project has yet to be decided, but Wiegel said the work will likely take place over the weekend when the courthouse is closed.

Asbestos-tainted site to be restored

Newington, CT - Plans are being made to transform an abandoned factory contaminated with asbestos into a commercial development.

According to an environmental assessment of the land, the estimated cost of asbestos removal, while higher than the value of the property itself, isn't outrageous. Consulting firm Fuss & O'Neill, with the help from the Department of Environmental Protection, conducted an environmental study and after concluded that the land had potential.

The former National Welding factory has been closed since 1994, and it was placed on the town's list of ruined properties about five years later. Its owner, National Acme Inc., owes the city over $1.1 million in back taxes and interest and has a pending foreclosure suit filed by the city against the company.

Redeveloping the former factory site is a key obstacle in the town's vision for transforming the area into Newington's "gateway." Already, plans have already been approved for the building of an eight-acre commercial center, which will include a four-story hotel, a bank, and a Starbucks, next to the site.

Unless the unsightly land is fixed up, hotel guests staying in one of the many back rooms, will have a view of an abandoned factory.

It's yet to be confirmed how much the asbestos cleanup will cost the town, but a city official has said Newington plans to apply for state funding under a new program which helps projects geared toward redeveloping decrepit land. The town will begin soliciting bids for the redevelopment in the next few months.

School missing its asbestos removal records

Phoenix, AZ - All school campuses in the Tempe Union High School District will undergo asbestos retesting because school officials are unable to find the records with the details of an asbestos removal that took place 15 years ago.

The new project, which includes inspection and testing, is expected to cost less than $10,000.

The incident that set off the recent community concerns over asbestos occurred at Corona del Sol High School. Asbestos was discovered in blocks in one of the canopy structures outside.

A licensed contractor was hired to remove the blocks after school students and staff had left for the day to ensure that they did not become exposed. Parents saw the workers in protective gear on school grounds and became worried about the incident.

When inquired about the presence of asbestos in the schools, district officials realized that they could not locate the documents verifying the asbestos removal that was performed in 1993. This led to parents questioning whether the district had taking care of other potential problems such as mold.

All schools are legally required to abide by the rules set forth in the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA). The act required that an original inspection be conducted and that follow-up inspections take place every three years. Additionally, the act required that schools maintain an asbestos management plan, which would be kept at the school.

The district has spent the past several months cleaning and making repairs to combat air quality and mold issues. The bulk of work has been done during summer break.

The district said it would do everything to ensure the health and safety of students, stafff, and visitors, including the testing of all schools in the district.

Erie County to Collect $1.2 million from Asbestos Settlement

Erie County will receive around $1.2 million from an asbestos lawsuit against a former manufacturer and distributor of asbestos containing materials.

The county along with other government and public entities entered a lawsuit against Celotex and Carey Canada claiming property damage from material within their buildings. A class-action settlement was recently finalized but the cost of asbestos abatement far exceeds their share of the settlement. Two years ago the county spent $400,000 on asbestos abatement for one floor of a county office building.

Carey Canada operated mines and distributed asbestos until 1986 when it halted operations. In 1990 Carey Canada and its parent company Celotex filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection under the weight of numerous lawsuits by individuals and property owners.

Minnesota woman calls herself poster child for hope after mesothelioma

Roseville, MN - One Roseville woman has dubbed herself "the poster child for hope after meso[thelioma]", and she has the background to back it up.

Heather Von St. James, 39, has been living for almost three years since she was diagnosed with mesothelioma, the life-threatening lung cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. The average life expectancy of those who suffer from the disease ranges typically from 12 to 18 months.
She thinks she was exposed to the hazardous substance as a child. Her father was a construction laborer who worked with many asbestos-containing products. She said she used to put on his work clothes at times, not knowing that they were covered with asbestos.

Mrs. Von St. James was diagnosed with the cancer in November 2005, a few months after she gave birth to her now 3-year old daughter, Lily. When she returned to work on a part-time basis in August, she started feeling more tired than normal but thought it had to do with being a new mom. However, in October she reported feeling very heavy breathing.

A doctor's office visit resulted in the discovery of fluid in one of her lungs, which led to her going to United Hospital in St. Paul to get the fluid drained. After a series of tests, the doctor told her she had developed mesothelioma and presented her with several options.

If she left the cancer alone, she would probably live for only 15 more months. Radiation and chemotherapy would extend that to about five years. The last option was to undergo a radical surgical process which could possibly save her life. She chose the third.

In early February 2006, Mrs. Von St. James underwent the surgery which consisted of removing her left lung, one of her ribs, half of her diaphragm, the lining around her heart and a few lymph nodes. She spent the next three months recovering and in May, she began chemotherapy treatments. Today, she no longer has any traces of the mesothelioma in her body and is optimistic that it won't return.

Colorado man says his father got mesothelioma from asbestos exposure as a laborer and heavy equipment operator

Madison County, CO - A Colorado man is suing 13 companies for his father's death as a result of an asbestos-related disease.

Steven Dux charges the companies with the liability for his father's exposure to asbestos during his career. His father, Andres Martinez, had worked at the various companies between 1952 and 1990 as a laborer and heavy equipment operator.

Mr. Martinez was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a disease most commonly seen in industrial workers, in March 2007 and passed away in November of that year.

Mr. Dux claims that the defendant corporations were aware of the dangers of asbestos but did not take the necessary actions to ensure his father's health and safety. He said that the companies should have known Mr. Martinez would be exposed to asbestos fibers in his line of work and were therefore responsible for his exposure.

The suit alleges that the family had to expend a large amount of money for medical bills related to hospital care and other health services to treat the disease, and more money was lost in wages as a result of Mr. Martinez not being able to work due to his condition. It also claims that he suffered a lot physically and mentally from the disease.

Mr. Dux is seeking sums in excess of $50,000 and compensatory damages in excess of $100,000. In addition, he is seeking punitive damages from all of the companies involved to punish them for their actions and to dissuade other companies from committing similar acts in the future.

Court Ruling Allows Second Hand Exposure Case to Proceed to Trial

The Tennessee Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision that will allow a second hand asbestos exposure case to proceed to trial. The court ruled that a lawsuit filed against Alcoa by the father of a mesothelioma victim could proceed because the company had a duty of care that extended to family members.

Doug Satterfield filed the lawsuit after his daughter was diagnosed and later died from mesothelioma. Satterfield claims that he was routinely exposed to asbestos and carried fibers home with him on his clothing.

Satterfield filed suit against the company in 2003 but a trial judge initially dismissed the case arguing that Alcoa's liability did not extend to family members. In what could be one of the most important asbestos related rulings in the past decade, the supreme court reversed that decision allowing the lawsuit to go to trial.

The case will now go back to the lower court where they will begin the process of setting a trial date and handling depositions.

Studies Conclude Firefighters Twice as Likely to Develop Cancer

According to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network, more firefighters have been diagnosed with cancer in the past two years than in the previous 10 years.

The alarming statistic comes from a combination of studies and reports that concluded that cancer development is often a combination of factors, many of which are preventable.

Exposure Risks During a Fire

Firefighters are often exposed to dangerous chemicals emitted during fires that can linger in the air long after a blaze has been extinguished.

Firefighters who began their careers in the 1960s and 1970s often recall going into fires without masks or with very little breathing protection because the risks of chemical exposure were largely unknown. In addition many firefighters believed that fighting a fire with reduced safety equipment was more "macho."

Recently a study of air samples from 25 fires in the Phoenix area showed 20 contained higher than allowable levels of carbon monoxide, formaldehyde or sulfur dioxide air after the fire had been put out.

In addition firefighters are susceptible to asbestos exposure from building materials found in older structures. When asbestos containing materials disintegrate, their fibers can linger in the air and be inhaled or settle on equipment.

Another point of exposure is soot that accumulates on firefighters and their equipment. Soot itself is a mixture of impure carbon particles created during combustion and smaller particles can affect the lungs if inhaled.

This has led many firefighter organizations to emphasize cleaning equipment after fires and recommending firefighters keep their masks on even after a fire has been put out.

Exposure Risks in the Firehouse

Another factor thought to contribute to the cancer rates is the fact that sleeping quarters in many firehouses were often located in close proximity to the trucks themselves. The exhaust from diesel engines combined with inadequate ventilation exposed firefighters to aromatic hydrocarbons including benzene. As a result many firehouses have now been renovated and newer ones place sleeping areas as far away from the trucks as possible.

Many firehouses used asbestos in their fireproofing and as a result some firefighters were exposed to asbestos fibers as the material decayed or was disturbed.

Federal Court Rules St. Louis Violated Asbestos Safety Standards

A federal court ruled the city of St. Louis violated federal asbestos safety standards when it allowed contractors to use a controversial asbestos removal procedure.

In 2000, the city of St. Louis began destroying 2,000 structures in order to clear space for an airport expansion project. Four years later the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that contractors had used an experimental and untested asbestos removal procedure on 260 homes within the Bridgeton community and planned to continue using it on other structures.

The procedure known as the "wet method" removes asbestos using high pressure water hoses to blast the material from pipes, walls and ceilings. The technique is supposed to control the release of asbestos fibers by keeping the material wet until it can be disposed.

However, many of the EPA's own experts called into question the safety of the procedure and argued for additional testing. The method is considered more cost-effective than traditional asbestos removal but is still being evaluated by the EPA with the most recent example being a test conducted on a Fort Worth apartment building.

A non-profit public interest law firm, Public Justice filed suit on behalf of residents who were worried about their health being compromised because the demolition occurred while they were still living in the area. They worried that runoff from the spraying may have contained asbestos fibers and when it dried, those fibers may have been released into the air.

Kingston Receives Fine for Asbestos Violation

The city of Kingston, ON was fined $81,250 after failing to test for asbestos before renovating a municipal building in May 2007.

The Ministry of Labour charged the city under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Kingston officials entered a guilty plea on the city's behalf. While the city admitted to violating the act, they contend that their failure did not endanger the health of anyone who was in the building.

Asbestos was discovered while the building was being renovated and work was immediately halted. The building, completed in 1972, houses Utilities Kingston and several city management offices.

In addition to the fine, Kingston spent nearly $100,000 to hire an environmental specialist to conduct air tests within the building. Those tests came back negative for the presence of asbestos and city officials said that the health of workers, city employees and visitors was not compromised.

Parents Voice Concerns Over Asbestos at Texas Elementary School

Concerned parents met with school administrators to discuss asbestos contamination inside Norman Elementary school in Austin.

The school, located on Tannehill Lane, was built in 1969 when asbestos was still used in many construction materials.

Parents are concerned that asbestos within the building might be affecting the health of their children. After the meeting concluded, many felt they did not receive answers to some pressing questions and a few parents discussed the possibility of hiring legal representation.

In response to parent concerns the school district has hired an industrial hygienist to take air samples within the building. The district will be sharing the results of their findings at another meeting scheduled for October 27.

Asbestos exposure within schools has become a well documented hazard. England's Health and Safety Executive determined 179 teachers died between 1980 and 2000 as a result of an asbestos related disease.

The Fight Against Cancer Is Global

The International Union against Cancer (IUCC) recently hosted a World Cancer Congress and set forth a plan to fight the growing number of cancer deaths by the year 2020. Sixty-three experts and policy makers from around the world wrote the declaration that hopes to change the face of cancer today. The plan's goal is to ensure that all people can access treatment for cancer as well as the pain medication needed to treat cancer symptoms.

The targets set forth at the summit began with focusing efforts on screening programs and early detection processes especially for individuals living in poorer countries. "We know that one-third of the cancer burden could be cured if there were early detection and proper access to medical help," Mary Robinson, who chaired the panel, told reporters.

Worldwide numbers show that last year 7.9 million people died from some form of cancer and over 25 million currently live with the disease. To decrease this number the panel discussed the need for tobacco usage to decrease and obesity rates to drop.

The specialists also added a need for "effective pain control measures" for all patients. "This is probably one of the most important targets because there is no excuse. Intravenous morphine is very, very cheap. So every country in the world can buy that," said Franco Cavalli, the IUCC's outgoing president.

In addition to the early detection methods, vaccines can also help prevent certain cancers and the panel discussed the need for all countries to utilize these prevention methods. Human papilloma virus or HPV, which causes cervical cancer and Hepatitis B, which causes liver cancer currently have effective vaccinations, however the price tag for these vaccinations may be too high for those in developing countries.

The IUCC hopes to gain worldwide participation to meet the goals set forth at the 2008 summit and plans to ask governments and the private sector for assistance.

Springfield Closes Fire Station for Asbestos Removal

The city of Springfield, Missouri will shutdown one of its fire stations for asbestos removal.

Fire Station Number 4, located on Glenstone Avenue, will be closed for the next six weeks as crews remove asbestos that was installed when the building was constructed in 1968.

The city has asked fire companies to conduct the bulk of their normal operations within their regular district in an effort to cut down on increased response times. Springfield anticipates that response times will likely be affected the most during overnight hours when firefighters from Station 4 will be split among stations 3 and 5.

Asbestos poses a hazard to firefighters both in firehouses where it was commonly used in construction and during fires when it can become airborne and later be inhaled during the later stages of the fire and cleanup when many crews don't use respirators.

Maryland state government refuses to adopt asbestos regulations

Catonsville, MD - Residents in the Catonsville neighborhood of Westview Park are concerned for their health after the recent discovery of asbestos at a construction site in their area and are calling for the state government to take action.

The asbestos was found on the construction site of construction company Enterprise Homes, which is currently in works to build a senior affordable housing complex. Residents say the builder has been very accommodating to their needs, volunteering to stop construction work and even testing surrounding homes for the possibility of asbestos presence. Tests have come back with no signs of the substance so far in the homes.

Although satisfied with Enterprise so far, residents are still outraged that the state has openly refused to put in place asbestos safety regulations for the future. The state said he has no current standards in place, but residents point out the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), federal standards which already exist that the state could and should adopt.

Enterprise has resumed its work since but is no longer crushing the asbestos on site. The company has also set up a website to provide residents with updates on the asbestos situation.

Bill Clark, a county government official, said asbestos regulation shouldn't be the county's responsibility to address. He said the state government should handle it as it concerns many places in the states.

However, the Maryland Department of the Environment seems unwilling to take responsibility, citing that Enterprise's great response has been sufficient in addressing the problem.

The Maryland Department of the Environment, however, said there is no need to mandate asbestos-handling guidelines for companies in light of Enterprise's willingness to remedy the Westview Park situation.

Asbestos discovery forces closure of elementary school

An elementary school was forced to close on Friday, November 7 following the discovery of asbestos in the building.

Officials at George R. Allen Elementary told parents not to bring their children to school over concern for the safety of the students. However, a spokesperson for the district school board said the risk of exposure was very small and that the closure was just a precautionary measure after the finding.

There has been ongoing renovation work to the heating system of the building for several months, which included drilling into the ceilings of some of the classrooms. During a routine inspection of the renovation project earlier in the week, the Ministry of Labour learned that two classrooms' ceilings had plaster that was made containing asbestos.

Air quality tests were done, and results showed there were minimal levels of asbestos fibers present in those rooms.

The school board has ordered for testing to be done in the boiler room's ceiling as well, concerned that the drilling there may have led to the release of fibers. The testing will occur through the weekend.

The board invited parents to a meeting Thursday night to openly discuss the situation.

Some parents said they were worried about the amount of time that had passed between the initial drilling and when tests showed the presence of asbestos. One student's mother said she felt reassured by the board's level of response to matter, however.

Classes are expected to resume as usual the following Monday.

Newport News citizens worried about possible asbestos exposure from construction site

Newport News, VA - Residents of the Marshall Place neighborhood located in southeast area of the city began to express concerns about asbestos exposure three weeks ago when they saw demolition work being done at the nearby, former industrial plant site, Mariner's Watch.

They were worried that the workers had not accounted for and taken care of the presence of asbestos on the site.

Resident Howard Bell, a sufferer from asbestosis who had been exposed to the material working at the shipyard for decades, said he experienced a tightening of his lungs and trouble breathing while the demolition was going on.

City officials are assuring residents that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Environmental Quality are working with the construction crews to make sure all hazardous materials, including asbestos, are handled and removed according to safety regulations. A DEQ manager also stated that a pollution inspector would come this week to check the work, and the city would require proof from the owner that asbestos has been disposed of properly.

Residents also wanted to know if the construction project on the site was in preparation for the building of a long-expected upscale development.

The owner of the property had been granted the city's approval in 2004 for an upscale residential development project. The city had agreed to rezone the 26-acre property from industrial to residential, hoping to revitalize the waterfront area.

City officials are saying that the current demolition underway is step in that direction but added that it would be a long time before the owner is ready to begin the development stage.

A Broward County couple has recently been awarded over $3.6 million by a jury in a case involving asbestos exposure

Ft. Lauderdale, FL - A Broward County couple has recently been awarded over $3.6 million by a jury in a case involving asbestos exposure.

Lynda Daly, 57, and her husband, Michael, claimed that Mrs. Daly had contracted the potentially deadly lung cancer, mesothelioma, as a result of secondhand exposure to car brakes that contained asbestos. The manufacturers of the brakes were Pneumo Abex and Ford Motor Company.

According to court documents, Mrs. Daly's lawyers charged the companies with responsibility for her developing the cancer. It was claimed that she came in contact with asbestos in the 1970s and 1980s during her time working at two different Wisconsin Ford dealerships. She also had helped Mr. Daly to repair the brakes on the couple's own vehicles multiple times during this period.

As is normally the case with malignant mesothelioma, which usually doesn't show symptoms until decades after exposure, Mrs. Daly wasn't diagnosed with the disease until May 2007. The couple had been residents of Broward County for almost 10 years at the time.

The trial had lasted over three weeks, and it took the jury approximately six hours of deliberation to reach a verdict.

During the trial, both companies had agreed that asbestos is a dangerous substance but still insisted that they should not be held accountable for Mrs. Daly's diagnosis of the lung cancer. The jury based their verdict on testimony from several of her doctors from notable hospitals.

Increase in Cancer Deaths Prompts Demand for Asbestos Database

United Kingdom - A surge in recent mesothelioma lung cancer cases among teachers and health care professionals has prompted campaigners to request a national database listing all public buildings that contain asbestos.

The organization is campaigning on behalf of workers who may be exposed to asbestos on the job without being aware of the danger. Many hospitals and schools were built in the years prior to asbestos's ban when the use of the fire retardant product was at its height.

These buildings could contain dangerous levels of the mineral and may pose a serious risk to those who work within their doors.

The National Union of Teachers and UCATT (an organization representing construction workers) have called for a survey of all public buildings by the central government. In addition, the group wants all dangerous materials removed.

The general secretary of Ucatt, Alan Ritchie stated: "Every time someone drills into a wall they could be potentially risking their long term health."

Asbestos is a known killer of skilled tradesmen who work in factories where the dangerous mineral is in abundance, however, the new cases of malignant mesothelioma in professionals raise the question of possible danger in low levels of exposure.

David Cass, solicitor who often represents asbestos victims said "It used to be a disease that primarily targeted old men - the skilled labourers and tradesmen who cut through asbestos boards and installed lagging," he said. "Now people are coming to us who have been exposed in much less obvious places." He added: "We often find ourselves representing doctors, nurses and teachers."

The Health and Safety Executive, a group in charge of workplace safety for the public, has resisted forming the national database saying it is "prohibitively expensive" and may not stop asbestos-related illness. Through Freedom of Information requests individuals may obtain information on public buildings that contain asbestos but many feel this is not enough.

Army soldiers are concerned for their health after asbestos incident

Fayetteville, NC - The father of an Army soldier is worried about the health of his son and other soldiers stationed at Fort Bragg after it was revealed that asbestos was worked on without any protective equipment given.

Evon Colchiski said his son Private Jason Colchiski, 21, and other soldiers were ordered by a superior officer to remove floor tiles from a storeroom last week. The officer told them to be careful because there was asbestos under the tiles but did not give them any protective equipment to wear to prevent them from inhaling the hazardous dust fibers that could potentially be released.

After receiving a call from his son about the work, Mr. Colchiski called the base to speak to the officer who gave Jason the order to warn him about the risks of asbestos exposure.. Although the officer promised Mr. Colchiski that neither Jason nor any other soldier would be told to remove the tiles moving forward, Jason reported that he saw other soldiers finishing the work the next day.

After testing a tile sample in a laboratory shortly afterward and confirming that it contained a significant amount of asbestos, Mr. Colchiski contacted state health officials on Friday. Health officials sent an inspector to Fort Bragg later that day who had workers with proper gear seal off the area and filter the air in case asbestos fibers were present. Air samples were taken but results have not come back yet.

Private Jason Colchiski said the Army has promised to give him and the other soldiers involved annual check ups for the next five years. However, his father pointed out that it should be for longer since asbestos-related problems do not appear for decades.

Both the military and the state Division of Public health are continuing their investigations of the exposure incident.

Mayor takes action on reports of asbestos activities

Lyndhurst, NJ - Protesters from the Laborers Local 78 union were holdings signs that read "Asbestos Kills" outside an the former Bedroc building in Lyndhurst on December 9.

While the union members were there more because they thought non-union members were performing work on the building's roof, their actions were noticed by local officials concerned about possible asbestos removal activities. Mayor Richard DiLascio immediately took action by calling in a building inspector to check on the work.

While it was verified that the company performing the work did have a permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection, the mayor said his office wasn't aware of their work until then. He said he wants to create a new ordinance that would require any party conducting asbestos-related work to also notify the township beforehand.

The union protesters pointed out that the company workers were not performing the job safely, citing the absence of hardhats and a barrier to prevent the workers from falling off the roof.

The mayor has a reason to be concerned about asbestos contamination in the industrial zone where the building is located. Earlier this year, it was discovered that the soil near the newly constructed recreation fields in the vicinity contained asbestos. The township has been working with the state DEP to resolve the problem.