Mesothelioma - Info about Mesothelioma

W. R. Grace Defense Attorney Challenges Key Government Witness

2009-04-12T12:20:00.004-07:00

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

2009-04-12T12:20:00.003-07:00

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

2009-04-12T12:20:00.001-07:00

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

2009-04-12T12:19:00.002-07:00

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

2009-04-12T12:19:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-27T00:59:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-27T00:57:00.002-07:00

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

2009-03-27T00:57:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-27T00:56:00.002-07:00

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

2009-03-27T00:56:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-27T00:55:00.001-07:00

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:

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

2009-03-27T00:54:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:44:00.001-07:00

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.

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
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.
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.

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

2009-03-21T02:40:00.002-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:40:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:39:00.002-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:39:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:38:00.002-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:38:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:37:00.002-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:37:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:33:00.002-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:33:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:32:00.004-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:32:00.003-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:32:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:31:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:30:00.002-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:30:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:29:00.003-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:29:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:28:00.003-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:28:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:27:00.003-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:27:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:26:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:25:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:24:00.003-07:00

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

2009-03-21T02:24:00.001-07:00

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.

New Report Brings Hope to Veterans

2009-03-21T02:23:00.001-07:00

Hundreds of thousands of veterans who served in the Persian Gulf War of 1991 have suffered many devastating health issues since returning home.

Recently, however veterans were given a reason to be hopeful that their cause would be taken more seriously. A special advisory board developed in 1998 presented new findings to Veterans Affairs Secretary James Peake. The panel concluded that the symptoms that so many Gulf War veterans suffer from are real and need treatment. The panel also concluded that the U.S. government has an obligation to assist these individuals.

The complaints of veterans range from joint pain and memory loss to even more severe ailments that leave them unable to walk. These vets were often told the symptoms were all in their head.

There are over 175,000 Gulf War veterans who are suffering from various ailments and they are getting progressively worse. An even more disturbing fact is that although $340 million dollars has been spent to research these illnesses, little of that money has been used to research treatments.

This leaves veterans wondering what will happen next. The appointed advisory board recommends continuous research in the amount of $60 million per year but in difficult financial times, veterans wonder if the money will really be there.

Veterans advocate, James Schwertfager believes that the many veterans who arrived home with pain and suffering and were told it was all "in their heads" are now suffering from real mental health issues due to years of struggling with pain.

The symptoms suffered by many of the veterans included rashes, fatigue, headaches, joint pain, nausea and other ailments. Many of the veterans wrote to Congress with little or no response.

The situation became even more complex due to the lack of knowledge about the cause of the symptoms. Combat stress, vaccinations, pills to block nerve agents and exposure to chemicals while deployed were all possible considerations.

The veterans have experienced some small victories over the years and in light of this new report are hopeful that additional assistance is on its way.

It is unclear how Veteran's Affairs Secretary James Peake will proceed and many believe it will be in the hands of president-elect, Barack Obama, and the newly elected Congress. The VA and local governments maintain veterans services offices around the country.

President of the Veterans of Modern Warfare, Julie Mock believes the current report given by the panel may begin to help more veterans receive disability. Others believe, however that this report will do nothing to change their grave circumstances. For all involved the end result still remains to be seen.

Studies show that young tradesmen are being exposed to asbestos

2009-03-21T02:22:00.002-07:00

Atlanta, GA - The Centers for Disease Control reports that despite efforts to lower occupational exposure rates to asbestos, young tradesmen continue to develop health problems associated with the hazardous fibers.

According to doctors at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, their research from over 38 years of data shows that the number of premature deaths (measured as deaths before the age of 65) from asbestos-related diseases are currently occurring at a high rate and still increasing. The researchers say the efforts to spread awareness of asbestos's dangers need to be kept up.

The research team conducting the study had analyzed 38-plus years of cause-of-death data. During that period, it was identified that almost 13% of victims who died from asbestosis were tradesmen between the ages of 25 and 64.

The study also found that of all tradesmen, construction workers accounted for the largest percentage of those deaths. The researchers estimated that currently 1.3 million construction workers are exposed to asbestos each year, mainly during building demolition or renovation work. According to their study, in 2006 alone, more than 2,000 metric tons of asbestos was used in manufacturing in the US.

Other top industries in which included high rates of asbestos-related diseases among workers included ship building and repair, the military, and automobile maintenance.

Since many symptoms of asbestos-related diseases are similar to other common illnesses, health experts recommend the use of chest x-rays, CT imaging, and biopsy to diagnose potentially exposed patients.

Fire district accused of improperly handling asbestos

2009-03-21T02:22:00.001-07:00

Beverly Hills, MO - Officials of a St. Louis County fire district are under heat from state and local authorities for potentially improperly removing asbestos from a building and then preventing inspectors from looking into the complaints.

An investigation is under way to verify if the fire officials violated federal and state laws during the renovation of the nearly 5,500 square foot building, recently purchased by fire district. If necessary, the state will request a search warrant to look into matters further, a state official commented.

The St. Louis County Health Department sent notice to the fire district that its officials had violated the law by refusing access to two safety investigators who were sent to the site after complaints were received. The state Department of Natural Resources became involved shortly after hearing about the incident and is now conducting an investigation.

The fire district had purchased the building in November and began conducting board meetings in it soon after. A resident who attended the first public meeting saw what seemed to be broken asbestos-containing floor tiles laying out in the open and warned board directors of it. The resident recognized it because he had hired licensed contractors to remove it from his home before.

At the next meeting, the area had been cleaned up and the tiles were gone. However, residents said they found a trashcan behind the building that was filled to the top with tiles. Worried that the work was done improperly, some of the concerned residents took samples of the tiles which they later submitted to the authorities.

The county has also written another letter to the fire district instructing the officials to halt renovation work and begin testing the building for the presence of asbestos, to which the district replied with a refusal.

Contractor says he is wrongly accused for asbestos incident

2009-03-21T02:21:00.000-07:00

Shrewsbury, MA - The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection is asking the courts to assess a fine of nearly $46,000 to a local company for violations of state asbestos regulations.

Bruce LaPierre of Certified Residential Roofing and Siding is accused of removing roofing materials which contained asbestos from a home he had been working on without first notifying the DEP. A DEP spokesman also said Mr. LaPierre did not follow the proper safety procedures of handling and disposing of the materials.

In October 2006, workers from the DEP were inspecting the residential property when they found many pieces of dry and uncontained asbestos shingles out in the open.

However, Mr. LaPierre denied that he was responsible for the removal and mess left behind. He said he began working on the property after the asbestos work had already been completed. Unfortunately for him, he was the only person working at the home when the DEP workers arrived for the inspection and was thus falsely blamed for the incident.

He admitted he made a mistake by ignoring the DEP's notification of the violation because he felt it had nothing to do with him, but he still didn't think he deserved the costly fine. Mr. LaPierre said he plans to appeal the claim.

The DEP released a statement that once Certified Residential Roofing and Siding had discovered the violation, the company was required to hire a licensed asbestos contractor to remove the materials and clean the contaminated areas.

Cancer Replacing Heart Disease as World's Leading Killer

2009-03-21T02:20:00.000-07:00

The leading killer in the United States and across the globe is currently heart disease however, according to the World Health Organization, that is about to change. Cancer is quickly replacing heart disease as the world's number one killer due to various worldwide factors.

The number of patients diagnosed annually with cancer is expected to continually rise over the next decades. In 2008 the number of new cancer cases is expected to reach 12 million with deaths attributed to the disease in the amount of 7 million.

The world's population is continually growing and with that growth comes an increase in the number of new cancer cases. Smoking has become more popular in many developing countries and the populations of India and China now hold over 40% of the world's smokers. The United States, in contrast, has experienced a decrease in smoking over the past decade and less than 20% of America's adults smoke cigarettes. This fact has caused a decrease in the number of U.S. cancer cases. Improved cancer screening methods and better treatments have also helped reduce America's cancer rates.

Many cancer organizations gathered recently to draw attention to the global threat of the disease. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (a part of WHO) released a report that details the current statistics.

According to the report, "The global cancer burden doubled in the last thirty years of the twentieth century, and it is estimated that this will double again between 2000 and 2020, and nearly triple by 2030."

The report outlined additional issues regarding worldwide cancer care including the fact that narcotics are illegal in some African countries even for use during cancer treatment. Many of those same countries have very limited budgets for health care and communicable diseases spread rapidly.

As the Westernized world has seen a decrease in cancer, poorer countries have seen a huge increase. In fact, today more people die from cancer than from TB, malaria and HIV combined. The recent gathering of cancer organizations hopes to spotlight this fact and get assistance from the U.S. government.

Dr. Boyle said, "The rapid increase in the global cancer burden represents a real challenge for health systems worldwide. However, there is a clear message of hope: although cancer is a devastating disease, it is largely preventable. We know that preventive measures such as tobacco control, reduction of alcohol consumption increased physical activity, vaccination for Hepatitis B and Human Papillomavirus (HPV), and screening and awareness could have a great impact on reducing the global cancer burden."

Worldwide Cancer Rates on the Rise

2009-03-21T02:19:00.002-07:00

Cancer is predicted to rise worldwide mainly due to the increase of tobacco use and more "Westernized" habits in developing countries. By the year 2030 cancer is expected to more than double and in 2010 it is predicted to be the world's largest killer.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has completed a report that examines the impact this increase will have on the entire globe.

The report's findings are disturbing and include an increase in cancer cases to 27 million and an increase in cancer deaths to 17 million. China, Russia and India are expected to have the highest rate of increase of cancer incidence and deaths and the overall global increase is expected to be 1% per year. The report also points to tobacco use and obesity as the leading causes of cancer in poorer countries in the years to come.

The United States has had a reduction in cancer incidence and death over the past ten years and this fact highlights the growing need for developing countries to begin the same process.

Peter Boyle, MD and IARC Director said, "Forty years ago, cancer was primarily a disease of high-resource, industrialized countries," Boyle says. "That isn't true anymore. When we think of low-resource countries, we think of communicable diseases as the big killers. But each year more people across the globe die of cancer than die of AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined."

Boyle also noted that just 15% of all cancer cases occurred in developing countries in 1970, but today more than half of the world's cancer deaths occur there.

These horrific rates are expected to rise mainly due to the widespread increase in smoking. Boyle said the increase in smoking normally takes decades to affect rates of lung cancer and emphysema.

"The big tobacco companies started to move pretty strongly into these low- and medium-resource countries in the early 1990s at about the same time that we were working very aggressively to reduce tobacco use in Western countries," he says

Both breast cancer and cervical cancer rates are also on the rise in poorer countries.

In addition to these findings other significant increases in cancer are occurring in various countries around the world.

Due to these overwhelming new discoveries, the American Cancer Society has reached out to the new Congress and the incoming Obama administration for help.

New York State Middle School Leak Creates Asbestos Hazard for Students

2009-03-21T02:19:00.001-07:00

On January 5, two special education classrooms at A.B. Davis Middle School in Mount Vernon, New York will be closed as a result of asbestos contamination via a leaking heating coil.

The leak, discovered on Christmas day and originating in the second floor of the school, is the result of a damaged heating vent coil, presumably part of an under-floor heating system. According to a spokeswoman for the Mount Vernon School District, the coil released water that passed through asbestos fireproofing in the floor and dripped into the classrooms below.

Testing by Niche Analysis, an asbestos removal and abatement firm located in Mount Vernon, revealed air quality has not been impacted. However, two out of 20 surfaces tested were positive for asbestos traces.

The Mount Vernon School District subsequently hired Infinity Environmental Services, also of Mount Vernon, which placed the site off-limits until asbestos abatement procedures are completed and the site is re-tested for contamination.

A.B. Davis Middle School is a magnet school consisting of 867 students, 75 teachers, five administrators, four counselors, a psychologist and 30 support staff members. The special education curriculum is designed to facilitate students who benefit from a non-traditional educational setting, and offers an innovative curriculum of academic studies as well as motivational activities.

The link between asbestos and mesothelioma - an almost incurable form of lung cancer - has been recognized since the 1960's. The the tiny fibers of asbestos, when breathed into the lungs, cause persistent irritation which can lead to chronic inflammatory lesions. These lesions can then cause cancer, though the course of the disease can take up to 40 years to manifest, making asbestos a ticking time bomb in the eyes of health professionals.

Asbestos, used in insulation, floor tiles, soundproofing materials, and roofing shingles, was banned in the 1970's, but many asbestos products remain in situ because removing them can create more problems than leaving them in place. When damaged or disturbed, however, as in the case of A.B. Davis Middle School, removal or sequestration are the only options, and both procedures must be conducted by licensed professionals under the auspices of state or regional environmental quality agencies.

Colorado Attorney General indicts developer over asbestos work

2009-03-21T02:18:00.002-07:00

An Aurora, Colorado developer, Richard Oliver, was indicted by a statewide grand jury on December 29, 2008 on charges that he used untrained workers to remove asbestos and suborned one employee who was subpoenaed by the grand jury to testify.

Oliver, 61, is charged with two counts of causing or contributing to a hazardous waste incident, one count of knowing endangerment, and one count of bribery of a witness. According to Colorado Attorney General John Suthers, the violations occurred between January 1 and May 1 of 2008, on properties Oliver was renovating.

According to the grand jury, Oliver removed and then illegally disposed of asbestos-containing materials from properties located at 1920 Chester Street and 1921, 1931 and 1941 Clinton Street, all in the suburb of Aurora. By doing so, Oliver also knowingly endangered at least three of his employees by exposing them to asbestos without their knowledge. Oliver also failed to provide them with proper protective equipment.

Apparently, Oliver was advised of the inherent danger in the Clinton Street properties by a state-licensed asbestos remediation contractor, who gave Oliver a bid for removal. Oliver rejected the bid and said he would "hire a bunch of Mexicans" instead, according to a report made to the Colorado Dept. of Public Health and Environment by the remediation specialist.

That Oliver's workers were immigrant labor is not surprising. That Oliver knowingly withheld information on the danger of asbestos removal from them - and then failed to provide protective equipment - is criminal. That Oliver then bribed one of these unfortunate immigrants into falsifying testimony in an attempt to cast blame on the remediation specialist instead is beyond heinous.

The case has been filed in Adams County District Court, but no appearance dates have yet been set. If convicted on all counts, Oliver faces a possible sentence of 18 years. His workers will have their sentences delayed by several decades, but their penalty will likely be death.

Asbestos causes mesothelioma, a form of usually lethal lung cancer which develops from the lung lesions created by inhaled asbestos fibers. The symptoms don't commonly exhibit for 20 to 50 years, and then the prognosis is very poor. Most mesothelioma patients die within a year of diagnosis, largely from the complications associated with the disease.

Oliver could not be reached for comment Monday, and Colorado officials have not revealed the location of Oliver's dump site or the names of the workers.

Asbestos abatement resumes on former West Virginia factory site

2009-03-21T02:18:00.001-07:00

Moundsville, WV - The abatement of asbestos from a former factory has resumed after nearly an eight month hiatus.

The former home of the Fostoria Glass Factory, which shutdown for good in 1986, was purchased by the city of Moundsville several years ago. Since no activity was taking place on the property, city officials bought the property with the intention transforming it into something useful for the community by tearing down the factory and developing a retail site to take its place.

The project hit a snag when asbestos was discovered in multiple sections of the factory, which immediately halted all demolition work. Health and safety regulations are in place that prevent any demolition to be done on any asbestos-contaminated building because of the danger of asbestos fibers being released into the community. Asbestos, a material widely used in construction projects before the 1970s, is known to cause terminal diseases to people that have been exposed to it.

The city's contract with the site's developer had expired in December 2007, and asbestos didn't resume until the new contract was signed in August 2008. At the moment, the exterior of the building still remains the same, but City Manager Allen Hendershot said a lot of cleanup work is being done within the building. He also assures that the developer is working with the state Department of Environmental Protection to ensure the work is done according to safety regulations.

The site developer said the work involves removing asbestos-containing materials on the ground that had collapsed from roofing and insulation materials. Once that phase is done, asbestos in other parts of the building will have to be removed before demolition can finally resume.

Americans sold toys that contained asbestos

2009-03-21T02:16:00.000-07:00

Based in Redondo Beach, California, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) is an all volunteer, private donation funded organization that promotes public awareness about the dangers of exposure to asbestos in the home, the workplace, and anywhere else the extremely hazardous, cancer causing material may exist.

In addition to its campaign to heighten consumer awareness of the dangers of asbestos in children's toys and other American marketed products, the ADAO regularly sponsors independent laboratory inspections of merchandise that is suspected of being contaminated with asbestos in one form or another.

In 2007, the ADAO identified several popular toys that contained potentially harmful levels of asbestos. The toys were located on the shelves of thousands of toy stores and general merchandise retailers in all regions of the country. The most notable and popular asbestos contaminated toy is the CBS licensed, "CSI Crime Scene Investigation Fingerprint Examination Kit".

Scientists discovered that the white and glow dusting product in the CSI kit contained tremolite asbestos, a particularly hazardous form of the material. The toy, as with so many other products that have been proven to contain health hazards, is manufactured in China where product safety standards in general are often suspect. "It is simply unacceptable to have asbestos in toys," stated Linda Reinstein, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the ADAO, who further noted that deadly asbestos exposures are irreversible. "Prevention is the only cure".

Public Justice, a national public interest law firm that utilizes attorney skills to advance the public good, also became involved in the CSI Fingerprint Kit issue. Arthur Bryant, Executive Director of Public Justice, sent a letter to CBS, Planet Toys of New York City, the toy's distributor, and to individual retailers, all of whom were urged to schedule an immediate meeting between all parties involved in order to come to a swift resolution of the problem.

While the toy's production has ceased, Public Justice noted that the fingerprint kit is still widely available, and in his communication to those responsible for toy's distribution and sale, Mr. Bryant suggests the very real possibility of legal action designed to affect a wholesale recall of the item, as well as to put in place strictly controlled measures to safely dispose of the toy's asbestos contaminated powders.

"Potentially millions of households, and especially children, have been exposed to the fingerprint powder," Bryant states in his letter. "And because the product is already in powder form-and intended to be blown or dusted away by children searching for fingerprints-any asbestos contaminant is almost certain to be inhaled and widely disseminated." It's difficult to imagine a more insidious form of asbestos contamination in a product marketed to children, all of whom can be far more susceptible than adults to health threats in general.

The ADAO tests thousands of toys and other products annually, and in addition to the CSI Fingerprint Kit discoveries, the California organization identified trace amounts of asbestos in Ja-Ru Toy Clay and Art Skills' Clay Bucket . Not just in toys, the ADAO also warned parents of the potential hazards of talc-based baby powders, as well as other common household products.

Asbestos contamination was discovered by the ADAO in: Scotch High Performance and All Weather Duct Tape; Gardner Leak Stopper; DAP Crack Shot Spackling Paste, and DAP 33 Window Glazing. Additionally, asbestos contamination has been detected in small appliances such as hot plates, certain cleaning powders, and hair rollers-all of these items sold by major retailers across the country.

The ADAO, Public Justice, and other organizations strongly suggest that consumers guard themselves vigilantly against any exposure to asbestos, and if exposure is suspected, individuals should seek prompt medical attention while investigating all avenues of possible litigation to help recover damages in whatever form possible.

In Colorado, Cost Overruns Delay Asbestos Abatement

2009-03-18T09:26:00.003-07:00

In Fort Morgan, asbestos abatement at the abandoned Jack's Bean Co. warehouse, located on prime industrial property, is awaiting resolution of a number of concerns expressed by City Council members, not the least of which is a cost overrun dispute.

An asbestos abatement contract with Denver Environmental Company, or DEC (formerly L&L Environmental, Inc.) was entered into by former city manager Michael Nagy without the mandatory bidding process.

DEC subcontracted the asbestos work to two other abatement firms; Western Cleanup Co. and Aspen Industries. Aspen was to handle asbestos removal and abatement procedures, and Western was charged with asbestos disposal and building demolition. DEC remained the agent-in-charge of environmental oversight and monitoring, as required by Colorado law.

Now DEC is billing the city for $22,000 in additional costs for work already performed, and $110,000 for additional asbestos located within the building after the original contract was agreed upon.

In fact, L&L may not have been state-certified for asbestos abatement, though DEC clearly is, and city attorney Jeffrey Wells is researching the "somewhat murky" transition.

Moreover, Wells is charging DEC - which refuses to continue abatement without an upfront payment of $22,000 and an assurance the overrun will also be covered - with breach of contract. The contract clearly states that DEC must get advance approval for additional expenditures, which they did not do.

"That was their job, to determine how much asbestos was in that building," noted Councilwoman Terri Schafer.

Both Aspen and Western have declared themselves willing to move forward without additional payment, making DEC's stance on the matter even more troubling. In the meantime, the turn-of-the-century Jack's Bean Co. building stands open to the elements, the remaining asbestos spreading into Fort Morgan via shattered windows and gaping holes where the building has crumbled.

Undisturbed, asbestos can remain in situ for years without causing problems, but once abatement procedures are begun the loose asbestos is picked up by air circulation and by being handled, and is spread into the surrounding environment.

Asbestos fibers, inhaled, can cause illnesses, including lung cancer, cancer of the pharynx, cancer of the esophagus, stomach cancer, colon cancer, cancer of the rectum, asbestosis and pleural mesothelioma. Mesothelioma, a particularly lethal form of lung cancer, can lie dormant for decades, but when it finally manifests the patient commonly dies with a year or two.

The Jack's Bean building now stands open to the winds of a Colorado winter. In 30 to 50 years, children walking or playing in the vicinity may discover themselves the victims of an incurable form of lung cancer, all because of the inability of an asbestos abatement firm to perform an accurate abatement assessment, and the reluctance of a city council to spend hard-won dollars.

If you are a member of a governing body (a city council, a homeowner's association or co-op apartment board, or the board of a hospital or school), and the entity you serve is facing asbestos abatement on an older building, please verify with state officials that your asbestos abatement firm is fully licensed to undertake the project, has experience working with asbestos removal and disposal, and has not been litigated for failure to perform according to established laws.

Asbestos abatement, once begun, needs to be completed in a timely manner. Anything else is a death sentence for those living or working in or near the building. Asbestos does not degrade over time, and neither OSHA, the CDC, nor the American Cancer Society has ever established minimum, safe levels of exposure.

In Des Moines, Parents Left in the Dark about Asbestos Issue

2009-03-18T09:26:00.001-07:00

Parents of students attending Indian Hills Junior High School in Des Moines, Iowa are up in arms about the school board's failure to inform them of asbestos abatement procedures at the school over the midwinter break.

The abatement project first came to the public's attention when a parent of two students sent them back to school to get books and other items from their lockers over the holidays.

They were turned away by a janitor, who told them no one was allowed in the building. The parent later contacted administrative officials, who informed her that notice of the abatement procedure had been posted on the school's website prior to the break. Consequently, the officials felt there was no need to send an identical notice home with students.

The website notice states that the school will be "totally closed and unaccessable to the public during Winter Break, December 20, 2008 to January 4, 2008, Spring Break, March 13, 2009 to March 22, 2009, and Summer Break, June 2, 2009 through June 10, 2009". The notice also identifies the closures and abatement procedures as preparation for renovations that will be taking place at Indian Hills in the summer of 2009.

The parent, Kristin Johnson, expressed concern over potential health risks to her children. Other parents have stated similar concerns. Administrators defend their position by pointing out that the asbestos remediation project is being conducted when no children are present, thus eliminating any health hazard. However, without adequate oversight - or at least public oversight - parents remain less than reassured.

Asbestos, commonly used in insulation - particularly pipe and heating duct insulation, as well as floor and roofing tiles and tile cement, was used until the 1970s and then banned when health officials first began to recognize the dangers.

Asbestos, when disturbed, releases tiny fibers that, inhaled into the lungs, can irritate lung tissue, leading to persistent inflammatory lesions. These lesions can, in turn, cause a specific form of cancer called mesothelioma, which health experts call a "ticking time bomb". It takes from two to five decades for the symptoms of mesothelioma to show up, but once diagnosed it usually leads to death within two years. Asbestos exposure as low as 2 parts-per-million (ppm) can trigger lesions, and asbestos is most dangerous during removal, when the fibers are released by inadvertently breaking or tearing asbestos-containing materials.

Indian Hills parents are right to be concerned, and the apparent secrecy of school officials is in surprising contrast to the Valley High School asbestos abatement project in 2006, where officials met with parents to obtain input on the process.

During that project, the school board opted for what some considered extreme removal precautions, which were more expensive but safer for students and staff. Reportedly, the same measures are being taken at Indian Hills, where the abatement project represents less than a third of the material removed from the high school. The total cost of the Indian Hills project is estimated at $52,000.

One significant difference between costs is that the Valley High project was ongoing during the school year, requiring extra precautions, while the Indian Hills project only takes place when students are on break.

The second phase of the asbestos removal will commence March 13, and run until March 22. The renovation is scheduled for mid-June.

Conflict Surrounds Bell Park Garden Co-op

2009-03-18T09:25:00.001-07:00

A Queens, New York co-op apartment building is embroiled in a conflict that involves not only residents but contractors, two of whom are charged with acting in tandem in direct violation of conflict-of-interest regulations regarding an asbestos abatement project.

It all started in 2006, as the result of Queens, New York regulations which require that an independent air testing company monitor all asbestos abatements.

In November, the co-op board of Bell Park Gardens hired Asbestways Service Corporation to evaluate the project. Asbestways turned in a bid of $1.8 million. Two months later, the price unexpectedly fell to $1.6 million, a savings Anthony Doloroso, Bell Park Garden's property manager, ascribes to a reassessment of the materials involved.

In the spring of 2007, Bell Park Gardens entered into a contract with Asbestways. Asbestways almost immediately assigned the contract to Safety Lead Services (SLS), a subsidiary company. Asbestways also helped the co-op find an independent air testing company, called Communication Gear Inc.

A subsequent investigation conducted by Asbestos Lead and Hazardous
Waste Laborers' Local 78 (New York City and Long Island) found that the two companies, Asbestways and Communication Gear, were owned by a father and son team.

Recognizing that this represented an obvious conflict of interest, Local 78 protested the contract. Doloroso defended his (and the board's) actions by stating that no one was aware of the relationship, and adds that the board "immediately changed course" once the conflict of interest was revealed.

Residents like Fabio Morales say differently, noting that it was another 18 months before the board voided the contract and sought other asbestos remediation experts. Even then, it wasn't until residents "raised a stink" that the board made the move.

In the meantime, a reporter at the Queens Tribune has been working with Bell Park Garden residents to uncover shoddy workmanship, incomplete remediation, and a situation that leaves residents in danger of contracting one of many illnesses caused by asbestos particles: lung cancer, cancer of the pharynx, cancer of the esophagus, stomach cancer, colon cancer, cancer of the rectum, asbestosis and mesothelioma.

The latter, a disease that results from lung lesions triggered by asbestos particles, can take up to five decades to manifest and is usually fatal.

Doloroso and the Bell Park Garden board continue to maintain that everything is up to par in the building, but handfuls of ashy, gray fibers lying loose on pipes and in crawl spaces say otherwise. Documents obtained by the Tribune show a maze of conflicting agreements, each amended as the work progressed. Residents also charge that the new contractor, Sunshine Environment Inc., is affiliated with Asbestways.

The cost of remediation has since ballooned to $3.1 million, but the real bone of contention between residents and contractors - and, by extension, the board - is the shoddy workmanship, which reveals asbestos remediation on one heating pipe but none at all on a pipe immediately adjacent. Residents also charge the firms with dangerous removal practices.

"I woke up one morning and there were guys carrying the stuff out in wheel barrows, leaving white footprints and a cloud of dust behind them." one resident noted.

The Department of Environmental Protection, which has been monitoring the abatement procedures, has checked on the work five times since the beginning of 2008 alone and issued two citations for failure to wet the asbestos before removing it.

A similar situation exists all over the United States, where less than reputable asbestos remediation firms are capitalizing on the fear engendered by the word ‘mesothelioma' to make big bucks. More to the point, these firms are using immigrant labor and the homeless to perform remediation without providing proper equipment, training, or information on the dangers of asbestos.

If your home, office, apartment or townhome is undergoing asbestos abatement, check with local, regional and federal agencies to verify that the abatement firm is licensed to do the work, and has not been cited for violations of asbestos-removal codes.

Plant Insulation Company Pays Out Record Settlement

2009-03-18T09:24:00.000-07:00

In January of this year, Plant Insulation Company, of Emeryville, California was ordered to pay more than $4.3 million to the families of three San Francisco Bay Area pipefitters who died of mesothelioma.

The awards go to the survivors of Concord, California resident William C. Hearn, former Sacramento County resident James Harris, and former Sebastopol resident George Wetch.

The verdict, handed down by the San Francisco Superior Court, found that Plant Insulation Company, a large industrial insulation distributor and contractor, continued to distribute asbestos-containing products even though company officials knew asbestos could cause illness and death.

According to testimony, Plant Insulation Company - which was ruled 59-percent liable for Hearn's death - continued to sell off products containing asbestos (in boxes marked "asbestos-free") in the 1970s, along with their stock of non-asbestos insulation products.

The jury ruled on the basis of product liability and negligence, following testimony by one former insulator who said this practice of mislabeling and selling off old stock continued well into the late 70s, or long after both health officials and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized its dangers.
Asbestos fibers, inhaled, can lead to lesions in the lungs which cause mesothelioma, an invariably fatal cancer that can take up to five decades to manifest and commonly results in death.

In November of last year, Plant Insulation Company settled the case of Joseph Sandra. In September of last year, the company settled in the death of Douglas Vanden Broek. In July, the company also settled in the case of former San Francisco resident Warren Schiebold.

In 1989, the EPA issued a final rule banning most asbestos-containing products. This rule was overturned by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans in 1991. As a result of the Court's decision, the following specific asbestos-containing products remain banned:

flooring felt
roll board
corrugated, commercial, or specialty paper
asbestos in products that have not historically contained asbestos

Remaining on the market are:

Asbestos-cement corrugated sheet, asbestos-cement flat sheet, vinyl-asbestos floor tile, asbestos-cement shingle, and millboard
Asbestos clothing
Asbestos-cement pipe and pipeline wrap
Automatic transmission components, clutch facings, friction materials, disc brake pads, drum brake linings, brake blocks, and gaskets
Non-roofing coatings, roofing felt, and roof coatings.

The Ban Asbestos in America Act of 2007, S. 742, which has been making the circuit since 2003, never became law. Products containing asbestos are still manufactured and sold in the United States today, or shipped in from overseas by manufacturers of American origin who choose cheap, foreign labor over the health of United States' citizens.

Asbestos is everywhere, in the buildings where we work and live, the schools our children attend, even the hospitals where we go to receive health care. Asbestos does not degrade with time, remaining a constant threat, and neither OSHA, the CDC, nor the American Cancer Society, has ever established minimum, safe levels of exposure.

Connecticut Residents Want Asbestos Contaminated Soil Trucked out of Town

2009-03-18T09:22:00.004-07:00

Stratford, CT-Once a source of civic pride and generous contributions to the community, the now defunct auto brake pad and clutch manufacturing firms, Raybestos-Manhattan, Inc. and its successor, Raymark Industries, are now best known for a dangerous legacy of asbestos contaminated soil the companies left in the wake of their operations . For over 70 years, the two manufacturers employed thousands of individuals in the Stratford area, but when the dire health risks associated with asbestos exposure became widely known-with multi-million dollar employee lawsuits resulting-Raymark Industries closed its doors in 1989.

During the heyday of asbestos-related manufacturing in Stratford, Raybestos-Manhattan and Raymark Industries both donated thousands of cubic yards of soil to the town of Stratford for use as fill for the construction of several town parks, a soccer field, and a world-class softball field-unfortunately, all of the earthen materials were heavily contaminated with asbestos. Unaware of the hazardous material beneath their feet, area residents took great pride in the ball field where Stratford's championship women's softball team played.

So great was the community pride in the auto brake and clutch manufacturer, the softball team was known as the "Raybestos Brakettes", a team that had a number of Olympic medal winners on board-needless to say, the Stratford women no longer reference cancer-causing asbestos in their team name.

The Feds Intervene, But Don't Solve the Problem

Shortly after Raymark Industries closed its doors, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) placed a cover of plastic, clean soil, and asphalt-based paving over the entire 34-acre Raymark manufacturing site. The area was redeveloped and now hosts a bustling Wal-Mart-based shopping center. Unfortunately, the softball field didn't fare as well. In 1992, the EPA placed a deep layer of clean fill over the 14 acre ball field before declaring it strictly off-limits to the general public-the EPA's order was reinforced through the construction of a chain link fence that encircles the entire area. Today, this no man's land is choked with weeds and other vegetation that has overgrown all that was once there.

Today, Stratford continues to host a total of 24 separate and individual asbestos contaminated sites. Recently, the EPA proposed excavating the soil from all of these sites and depositing it atop the old softball field site where it would be buried beneath a layer of non-contaminated earthen materials. All told, over 5,000 truckloads of contaminated soil would be excavated and moved for an approximate total cost of $21 million. The cost of this asbestos cleanup would be paid for out of funds the EPA collected from lawsuits against Raymark, as well as other sources, but, according to some residents whose homes are near the old sports field, money isn't the issue.

Not in My Back Yard

"Just because it's contaminated doesn't mean we have to put more contamination on top of it and expose people passing through to airborne asbestos," says Beth Smith, a Stratford resident whose home is directly adjacent to the former ball field site. "Would the town of Westport stand for that?" Ms. Smith's question is echoed by those who are against the plan to leave the contaminated soils in Stratford forever.

Thousands of area residents want to see all of the asbestos contaminated fill transported to an asbestos decontamination plant in Buffalo, New York, for an estimated cost of $60 million. To date, town organizers have collected 4,000 signatures on a petition designed to block the EPA's original proposal; currently, Stratford area residents continue to pressure the EPA to do more than move asbestosis contaminated soil from one location in town to another.

Asbestos Contamination in New Jersey School Concerns Parents

2009-03-18T09:21:00.001-07:00

Montclair, NJ-Parents of children who attend the Montclair Middle School want to know why their sons and daughters were exposed to deadly, cancer-causing asbestos at the school in 2008. The Renaissance School is housed in a building leased to it by the Archdiocese of Newark, and in March, the over 100 year old structure had been undergoing a number of renovations. It was during this construction that the New Jersey State Department of Health and Senior Services (SDHSS) discovered significant levels of airborne asbestos in Madonna Hall, a space pressed into service as a temporary student dining area during the renovations.

The construction project apparently resulted in the disturbance of asbestos containing plaster in areas adjacent to Madonna Hall, and as a result, airborne concentrations of asbestos in the dining area were measured by the SDHSS at more than six times any acceptable level. State officials ordered the immediate evacuation of over 200 students who were only allowed to return to the school after asbestos abatement procedures had been carried out.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was once widely prized by a variety of industries. The material was, and in many cases still is, used in a host of building materials such as floor and ceiling tiles, roofing, siding, pipe insulation, etc., and as a result, the cancer-causing substance can be found in millions of structures in the U.S. and around the world. When microscopic asbestos fibers are inhaled into the lungs, they can remain there undetected for many decades before finally resulting in diseases such as malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), a particularly aggressive and deadly form of cancer.

Nervous and angry parents of students at the Renaissance School, all of whom are well aware of the extreme dangers posed by exposures to asbestos, received apologies and reassurances from the Montclair schools business administrator, Dana Sullivan, who told parents, "We've had over 100 air quality tests done there. That school is completely safe now." Not all parents are convinced of the school's safety, and many more are angry that their children were unnecessarily exposed to asbestos in the first place.

It was later learned that the Montclair school district was cited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), via the New Jersey Health Department, for its failure to have a proper asbestos abatement plan in place at the school during the renovations-such a plan is required by federal law. It remains unclear as to what, if any, sanctions the EPA will ultimately impose on the school district.

Donna Leusner, spokeswoman for the Health Department was swift in announcing the state agency's condemnation of the Renaissance School's actions. "If you have public school children in school, then you have a responsibility to ensure that an asbestos management plan exists for that building." Ms. Leusner went on to state, "The onus is on them (the school), regardless of whether you lease or own the building."

Months after students were allowed to return to the Montclair school, parental concerns remain. "The bottom line is that someone knew at the end of March that there was asbestos in Madonna Hall, and I wasn't notified until May." said Jeannine Cox, a frustrated and concerned parent of a student at the New Jersey school. "Every parent should have been notified immediately. I'm really upset that administrators withheld information. We had a right to know what was going on while our children were there." Ms. Cox echoes the sentiments of all parents, many of whom are actively seeking assurances from state and school officials that such an incident will never happen again.

W. R. Grace Criminal Trial on Asbestos Violations Looms Near

2009-03-18T09:20:00.002-07:00

Missoula, MT-On Feb. 7, 2005, U.S. Attorney Bill Mercer made an announcement from the steps of the county courthouse-seven executive level representatives of W. R. Grace & Company, the Montana-based chemical and mining giant, had been indicted on multiple criminal charges relating to the company's alleged cover up of violations of worker safety and other federal regulations. The seven men are specifically charged with the wanton and lawless disregard for the health and safety of its workers by conspiring to expose them to potentially deadly levels of asbestos-a known carcinogen. "A human and environmental tragedy has occurred," Mercer said. "This prosecution seeks to hold Grace and its executives accountable."

Scientific studies confirmed long ago that exposure to any form of asbestos poses a significant threat to health. Particularly worrisome are microscopic, airborne asbestos fibers that can be inhaled into the lungs where they can remain hidden and dormant for 20-50 years before finally causing the onset of serious malignant disease. The most virulent of all the asbestos-caused diseases is malignant mesothelioma, an aggressive, deadly, and incurable form of lcancer. The government alleges Grace knew of the danger to its workers, but simply didn't care.

The 10 count indictment charges the seven Grace men with conspiracy, knowing endangerment, obstruction of justice, and wire fraud. Today, nearly four years after the charges were filed, lawyers are preparing for pretrial arguments that will impact on what evidence a jury will be allowed to hear at a trial that is scheduled to begin on Feb. 19 and is expected to last three months.

The government's 49 page indictment charges Grace with willfully and knowingly exposing workers to cancer-causing asbestos that was contained in millions of tons of vermiculite that came from the Grace mines near Libby, Montana. Vermiculite is used for insulation, gardening, fireproofing and other industrial needs, and Grace shipped the hazardous material to over 270 processing plants across the country. Subsequent to the indictment's announcement, Grace's public relations firm released a statement saying the company, "Categorically denies any wrongdoing, and it (Grace) is looking forward to setting the record straight."

As one of the outcomes of numerous employee and governmental civil suits against Grace, a company that sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protections in 2001, Grace has agreed to pay $250 million in cleanup costs associated with the decontamination of the town of Libby. Civil violations aside, the ultimate price may come when the seven indicted Grace executives face a jury that could send some of the company men to prison for up to 70 years.

W. R. Grace Lawyers Seek to Limit the Evidence

In pretrial arguments, government attorneys will seek to convince U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy to allow into evidence the testimony of prosecution witnesses who have knowledge of indoor air quality studies conducted by Grace, studies that prove the company knew asbestos posed significant health risks to those who are exposed to it. For the defense, Grace lawyers will argue that indoor air quality studies are irrelevant in a case that charges outdoor asbestos exposures to injured workers.

Prosecutors will counter with their argument that any reasonable person can infer the harm from deadly asbestos, whether in an indoor or outdoor setting. All eyes and ears will be on Judge Molloy's ruling on this pretrial motion and many others that are expected to follow. All told, between the prosecution and the defense, a total of over 30 attorneys are expected to be in attendance at the courthouse for what promises to be a contentions trial, indeed.

School Approved for Reopening after Asbestos Removal

2009-03-18T09:20:00.001-07:00

On January 7, Adams Elementary School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma was checked and approved for air quality after a piece of piping insulation fell from the ceiling earlier in the week.

The accidental discovery was the result of a new addition, built to accommodate the MAPS For Kids Project. Workers came across the asbestos during construction. The problem, according to PTA President Pat Calvert, is that the workers who disturbed it didn't report it to anyone.

After the discovery, the school was promptly closed and its 500 students bussed to nearby Roosevelt Elementary School while asbestos remediation went on.

By Wednesday, the school had passed both the air quality and visual inspection required by the Oklahoma Department of Labor, and the following day classes resumed at their normally scheduled time of 8:15 a.m., Central time.

In spite of that successful conclusion to what might have otherwise been a serious problem, the Department of Labor is concerned that the Oklahoma City School District isn't doing enough to address asbestos-related incidents.

According to Department of Labor Asbestos Director Talmadge Rogers, a letter to the school district - arguing the need for additional asbestos abatement in school hallways - has not received the attention it warrants.

School District Chief Operating Officer Jim Burkey admits receiving the letter but insists that the school district has no legal obligation to replace the insulation. Burkey did add that more care would be taken when replacing the ceiling at Adams Elementary, located at 3416 SW 37th Street.

School district parents are not happy with Burkey's response, and want the district to be more proactive in addressing asbestos issues.

"It is our children's health that we're talking about," noted parent Patricia Sabatino. "What if the children are there when it does break and what if it starts cracking and the asbestos starts to float through the air and our children and teachers are breathing it?"

Calvert voiced similar worries, but added that the district was taking precautions and likely would not put children in intentional jeopardy.

According to the Oklahoma Department of Labor, most Oklahoma City schools contain asbestos because many were built during the era when asbestos was widely used, and before its dangers were recognized. Adams Elementary itself was built in 1949. Other schools, like Britton Elementary, were built as early as 1931.

Asbestos was commonly used in pipe insulation, floor and roofing tiles, tile cement and ceiling panels or sprayed-on insulation throughout the first part of the 20th century. In the 1970s, health officials began to link asbestos use and exposure with various respiratory system disorders, and its use was largely discontinued, but it remains in situ in many older buildings, including schools, apartment building and other public facilities.

The most serious disease linked to asbestos exposure is malignant pleural mesothelioma. This usually fatal disease of mesothelial tissue arises from lung lesions caused by asbestos particles. This form of mesothelioma is rarely detected earlier than the third decade after exposure, and has by then progressed so far it eludes treatment. Most patients diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma die within 14 months.

Burkey's somewhat cavalier attitude - which no doubt reflects the huge costs of proactive asbestos remediation in an entire school district - is nonetheless a knee-jerk reaction to a problem that will eventually haunt American jurisprudence to the tune of $200 billion, according to the nonprofit RAND Institute. The cost to American medicine, and American taxpayers, may be inestimable.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules against Asbestos Insurer

2009-03-18T09:19:00.002-07:00

In January, a Wisconsin Supreme Court decision made it clear that "long tail" claims can't be satisfied as a single incident.

The decision, handed down in Madison, indicates that Liberty Mutual may have to pay each claimant in an asbestos lawsuit on an individual basis, regardless of its 2005 lump-sum payment of $14.3 million to pay asbestos-related claims against its insured, Plastics Engineering Co., also known as Plenco, of Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

The context of the suit involves Plenco, which in 1934 began manufacturing molding compounds. Between 1950 and 1983, Plenco made these products with asbestos. Plenco has been involved in hundreds of lawsuits which involve Plenco worker's claims that exposure to the asbestos damaged their health.

Liberty Mutual is the insurer of record for Plenco, providing primary general liability policies beginning in 1957, and insured Plenco under "umbrella" liability policies from 1970 forward.

In 2004, Plenco filed against Liberty Mutual, arguing that the insurance company was obligated to "fully" defend Plenco against all current and future asbestos injury claims. Liberty countered by saying it should not be liable for some defense and indemnification expenses, under the terms of the insurance, and should also be refund in this area for cases already settled by its 2005 lump sum settlement.

In October of 2006, a circuit court ruled, both for and against both parties, and entered into a final judgment to which both parties agreed at the time and later appealed. Liberty Mutual has since tried to argue that all employee injuries during that period amounted to a single occurrence - the "long-tail" claim - and that the $14.3 million paid in 2005 covers its liability in regard to Plenco.

The most recent decision by the Wisconsin Supreme Court rejects that argument, and suggests that each injured employee has a separate case, and that Liberty Mutual must cover all the costs of injuries, including litigation costs and peripheral expenses, not just a portion.

Toxic tort claims (which include environmental damage and product liability claims) all share a common factor; they may prompt lawsuits under old insurance policies. So far, the U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on the time limits of these policies, and as one risk analyst has noted, a failure to establish a moratorium on risk may lead to a future where insurance companies remain on the hook for policies given out six decades ago, before the risks of asbestos were fully understood.

The situation vis a vis Liberty Mutual and Plenco is complicated by the fact that Wisconsin is a "continuous trigger" state. Where harm occurs, even over a lengthy exposure period, all policies issued during that period are triggered, at least from a defense and indemnity standpoint.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court's opinion is based on three factors common in long-tail coverage analysis, namely:

How many occurrences exist
How much coverage exists
Can the insured (Plenco) be held liable for any portion of the damages

Liberty Mutual will no doubt appeal the decision to a higher court, forcing a final decision on the term limits of long-tail insurance claims. In the meantime, former Plenco workers are covered, regardless of their dates of employment.

Oklahoma: Convicted Elk City Manager Resigns

2009-03-18T09:19:00.001-07:00

On January 16, convicted Elk City, Oklahoma city manager Guy Hylton submitted his resignation, which was unanimously accepted by the Elk City commission.

Convicted in 2007, along with city supervisor Chuck Little, of misdemeanor negligent endangerment for using state inmates as unpaid labor in 2003 on a railroad depot that was filled with asbestos, Hylton received a six month sentence. Little was sentenced to eight months. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld both convictions and sentences.

According to trial records, Hylton and Little were guilty of using Elk City Work Center inmates to remove asbestos from the Elk City Railroad Dept, which the city purchased from the railroad in May of 2002 to use as city facility. The depot, built in the early 1900s, contained asbestos insulation.

Testimony revealed that the inmates were not given protective clothing or other protective equipment while working. This kind of protection is required by law when working with, or around, asbestos, whose fibers can penetrate living tissue and cause a number of asbestos-related health problems, specifically malignant pleural mesothelioma. Malignant pleural mesothelioma develops so slowly and has so few initial symptoms that - by the time the cancer is well developed - treating it is no longer an option. Most victims die within 14 months of diagnosis.

By failing to provide inmates with protective gear, Hylton and Little were guilty of negligent endangerment of worker's health. In addition, testimony indicates that Little lied to investigators when he stated that the waste from the depot had been disposed of in a properly permitted landfill, though the jury subsequently found him not guilty.

The grand jury case, jointly investigated and prosecuted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Justice, or DOJ, and the state of Oklahoma, is far from unique. In the early part of 2008, 37 former and current inmates at Ohio's Chillicothe Correctional Institution charged the state, and other officials, with subjecting inmates to asbestos without informing them of the dangers or providing asbestos remediation.

According to Gerald Smith, who was incarcerated at the facility for 18 months and worked there as a plumber, pipeline ruptures on more than one occasion caused asbestos to be blown about the facility. Smith reportedly currently suffers from chest pains and coughs up phlegm from time to time. When inmates' legal representative ordered prison officials to test for asbestos, the results reportedly came back positive. A lawsuit was subsequently filed in Franklin County U.S. District Court on January 4, 2008.

Inmates at McNeil Island state prison in Washington protested their use in removing asbestos tile with no protection and no precautions on the part of Department of Correction's employees. This violation led to the filing, by the Washington Department of Labor and Industries, of a citation against the McNeil facility for "willful and serious" violations for this and two other projects performed prior to 2008.

In New York state, a class action suit (Charnock v. Peters) sought to establish the right of prison inmates to be free from continued exposure to asbestos, and to prevent the Watertown, New York Correctional Facility from using inmate labor to remove asbestos without protective equipment.

This suit was subsequently dropped when the Department of Correctional Services established an effective asbestos removal plan that met state and federal parameters for asbestos remediation.

The lesson should be clear. The fact that individuals are incarcerated does not automatically abrogate their right to be protected from hazardous substances. The lesson will likely be a decade in the learning, however, as prison populations are marshaled to address a problem that will ultimately end up costing the United States, and taxpayers, upwards of $200 billion dollars, and America's citizens untold numbers of mesothelioma sufferers.

Vermont Senate Considers Challenge to State Health Department Asbestos Report

2009-03-18T09:17:00.000-07:00

Montpelier, VT - On January 30, 2009, members of the Vermont Senate Economic Development Committee (SEDC) listened to witness testimony related to the recent publication of a state Health Department report on asbestos. The report was the result of a study designed to determine if there existed an increased incidence of asbestos-related disease amongst Vermont residents who lived within a 10 mile, 13 town radius of what once was an active asbestos mine. The mine, owned by Vermont Asbestos Group (VAG) was closed in 1993 after an over 100 year history of asbestos production in the towns of Eden and Lowell.

Health Department researchers studied the occurrence of asbestos-caused diseases in the affected towns between the years 1994 and 2006. According to researchers, the examined data indicated that there was, indeed, an increased risk of asbestos-caused illnesses for individuals who resided in proximity to the VAG mine. These subsequently published findings resulted in an immediate outcry amongst many of the citizens who lived in the study area.

Numerous critics assailed the asbestos report, challenging the science behind the findings, as well as condemning the report for its immediate negative impact on property values in the area. Witnesses at the senate hearing testified that the report had already resulted in a $60 thousand decrease in a recent Eden town reappraisal, and that the economic damage was only going to get worse.

Witnesses at the hearing were particularly vocal about the fact that Health Department officials had backtracked on the scientific findings of its asbestos study, admitting that the statistical data was flawed, and as a result, the nexus between residing near the VAG mine and an increased incidence in asbestos-caused disease was less certain.

Senate House Majority Leader, Floyd Nease, represents the town of Eden, where the VAG mine is located, and in an aired interview on Vermont Public Radio, Nease stated, "The health Department bungled its study. The state said there was a higher rate of lung cancer deaths among people living near the mine, but then they had to retract that finding because of a data error."

Leslie White, a resident of Eden, testified at the hearing that she had done the investigating the Health Department should have done. White conducted her own independent research on asbestos-caused disease amongst residents in the area, and it was her discovery of additional relevant data that caused the Health Department to partially retract its findings.

"I feel very violated that the information was out there, and that I had to go get it," said White. "And these are the people that are trying to protect us, it just doesn't seem right," White continued, "I think there has to be a full retraction of this health finding."

The statistical issue in question is the report's inclusion of the asbestos-caused death of an area resident, a death Ms. White contends was much more likely the result of the man's years-long employment in the shipbuilding industry, an occupation that typically exposed workers to high levels of asbestos fibers. Once inhaled into the lungs, asbestos fibers can remain undetected for 20-50 years before leading to respiratory diseases such as asbestosis and the far more dreaded malignant pleural mesothelioma-an aggressive and incurable form of lung cancer.

As a result of the now questionable Health Department's conclusions about the VAG mine and asbestos-related disease, the SEDC is considering the issuance of a formal senate resolution that would officially call into question the findings of the Health Department's asbestos report. "Too little, too late," said Nease, "the economic damage has already been done."

Stimulus to assist in cancer research

2009-03-18T02:42:00.000-07:00

Washington, D.C. - Cancer research around the nation will be receiving a much welcomed boost in the form of an expected $1.26 billion from the $787 billion economic stimulus package signed by President Obama on Tuesday, February 17.

The government had allocated $10 billion of the stimulus package for the National Institute of Health, which is currently drafting its plan for distributing the funds. The $10 billion represents a dramatic increase in the agency's budget for 2009, judging by its 2008 annual budget of $29 billion.

Of the $10 billion, $7.4 billion is earmarked for the institutes and its research centers. Based on previous federal spending, $1.26 of that is expected to go to the National Cancer Institute, which had a 2008 budget of $4.81 billion.

It is believed that The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center will get a large portion of the cancer funds distributed by NCI to fund its many major studies. The National Cancer Institute awards its grants on a competitive basis, and the world-renowned center, located in Houston, TX, typically garners more grant funding from NCI annually than any other institution in the nation.

M.D. Anderson's president, Dr. John Mendelsohn, applauds the federal spending which he says is a great investment in the U.S.'s future. However, he also urges the fund's distributors to be careful in how they give out the money. His concern is that while the money will generate immediate work, researchers conducting long-term studies which require steady funding, like the ones at M.D. Anderson, may be scrambling for additional money down the road.

A portion of the money from the stimulus is expected to be dispersed quickly to fund a backlog of thousands of grant applications already deemed promising. In recent years, roughly 20 percent of grant applications submitted to the NCI have been successful.

Asbestos Concerns Over Burned Tavern Eased

2009-03-18T02:41:00.002-07:00

Keyser, W. Va. - When the Railsyde Tavern burned to the ground in the fall of 2008, the charred remains of the structure created an eyesore for the town, as well as the potential for citizen exposures to asbestos, a known cancer-causing agent. The large pile of tavern debris was suspected of containing asbestos contaminated building materials that could pose a significant health hazard if disturbed during any cleanup operation. As a result, no one was exactly sure as to how the removal of the burned debris should proceed.

Once popular with a wide variety of manufacturing industries, asbestos is a mineral that exists in various chemical composition, color, and type forms. Asbestos can be commonly found in the soil or in exposed outcroppings in numerous countries around the globe, though, many of those nations have banned the use of asbestos due to significant health risks associated with exposures to the extremely hazardous material. In the 1970s, numerous scientific investigations confirmed the fact that microscopic asbestos fibers, once inhaled into the lungs, could eventually lead to serious respiratory illness.

Researchers discovered that asbestos fibers could remain in the lungs for up to 50 years before finally causing the onset of diseases such as malignant pleural mesothelioma, a dreaded and aggressive cancer killer for which there exists no cure. As a result, the citizens of Keyser were rightly concerned about the tavern's cleanup resulting in significant amounts of asbestos fibers being introduced into the environment.

The fire that destroyed the Railsyde was declared an act of arson by the fire department that also declared that the skeletal remains of the structure to be unsafe, and as a result, they used a bulldozer to knock down the structure and consolidate the debris into a single pile on the property. The property owners had begun a further cleanup of the site when they were halted in their actions by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The DEP became involved because of its concerns that the building's debris might contain asbestos.

If the presence of asbestos had been confirmed, cleanup of the site would have to be performed under strictly controlled, DEP approved procedures that would greatly increase the costs of the cleanup project. The DEP's concerns about the presence of asbestos at the corner of Armstrong and North Davis Street site soon spread to the residents of Keyser, many of whom wondered if the months-long neglected ruins would become a long-standing part of the landscape if the presence of asbestos was confirmed. Proper asbestos abatement procedures could cost tens of thousands of dollars, money the owners might not wish to spend as it could conceivably be more than the value of the property.

In a worse case scenario, government officials had already considered allowing the town to perform the tavern cleanup, subsequent to which the town would place a lien on the property, allowing it to possibly recoup its expenditures if the land were ever sold.

Keyser residents were pleased to learn that the owners of the burned tavern had recently applied for a permit to effect a cleanup of the site. News of the permit application came from City Administrator, Deborah Pamepinto, who told town residents, "The owners have moved on it, finally. It's good news," Pamepinto was pleased to add, "Fortunately, the owners appeared at city hall last week with the results of a DEP approved environmental survey that gave the site a clean bill of health." Much to the relief of all involved, the cleanup procedures the owners had already started will now be permitted to resume at the site.

UK researchers predict rates of lung cancer will drop 20% over the next 20 years

2009-03-18T02:41:00.001-07:00

UK - According to a study conducted by Cancer Research UK, it is estimated that by 2024, the rate of people diagnosed with lung cancer will drop from the current rate of 50 per 100,000 to 40 per 100,000. The research team studied population and disease data from multiple organizations, including the Office for National Statistics.

Researchers believe several factors will be responsible for this promising change. One of the more significant factors mentioned was the smoking ban.

At the same time, the study also concluded that the actual number of people living with lung cancer is expected to rise due to the aging population of current smokers. Because of the time lag between when a person takes up smoking and when the disease develops in the body, lung cancer mostly affects older people. Researchers predict that the number of people living with lung cancer could rise to over 41,600 in 2024 from the current number of roughly 38,500.

Of all lung cancer cases, 90% of them are attributed to smoking. According to the study, the number of male cases is higher than female cases due to the fact male smokers outnumber their female counterparts. It is estimated that by 2024, the number of men diagnosed each year compared to women will be about 22,000 versus 18,000 respectively.

The rate of lung cancer cases have steadily declined since the early 1970s when the rate of men diagnosed with the disease was 150 per 100,000. The cause for that number was attributed to record-high smoking rates during the 1940s and 50s.

One of the study's co-author, Professor Max Parkin, was quoted saying, "These predictions are based on what we know to date about the current figures and trends for lung cancer. As fewer people smoke, we should see a lower rate of the disease."

Cancer Research UK's director of tobacco control, Jean King, attributed the study's figures to the effectiveness of tobacco control measures and urged for more similar regulations, citing a statistic that one in five people still smoke.

Federal Court Reaches Penalty Phase of Asbestos Case in St. Louis

2009-03-18T02:38:00.000-07:00

ST. LOUIS - On Feb. 17 2009, U.S. District Judge Carol Jackson listened to defense and plaintiff's arguments during the penalty phase of a civil action Jackson ruled on in Sept. 2008. The case is centered around the City of St. Louis' violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA) during its demolition of numerous structures in preparation for the construction of a new airport in suburban St. Louis. The contested demolitions took place between the years 2000 to 2004, and opponents of the city's razing of over 1,900 homes and 70 commercial structures point specifically to the demolition of 99 residential structures that were heavily contaminated with asbestos-a known cancer-causing agent.

The controversy focuses on the City's use of the so-called "wet method" of demolition used to effect asbestos control, which refers to a technique that relies on heavy applications of water to a demolition site in order to control the airborne spread of asbestos fibers. Residents of the neighborhoods surrounding the demolition project were understandably concerned about the fact that the wet method is an unproven and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unapproved method of asbestos abatement. Opponents of the method point to the fact that it prohibits the obtainment of accurate air quality test results, therefore, it violates the spirit and the letter of the CAA legislation.

Once widely prized by a wide variety of manufacturing industries, asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that can be found in countries around the world. Now largely banned in many of those nations, asbestos has been proven to pose a serious threat to human health. Asbestos comes in a wide variety of types, colors, and chemical compositions, some deemed to be more deadly than others, though, no safe level of exposures to the material in any form has ever been established.

When microscopic, airborne fibers of asbestos are inhaled into the lungs, the body's defense mechanisms against foreign objects are typically defeated by these fibers-they can remain in the lungs for up to 50 years before finally causing the onset of serious respiratory diseases such as malignant mesothelioma, an aggressive and incurable form of cancer. Due to the extreme health hazards associated with asbestos, it's easy to understand the concerns of local citizens who felt they and their children could have been harmed by the City's airport demolition practices-practices that were finally halted by the EPA in 2004.

Judge Jackson agreed with the plaintiffs, a group of citizens from the airport adjacent suburb of Bridgeton, when she stated in her Sept. ruling, "The City didn't comply with federal regulations. The question now is, should the city be sanctioned for not doing a proper demolition, for violating federal law."
The plaintiffs in the action were represented by Jim Hecker, an attorney with the Washington-based Public Justice. "This has been the first time citizens anywhere in the U.S. have tried to stop the use of the illegal wet method," said Hecker, who went on to state that the EPA has been under "significant pressure from various industries to relax its asbestos abatement standards." Such a lessening of vigilance, said Hecker, "would undoubtedly expose countless individuals to the dangers of asbestos fibers exposure."

The city's punishment could range from civil fines to being ordered to remediate any identifiable asbestos contaminations caused by its actions. Many of the plaintiffs feel that no sanctions against the city could be too harsh, and they wonder if their health or the health of their children was in any way compromised during the four years the city had conducted their demolition project. Jackson is expected to hear further arguments on the matter before announcing the court's penalties sometime in the near future.

Utica City Hall Remains Closed Due to Asbestos Contamination

2009-03-18T02:37:00.002-07:00

Utica, N.Y. - On Feb. 25, 2009, town officials ordered the complete evacuation of all persons inside the City Hall building at 1 Kennedy plaza. The evacuation was described as a precautionary measure designed to protect the health of workers and citizens who might otherwise be subjected to exposures to asbestos-a known cancer-causing agent. The problems at City Hall began shortly after 3:30 PM on Wednesday when an energy auditing company's subcontractor disturbed asbestos materials in the building; the subcontractor's action raised the possibility of human exposures to the hazardous material, and as a result, the building was immediately evacuated and closed to everyone except environmental safety and asbestos abatement personnel.

The sudden closure of City Hall took more than town workers by surprise, many Utica citizens who had important business in the building were equally taken aback by the structure's locked doors. Utica's Mayor David Roefero apologized for any inconvenience. "We did what we had to do," Roefero said. "The building at 1 Kennedy Plaza will remain closed and city services such as tax assistance and notaries public will be unavailable until further notice," stated the Mayor. Town officials wanted to send a clear message that no one was taking any chances when it came to possible exposures to asbestos.

Asbestos is a mineral that occurs naturally in the soil or in above-ground formations; the substance can be found in abundance and in a variety of types in all four corners of the world. Once widely utilized by numerous industries, asbestos can be found in products from brake pads to hair curlers to building materials, etc. Highly resistant to damage from heat, electricity, and corrosive chemicals, asbestos is a substance that was once considered to be too good to be true-unfortunately, it was.

In the early 1970s, numerous scientific and medical investigations confirmed the fact that microscopic, airborne asbestos fibers posed a dire threat to human health. Research confirmed that once asbestos fibers had been inhaled into the lungs, they would become permanently lodged in soft tissues where, up to 50 years later, these brittle and needle-like fibers could cause the onset of serious respiratory diseases.

Exposures to airborne asbestos fibers can result in illnesses such as asbestosis, which causes a debilitating scarring of the lungs, as well as the incurable and inevitably fatal form of cancer known as malignant pleural mesothelioma. Because of the significant health risks associated with asbestos exposures, Utica town officials were taking no chances with the hazardous materials that were disturbed at the Kennedy Plaza building.

As a result of the City Hall closure, one town service has taken up temporary residence elsewhere-the Mohawk Valley Water Authority (MVWA) has set up a makeshift operation in a maintenance facility structure on Kemble Street. MVWA Executive Director Patrick Becher noted that the Kemble Street building has had asbestos issues of its own. "It's kind of ironic, " said Becher. Heating pipes at the Kemble Street building were wrapped with asbestos, a fact that had only recently been discovered. Recent air quality tests have been conducted in the building and no problems were reported. "It's not a threat," Becher said. "They said it was fine."

Meanwhile, back at City Hall, Jean Genovese, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Labor reports that the Kennedy Plaza building had been approved for emergency asbestos abatement procedures, and that all appropriate interim measures had been taken. "We didn't issue them any citations," Genovese said about City Hall officials, "they did the right thing and got everyone out of the building right away."

It remains unclear as to when City Hall will reopen to workers and the general public. Mayor Roefero says that abatement procedures will move ahead without delay, and Utica citizens will be kept fully apprised of progress at the building.

University of Minnesota Agrees to Pay Stiff Penalties for Alleged Asbestos Violations

2009-03-18T02:37:00.001-07:00

ST. PAUL - While denying that the school had done anything wrong, University of Minnesota (UM) officials recently agreed to pay a total of $60,000 in penalties that resulted from the school's alleged violations of state regulations that govern exposures to asbestos-a known cancer-causing agent. The penalties against the university were imposed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), which charged the school with two separate offenses related to asbestos exposures at the UM-owned Centennial Showboat in St. Paul, and in a separate violation, at the college's UMore Park in Rosemount. The University was fined $5,000 for each offense, and under the terms of a separate agreement, the college will contribute an additional $50,000 to a fund that will support on-campus studies designed to educate students and faculty alike about the very real dangers of asbestos exposures.

While asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was once widely prized by a broad spectrum of industries, the extremely hazardous material is now largely banned in many around the world. Asbestos can be found in the soil or in above ground outcropping formations. The mineral exists in a number of colors, types, and chemical compositions, though, medical professionals agree that all forms of asbestos pose some risk to human health.

In the 1970s, after many years of asbestos/disease related research, scientists became united in their belief that there existed no safe threshold of exposures to airborne, microscopic asbestos fibers. When these fibers are inhaled into the lungs, they can become permanently imbedded in soft tissues where, up to 50 years later, these fibers can result in the onset of serious respiratory diseases. Asbestos fibers have been proven to cause asbestosis, a debilitating scarring of the lungs that results in impaired lung function, as well as the incurable, aggressive, and inevitably fatal form of cancer known as malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Because of the dire risks associated with asbestos exposures, federal and state agencies have adopted a wide range of stringent rules and regulations that govern the handling and presence of the material, rules the MPCA says the university violated at its student movie theater venue within the dry-docked Centennial Showboat. MPCA officials claim the university was negligent because it failed to remove 45 cubic yards of asbestos from the Showboat theater, the hazardous material having been left behind after the ship's boiler had been dismantled. The MPCA says the university ignored the potential dangers of asbestos exposures among the more than 13,000 students who attended shows at the popular theater venue this past summer.

UM's General Counsel, Mark Rottenberg, disagrees. "The university hired a specialist to make sure the ship complied with asbestos regulations, and the specialist found the ship to be in compliance," said Rottenberg. "The subcontractor who provided the certificate that he was an asbestos abatement expert simply didn't do a good job," Rottenberg explained. "It was our boat, so we agreed to pay the $5,000 fine."

The university's second asbestos violation resulted from the MPCA's findings that the school improperly left a number of asbestos-containing wall panels on its UMore Park property, the panels left behind after a number of buildings had been demolished on the site in the 1940s. The panels were recently discovered on the school's 8,000 acre property while workmen had been clearing trees and brush on the land. Some of the panels were accidentally crushed by the work crews, which created the possibility for dangerous airborne exposures.

"The university contests that asbestos from the site became airborne," Rottenberg said. The attorney also stated that university officials feel that the school has done nothing wrong, but that it agreed to pay the fines because it simply wasn't worth the effort to fight it anymore.

Experts Say Madison County Legal System Not Affected by Mississippi Fraud

2009-03-18T02:36:00.002-07:00

Madison County, Illinois lawyers say the asbestos debacle in Mississippi involving National Service Industries (NSI) and N & M Inc. will not affect them directly, but does damage the credibility of all future asbestos litigation.

NSI lawyers, filing on Feb. 9, 2009, under federal racketeering (RICO, or the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) provisions, charge that Molly Netherland and Charlie Mason of N & M conspired with radiologist Ray Harron and his son, Andrew Harron, and others, to defraud the company by enlisting at least 10,000 claimants using falsified medical records. NSI is also suing Christopher Taylor, a former N & M employee, on the grounds that he was responsible for rounding up the prospective plaintiffs for the tort suit.

At least 4,000 claims were filed in Holmes County, Mississippi, beginning in 1995 naming NSI as a defendant. Ray Harron has since had his license suspended or revoked in Texas, Mississippi, North Carolina, California, Florida and New Mexico. Both Harron and his son, Andrew, a Wisconsin osteopath, have pleaded the Fifth Amendment, declining to incriminate themselves.

According to NSI lawyers, N & M spent over a million dollars in advertising to attract litigants, even though most were never given proper medical treatment. Instead, employees lacking any medical training gave X-rays and breathing tests, which were signed off on by Ray Herron's assistants at his direction, netting N & M millions in referral fees while lawyers used the falsified medical reports to seek settlements.

Madison County legal experts are supported in their view that N & M's behavior will negatively impact asbestos litigation by a study conducted by Lester Brickman, a leading expert in asbestos litigation and a professor at the Cardozo School of Law. Brickman writes that:

"If there were an award for the most abusive class-action settlement of the decade, if not the century, this settlement would be an odds-on favorite to gain the prize."

Fortunately, Herron is not a figure behind any current Madison County asbestos cases. Additionally, according to Madison County Judge Daniel Stack, the County had already protected itself from many of these abuses by creating an inactive docket which removes all plaintiffs who are not ill from active docket roles.

This is a direct reversal of the situation in Madison County in the early part of this decade, when asbestos claims earned it the name "Mad County" as filings rose from 65 (in 1996) to 953 in 2003, with a preponderance of claimants coming from elsewhere.

The heart of the matter, as jurists note, is badly needed tort reform. A classic example is tort lawyer Richard Scruggs and his cases against the tobacco industry, which netted lawyers millions and victims little but lost time. In asbestos tort filings, massive screening and inclusion of clients from far afield leads to a situation where legal claims skyrocket, unscrupulous lawyers profit, and those actually suffering from asbestos-related illnesses may never be able to claim their share of the pie, even though asbestos bankruptcy trusts still have roughly $40 billion left to pay plaintiffs.

Railroad Worker Sues for Asbestos Injuries

2009-03-18T02:36:00.001-07:00

James A. Miller, who worked for the Illinois Central Railroad Company from 1946 until 1951, has filed a complaint in St. Clair County District Court charging the company with negligence for failing to protect him against the asbestos-related disease he subsequently developed.

The complaint, dated February 13, asks for $50,000 in damages plus costs and other relief as the court deems appropriate. Miller, a former machinist, says that his work in on and around locomotive boilers, without adequate safety precautions, caused his current condition, which has not been specified.

Asbestos fibers, when inhaled, can cause lung cancer, cancer of the pharynx, cancer of the esophagus, stomach cancer, colon cancer, cancer of the rectum, asbestosis and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma, a particularly lethal form of lung cancer, can lie dormant for decades, but when it finally manifests the patient commonly dies with a year or two.

According to Miller's lawyers, the railroad was negligent in failing to provide instructions for the safe handling of asbestos-containing products. The railroad also failed to provide safe and effective breathing masks, or ventilation devices, and required employees to work with hazardous products without the benefit of any safety equipment.

Finally, the railroad failed to provide Miller (and others) with periodic testing for asbestos injury, failed to limit access to areas where asbestos-containing product was being used, failed to test these products for safety before employees used them, and failed to provide Miller with a separate locker to keep his regular clothing safe from contamination by his work clothing, which contained asbestos dust and fibers.

Miller's lawyers are seeking damages based on the fact that Miller claims he has contracted an asbestos-related disease that has caused him lost wages, severe physical and emotional pain, as well as extreme nervousness and mental anguish because he has been led to believe, by medical professionals, that his illness in permanent and beyond remediation.

The legal team is seeking damages for loss of earnings, diminished physical capacity, medical expenses, loss of affection, and the costs of counseling and support required by himself and his family for what all have been led to expect is a shortened life expectancy.

Although Miller clearly does not have mesothelioma, the extent of his exposure to asbestos makes that a possibility. Even though none of the safety and health-reporting agencies (the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, or OSHA, the Centers for Disease Control, or CDC, and the American Cancer Society) has ever established minimum, safe levels of exposure, five years is a long enough period to have initiated the disease, since anything from a day to a lifetime can trigger mesothelioma.

Insulation blankets, tape, patching materials and gaskets once used in boilers are all high-residue sources of asbestos, and even today many of these products may contain asbestos, putting boiler workers in the high-risk category for developing asbestos-related diseases. Miller's five-year exposure as both a machinist and boiler worker makes him a prime candidate for mesothelioma.

Miller is also a prime example of the perfect storm of asbestos injury claims that are just now coming due as workers from the 1950s and 1960s reach an age when diseases like asbestosis and mesothelioma begin to make their appearance.

City of St. Louis Facing Potential Civil Penalties for Former Deconstruction

2009-03-18T02:35:00.001-07:00

After ruling in September of 2008 that the City of St. Louis had violated Clean Air Act regulations, U.S. District Court Judge Carol Jackson is back in court debating whether to impose penalties on the city.

The case arose out of a demolition project the city undertook between 2000 and 2004, removing an entire subdivision of 1,900 homes and 70 businesses to make room for an airport runway at Lambert Airport, located in suburban St. Louis but owned by the city.

The lawsuit was filed by Public Justice on behalf of a neighborhood coalition called Families for Asbestos Compliance, Testing and Safety (FACTS), whose members lived near the 99 oldest buildings which were the major source of concern during demolition.

These 99 older homes in the St. Louis suburb of Bridgeton were deconstructed using an asbestos abatement procedure known as the "wet method", in which structures are sprayed with water to keep asbestos fibers from entering the air.

Public Justice and its legal team argued that the method was both unproven and dangerous. The approved method, under the NESHAP regulations of the Clean Air Act, requires removing the asbestos by hand and disposing of it in designated hazardous waste sites. Public Justice further argued that the city of St. Louis, which saved money by using the method, put its own economic interests above the health of residents.

City Attorney John Cowling defended his clients by stating that the city was merely following the orders of the St. Louis County Health Department, which held regulatory and permitting authority from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA.

For its part, the EPA countered by saying it didn't realize the city was using the unapproved method until 2003, when Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO) persuaded then-EPA Administrator Christie Todd Whitman to allow it.

When Whitman's authorization expired the following year, the EPA extended it for the term of the demolition, even though it subsequently refused to allow a Fort Worth (Texas) deconstruction firm to employ the same method.

The EPA later denounced the method as unsafe, but remains under pressure from developers and asbestos remediation firms to ease its standards to allow the method. According to legal experts, the city of St. Louis case is only one example among many of a continuing attempt to weaken federal asbestos safety standards to the benefit of said developers and the detriment of the public.

According to Jim Hecker, an attorney with Washington-based Public Justice, the St. Louis trial marks the first time American citizens have tried to stop the use of the illegal and potentially dangerous wet method.

Judge Jackson is not expected to issue a ruling for several days, but penalties could range from civil fines to further remediation at the city's expense, which are precisely the kinds of things FACTS is seeking, though it has agreed not to ask for personal injury settlements.

Asbestos Scare at Illinois Fire Station

2009-03-18T02:33:00.002-07:00

NILES - Because a firefighter's training includes instruction on the identification, handling, and disposal of a number of hazardous materials, Niles firemen were quick to identify an extremely hazardous material, asbestos-a known cancer-causing agent-that was contained in some old floor tiles that had been removed from an area in the firehouse earlier this month. The tiles had been disturbed by Niles Public Works crews who had been performing renovations at the No. 2 firehouse at Cumberland Avenue and Dempster Street. Allegedly, workers at the firehouse had removed some worn carpet from an area in the basement of the building; below the carpeting workers discovered a layer of tile, some of which had been removed by workers who used hammers to break up the brittle flooring-an action that may have caused asbestos fibers to be released into the air.

When firefighters noticed a 30 gallon trash container that had been filled with the old tiles, a closer inspection of the debris caused the men to suspect that the flooring contained asbestos. Fire Chief Barry Mueller was immediately contacted, and shortly thereafter, Mueller confirmed the presence of asbestos in the asphalt-based tiles. Mueller called for an immediate halt to the basement renovations and ordered a complete evacuation of the building.

A naturally occurring mineral that may be found in the soil or in exposed outcroppings, asbestos exists in abundance in numerous countries around the world. Asbestos can be found in several colors, types or chemical compositions, and the material was once widely used by a broad spectrum of industries. From brake pads to building materials, asbestos is a ubiquitous substance that can still be found in multiple products and/or older structures in every community in America.

In the 1970s, after decades of scientific and medical research, experts agreed that all forms of asbestos pose a significant risk to human health. Now largely banned in many countries around the globe, asbestos is dangerous when fractured or disturbed, actions that release microscopic asbestos fibers into the air. Once inhaled into the lungs, the fibers will almost always become permanently lodged in soft tissues where they can remain for up to 50 years before causing the onset of serious respiratory diseases.

The most feared of the asbestos-caused illnesses is a particularly aggressive, incurable, and inevitably fatal form of cancer known as pleural mesothelioma. Because of the dire health risks associated with friable (crushable) asbestos, the Niles firefighters were fortunate to alert to the presence of the extremely hazardous material and then take appropriate action.

Once the work in the basement had been halted, the building evacuated, and the work area sealed, asbestos abatement experts from Axis Response Group (ARG), an environmental testing firm, used large fans to disturb the air in all areas of the potentially contaminated firehouse, an action that would be certain to cause any residual asbestos fibers to be introduced into the air where special meters can detect them. Once the fans had been turned off, ARG personnel collected air samples from every room and open area within the fire house over a four hour period of time. Subsequent analyses of these samples indicated no evidence of asbestos contamination, and the Niles firefighters were allowed to reenter and occupy the building.

One mystery remains, however. It seems the 30 gallon trash container that held the old floor tiles had vanished from the building. No one is sure who removed the trash container or where the contaminated floor tiles had been disposed of. Chief Mueller and Assistant Village Manager, Steve Vinezeano, said, as far as they were concerned, no threat to human health had existed and the matter was officially closed.

Long Awaited Grace Asbestos Trial Finally Begins in Montana

2009-03-18T02:33:00.001-07:00

Missoula, Mont. - On Feb. 24, 2009, the jury listened to opening statements from defense lawyers and a federal prosecutor in what has been described as the most significant trial of its kind ever heard in an American courtroom. The criminal proceedings center around the prosecution of six former executives from the Chemical manufacturing giant, W.R. Grace & Company-seven men had originally been indicted, though, one of the defendants has since died.

All the former Grace executives are charged with, among other things, conspiring to violate provisions of the government's Clean Air Act while they presided over various corporate departments at Grace. The defendants are specifically charged with "knowingly" and "willfully" endangering the health of workers and townspeople in and around Grace's Zonolite Mountain vermiculite mine near Libby, Montana. Grace's problems stem from the fact that its vermiculite, a popular insulation and soil aeration product, was contaminated with asbestos-a known cancer-causing agent. In an indictment dating back to 2004, federal prosecutors allege that the charged executives conspired to raise company profits by concealing the well known dangers of its worker/citizen exposures to the hazard material.

Asbestos is a mineral that occurs naturally in the soil or in exposed outcroppings in countries around the globe. Once widely used in a variety of products and industrial processes, asbestos is now banned in many of the nations where the substance can be found. In the 1970s, scientific and medical investigations confirmed that airborne, microscopic asbestos fibers could be inhaled into the lungs, where these fibers could remain undetected and dormant for periods of up to 50 years before finally causing the onset of serious respiratory diseases such as the dreaded and incurable lung cancer killer known as malignant pleural mesothelioma.

While asbestos exists in a broad spectrum of chemical compositions, colors, and types, no safe level of exposure to asbestos-in any form-has ever been scientifically established. The mineral is considered to be extremely toxic to human health, and in the Grace trial, the government alleges that the chemical company executives knew full well the dangers Grace's mining operations had posed to its workers and members of the Libby community at large.

Defense lawyers disagree. "There's no question that the miners and their families suffered tragic losses as a consequence of the operation of this mine," said defense attorney, David M. Bernick in his opening statements to the jury. "But this case requires you to focus on what it is that counts." Bernick is just one of approximately 30 defense lawyers who will attempt to convince the jury that the six executives were little more than blue collar managers who knew little about the science relating to asbestos-caused disease. The defense will portray the defendants as individuals who also lived and worked in Libby during the period when the worst asbestos contaminations took place-that they weren't the calloused killers the government makes them out to be.

Cold-hearted killers who should face up to 15 years in prison and millions in fines if convicted of the charges? Yes, this is what the government contends. "This case is about a company that mined and manufactured a hazardous product, and individual executives who chose profit at the expense of people's health, and chose avoiding liability over disclosing the health hazard to the government," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Kris McLean in his opening statements at the trial.

The case has long been awaited by the citizens of Libby, where over 1,200 individuals have either died or been sickened by asbestos exposures. Sentiments run high against Grace in a town where angry residents are quick to point to a local cemetery when asked to identify the victims of Grace's alleged crimes. A proceeding that many have called the corporate pollution trial of the century is finally underway-an emotional ordeal for the citizens of Montana that is expected to last 3-4 months.

Cancer rates expected to double in next two decades

2009-03-18T02:32:00.003-07:00

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is projecting annual cancer deaths to double by 2030. The agency says that within the next two decades, global cancer deaths will increase to 17 million per year from 8 million in 2007. In addition, the IARC estimates that 27 million new cases of cancer will be diagnosed every year up from 12 million last year.

As a result of projected annual 1 percent growths in both cancer deaths and cases diagnosed, cancer will become the leading cause of death in 2010.

Worldwide cancer rates doubled between 1975 and 2000 and rates are predicted to double again by 2020 and triple by 2030. The agency blames the grim statistics on increasing tobacco use in low and middle income countries combined with more "Westernized" lifestyles.

When many people think of third world nations they image the leading causes of death being preventable disease. However more people die of cancer each year than all of the deaths from AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined.

In 1970 only 15 percent of cancers occurred in poor nations but now they account for more than half of cancer cases and two-thirds of cancer related deaths. The biggest factor for increased cancer rates is dramatic increase in tobacco use in the 1980s and 1990s.

The agency estimates that about 1.3 billion people smoke worldwide and currently 12 percent of cancer cases in low-income countries can be attributed to tobacco use with lung cancer killing more people worldwide than any other form of cancer.

The countries expected to be hit hardest include China, India and Russia which are projected to post the biggest increases in cancer deaths. Part of the reason is that smoking and lifestyle factors like obesity will overtake chronic infection as the leading causes of cancer among poorer nations.

The new statistics are in stark contrast to a recent report showing a decline in both cancer incidence and deaths in the United States for the first time in a decade. This underscores the shift in cancer toward less industrialized societies and indicates the need for fully funded cancer centers and smoking prevention programs in low and middle income countries.

Other forms of cancer are increasing as well with breast cancer rates increasing by as much as 5 percent each year in some countries. Cervical cancer continues to claim lives and is the leading cause of cancer death in poor nations including many parts of Africa.

Asian nations have seen some of the largest cancer rates. The rate of stomach cancer continues to be higher than other parts of the world because of a lack of refrigeration while breast cancer rates in Japan, Korea and Singapore have doubled and even tripled during the last forty years.

Central Point Oregon City Employee Charges Asbestos Exposure

2009-03-18T02:32:00.001-07:00

In the mid-sized town of Central Point, population 16,500, an employee who asked that his name be withheld has charged that his work for the city exposed himself and other city work crews to asbestos.

Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division officers are investigating charges that the deconstruction of a 100-year-old house at 712 Manzanita Street, on the northwest side of the city, created a health hazard for city workers.

Asbestos, a fibrous mineral used in insulation, floor and roofing tiles, tile glues and acoustical ceiling panels up to the 1970s - when health officials began to recognize its dangers - is the primary cause of mesothelioma, a largely incurable form of lung cancer whose symptoms don't become apparent for up to five decades.

By the time doctors diagnose mesothelioma, it has usually advanced too far to treat. Most patients die within 18 months. Exposure to asbestos can also trigger such lifelong ailments as non-mesothelial lung cancer, cancer of the pharynx, cancer of the esophagus, stomach cancer, colon cancer, cancer of the rectum, and asbestosis, a breathing disorder similar to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, in its symptoms.

The potential contamination of city employees was confirmed by the state's Occupational Health and Safety (OSHA) spokesperson, Melanie Mesaros, who acknowledged that an investigation was in progress based on samples taken from the site. Mesaros expects results to be available within fourteen days.

Central Point Public Works Director Bob Pierce concurs, noting that the unnamed employee originally reported the potential exposure to the state's Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) occupational health division a week after the deconstruction (which occurred on Feb. 11) was completed and the materials removed for disposal.

Absent the materials, Mesaros said testing will be done on the site's ground to determine if asbestos was present. According to other DEQ officials, ground testing is adequate to determine whether asbestos was present before and during demolition.

According to Pierce, the two-story house, which burned so badly in 2005 it was uninhabitable, was thoroughly inspected by a city official before the 20-minute deconstruction process began. Pierce, who said that his primary concern was safety, added that little or no dust was observable during the process, that all appropriate paperwork was filed with the court and relevant agencies before the teardown commenced, and that steps were taken beforehand to insure worker's were protected.

Unfortunately, Pierce also admitted that he - and by extension the city - did not know if the building contained asbestos, and added: "...if we did something wrong on a technicality, we want to know about it and correct it."

To that end, Pierce assured reporters that in future the city would test for asbestos before engaging in any more teardowns.

The Manzanita address was the first house to come down after the city passed a set of ordinances in 2008 to eliminate ‘blight', or uninhabitable and unusable buildings in residential and commercial districts. Property owner Bob Medcalf was not available for comment.

Recent Asbestos Suits Find Wide Targets

2009-03-18T02:30:00.000-07:00

On Feb. 20, attorney Lou Thompson Black filed suit on behalf of Raymond Hairston Jr. in Orange County (Texas) District Court against 38 companies that Hairston charges deliberately conspired to conceal the dangers of asbestos from him when he worked for the various companies, their affiliates or associates.

The suit further claims that the corporate defendants - among them companies such as Viacom, GE and Zurn Industries - maliciously inflicted the plaintiff with an unspecified asbestos-related illness by manufacturing, selling and using asbestos-containing products.

According to Hairston's original petition, the 38 firms knew that the products they manufactured would reach the marketplace without inspection, and adds that the defendants have known, through various medical and scientific reports, of the dangers of asbestos for decades, but have knowingly conspired to keep the truth hidden from the public.

The suit seeks both punitive and exemplary damages, and has been assigned to Judge Pat Clark of the 60th Judicial District. The case lists Hairston, presumably a resident of N. Carolina, as the plaintiff and Southern Building Maintenance, Middlesex Insurance Co., and/or Jones, Hewson & Wollard Transportation Insurance Co. as defendants.

In an unrelated case, filed March 7, Thaddeus Alpough has filed a suit against 31 corporations in Texas' 60th district court. This suit charges that the 31 are responsible for Alpough's recently diagnosed malignant mesothelioma.

Asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma, a particularly lethal form of lung cancer that often doesn't manifest for three or more decades, by which time the prognosis is very poor. Most victims die within 18 months of diagnosis.

Alpough charges that continuous exposure to asbestos when he worked as a laborer, welder and supervisor led to his illness. Alpough had already sued the corporations named in the filing for an asbestos-related disease, but the courts have ruled that plaintiffs can file again if their asbestos illness later becomes cancerous.

This newest suit charges that the various companies failed to advise Alpough and other employees about the dangers of asbestos exposure, and provided their Alpough and others with substandard respirators and other equipment, which led to Alpough's now fatal disease.

Although's lawyer, Amy Witherite, filed the supplementary lawsuit in District Court citing a 2000 Texas Supreme Court decision allowing supplementary suits where asbestos-related illnesses become terminal.

Asbestos, when disturbed, releases tiny fibers that, inhaled, irritate lung tissue and lead to persistent inflammatory lesions. These lesions can, in turn, cause a range of illnesses, including lung cancer, cancer of the pharynx, cancer of the esophagus, stomach cancer, colon cancer, cancer of the rectum, asbestosis and pleural mesothelioma.

Asbestos exposure as low as 2 parts-per-million (ppm) can trigger lesions, which is why none of the monitoring and reporting agencies - OSHA, the CDC, and the American Cancer Society - has ever established minimum, safe levels of exposure. A day or a lifetime can trigger mesothelioma, which generally manifests in the lung (i.e., in 70 percent of exposures), but can also target the abdominal cavity (28 percent), or the heart or internal sexual organs (2 percent).

Health officials often refer to asbestos exposure as a "ticking time bomb", and admit that the future costs of asbestos-related diseases are incalculable. As in Alpough's case, asbestos-related disease can transform from a treatable, if not curable, condition like asbestosis to an incurable and always fatal disease like mesothelioma, leaving those exposed to asbestos largely at the mercy of time and beyond the aid of modern medicine.

That is not a comfortable place to be. In spite of that, asbestos - regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency and restricted from use by responsible American manufacturers - nonetheless still finds its way into the workplace, creating legacy costs that rival Alzheimer's disease in terms of unpredictability.

Pennsylvania’s Monroe County Housing Authority will remove asbestos

2009-03-11T18:51:00.001-07:00

Pennsylvania’s Monroe County Housing Authority plans to remove asbestos from 50 of its public housing units. The duplexes, most built in the late 1950s, contain asbestos pipe insulation in the crawl spaces. Officials say that the asbestos isn’t dangerous to residents now: its condition is good and fibers aren’t being released. Over time, however, asbestos products can deteriorate. When that happens, or when the asbestos-containing materials are disturbed, asbestos fiber can be released into the air.

To avoid potential asbestos exposures in the future, the housing authority will hire a certified asbestos removal contractor, who will be required to use protective gear and proper procedures to avoid releasing any asbestos into the air or living spaces.

Exposure to asbestos, even in small amounts, can cause malignant mesothelioma—a cancer of the lining around the abdomen, lungs or heart—if the fibers are suspended in the air and inhaled. Asbestos exposure can also cause lung cancer, asbestosis and other serious diseases.

For the full story, go to the Pocono Record.

Vermont Health Dept. will update study of asbestos mine

2009-03-11T18:50:00.001-07:00

Vermont health officials say they will do further investigation of the health risks associated with living near the abandoned Belvidere Mountain asbestos mine in northern Vermont. An early report from the state health department showed an increased risk of asbestosis and lung cancer among those living within 10 miles of the mine. Area residents were concerned and upset—both about community safety and about their property values. New data suggests that the risk to residents may have been overstated.

Research done by an interested community group has suggested that the elevated incidence of asbestos-related deaths found in the area around the mine is connected instead to occupational exposure to asbestos. State officials will examine all the available data and anticipate publishing the findings by the beginning of April.

Inhalation of chrysotile asbestos, like that mined at Belvidere Mountain until 1993, can cause mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestos. There is no clear threshold for safe exposure; every exposure to airborne asbestos fibers increases the risk of disease.

State officials say that the evidence suggests area residents may have had some asbestos exposure in the past, but the risk of current exposures is unknown. They have warned those in the area to stay away from the mine and its 30 million tons of asbestos-contaminated debris—which had been popular with ATV riders.

Evaluating and trying to contain the asbestos debris on the site has already cost the state of Vermont about $200,000. The EPA has spent about $2 million to keep the asbestos-contaminated tailings on the site from entering and damaging the nearby waterways. Estimates for the cleanup of the site run as high as $240 million.

For the full story, go to the Rutland Herald.

Mesothelioma widow and asbestos campaigner Nancy Tait dies at 89

2009-03-11T18:49:00.000-07:00

Some very successful activists have been compelled to act by personal tragedy and a need for justice. Nancy Tait was just such an activist: she knew a lot about asbestos and industry attempts to cover up the risks associated with it. After her husband died of mesothelioma in 1968, Ms. Tait, a Churchill research fellow, investigated a number of Turner & Newall (T&N) sites and uncovered the company’s efforts to conceal the cancer risk that the company exposed its workers and customers to everyday.

Ms. Tait has been credited with raising awareness about the risks of asbestos exposure as much as anyone in the U.K.

For the full story, go to Rochdale Online.

Mesothelioma strikes Georgia teacher, students step in to help

2009-03-11T18:47:00.000-07:00

Yonah Hurt never married but worked as a teacher in Macon schools for almost 30 years. Some of her students, like a few members of her 1958-1959 all-girl sophomore class, have remained close to their former teacher. And now, as she struggles with asbestos-related mesothelioma, they have stepped in as caregivers and surrogate family for the teacher that made such an impact on their lives.

A college classmate of Flannery O’Connor, Yonah Hurt was herself a character who became a friend and mentor to many of her students. She was known for her heart-felt and colorful sayings. She also wanted to become a writer, but her mother pushed her to teach.

Ironically, her mother’s attempt to provide her a secure future as a teacher is likely what caused her to eventually develop mesothelioma. Many older schools contain asbestos. If asbestos products are disturbed during repairs or remodeling or they crumble and disintegrate over time, they can release asbestos fibers and expose teachers to those fibers, or even students.

Malignant mesothelioma has a very long latency period. The disease takes decades to manifest after the initial asbestos exposure. Even small exposures to asbestos increases the risk of developing the disease.

For the full story, go to the Macon Telegraph.

Mesothelioma risk greatest in UK among baby-boom carpenters

2009-03-11T18:44:00.000-07:00

A new study suggests that carpenters born in the 1940s are the most likely of all workers in the UK to develop asbestos-related mesothelioma. The study predicts that one in seventeen carpenters born in this period will die from the disease. One in fifty electricians, plumbers and decorators born in the 1940s will die from it, and one in 125 other construction workers will die of the same “rare” disease.

Just as many of these workers will die of asbestos-related lung cancer.

The study also revealed that about two-thirds of male workers and about a quarter of female workers in the UK have had jobs with potential asbestos exposure. Workers in the construction industry continue to face the risk of asbestos exposure, even today.

The study was funded by the UK Health and Safety Executive and Cancer Research UK and was published in the British Journal of Cancer. The study included interviews with 622 mesothelioma patients and 1,400 healthy individuals, and researchers found that 21 percent of the mesothelioma patients interviewed worked as carpenters for some time.

For the full story, go to Safety Media and The Daily Mirror.

Asbestos Exposure For Those In The Shipping Industry

2009-02-24T01:23:00.000-08:00

Asbestos exposure was common among industrial workers. Among the more common jobsites were those in the shipbuilding industry, such as the Todd Shipyards or Newport News Naval Shipyard. Other jobsites include power plants, chemical manufacturing, or the metal works industry. Those with asbestos history should notify their doctor and learn of possible warning signs of health complications caused by exposure.

How is Mesothelioma Diagnosed?

2009-02-07T02:38:00.000-08:00

Malignant mesothelioma can be difficult to diagnose because symptoms of the disease often closely mimic those of less serious conditions. It will often require X-ray and other body scans (CT or MRI) in addition to a biopsy to conclusively diagnose mesothelioma. Nevertheless, those experiencing chronic cough, difficulty swallowing, chest pain, or breathing difficulties should alert their physician immediately. This is particularly true among those with a known asbestos-exposure history. Those with asbestos exposure history should communicate this to their physician even before symptoms appear so that they may be able to alert patients to warning signs of the disease. If detected early enough, patients may be eligible for aggressive treatment options, including surgical resection of the mesothelioma cancer and affected tissue. Oncologists and thoracic specialists will be able to assist the patient in determining the extent of the disease and the best treatment options for that particular patient.

How is Mesothelioma Treated?

2009-02-07T02:33:00.000-08:00

Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer but can be managed with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. Currently, there is no known cure for asbestos cancer but several mesothelioma treatment regimens have proven to be successful in helping the patient avoid pain and discomfort caused by the disease. Several therapies have emerged in recent years that have extended survival rates to levels previously thought to be impossible. Cancer centers have initiated hundreds of clinical trials in recent years to help mesothelioma patients find a therapy that works for them while still working towards a cure for future patients. Progressive therapies are now being developed through the International Mesothelioma Program under the direction of thoracic specialist Dr. David Sugarbaker.

>> Doctor-Patient Communication

2009-01-28T11:14:00.000-08:00

An open line of communication between a patient and his or her physician is vital when dealing with a serious disease such as mesothelioma. There will be many questions regarding treatment, whether palliative or aggressive, choices to deal with, and life issues to confront. Being informed and proactive in your care will give you a sense of empowerment.

Although most physicians have limited time to spend with each patient at appointments, it is important to address issues as they occur and resolve them to the satisfaction of all parties involved. Initially, this may mean going to your appointment with a list of symptoms or concerns, or questions regarding specific tests that are recommended. Once mesothelioma has been diagnosed, you may have questions regarding treatment options.

Most questions from patients stem from an initial diagnosis of mesothelioma and subsequent treatment options. Following are some frequently asked questions regarding these two important issues.

>> What Is My Diagnosis?

2009-01-28T11:13:00.000-08:00

There are three types of mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lung (pleura), peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum), and pericardial mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining surrounding the heart (pericardium). Sub-types (or cell types) of mesothelioma are epithelioid (the most common, and considered the most amenable to treatment), sarcomatous (a much more aggressive form), and biphasic or mixed (a combination of both of the other cell types).

The structural appearance of cells under the microscope determine the cell or sub-type of mesothelioma. Epithelioid is the least aggressive; sarcomatoid, the most aggressive. The biphasic or mixed cell type shows structural elements of both of the other two. More on the histologic subtypes of mesothelioma.

>> How Was This Diagnosis Determined, and How Accurate Were the Tests?

2009-01-28T11:11:00.000-08:00

Although you probably took many different tests leading up to your diagnosis, a tissue biopsy is normally the final determining factor. Following are some tests your doctor may recommend, and what may or may not be concluded from these tests.

X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs - See the imaging section for more on these techniques. On conventional x-ray film, mesothelioma appears as a markedly thickened, nodular, irregular pleural-based mass which covers the pleural surface. The tumor often encompasses the involved lung, but is only rarely seen bilaterally. Chest wall, diaphragmatic, and mediastinal invasion may be seen in advanced cases. Moderate to large pleural effusion is often noted on the affected side. On CT scan, pleural thickening greater than 1 cm can be identified in over 90% of cases; thickening which extends into the interlobular fissure is seen in 85% of cases. Absence of pleural thickening does not preclude mesothelioma, and at times, the only CT finding is that of pleural effusion.
Cytology - Testing of the pleural fluid for malignant cells is considered to have limited value in diagnosing mesothelioma. Negative or inconclusive readings account for nearly 85% of all fluid tested. Even with a positive fluid report, many doctors prefer to perform a confirming tissue biopsy as long as it does not compromise the patient's health.
Needle Biopsy - In this test, done under local anesthetic, a large hollow needle is inserted through the skin and into the chest cavity. The needle is then rotated, and as it is taken out, tissue samples are collected. Because of the small sample size of the tissue, this type of biopsy is considered to be only 25-60% accurate in diagnosing mesothelioma. Because tumor seeding may occur along the needle tract in approximately 20% of patients, local radiation therapy may be used in conjunction with this test.
Open biopsy - This type of biopsy is considered to be the most accurate for mesothelioma diagnosis, and is the procedure of choice because it affords the pathologist a larger tissue sample.. It is done in a hospital under general anesthetic. As with a needle biopsy, local radiation may be used because of the possibility of tumor seeding.

>> Can I Be Treated by the Doctor Who Diagnosed My Mesothelioma?

2009-01-28T11:10:00.000-08:00

If the doctor who diagnosed your mesothelioma is your primary physician, he will most likely refer you to a local oncologist for treatment. The oncologist may offer what he or she feels are the best treatment options, or, if their knowledge of this disease is limited, may suggest you seek out a doctor who specializes in mesothelioma. Most often these physicians are located at larger, teaching hospitals such as those listed in the Comprehensive Cancer Center Section. These facilities are ranked as state-of-the-art cancer centers, and are highly respected for their patient care and innovative cancer treatments. If your choice of treatment involves a radical surgical procedure or a clinical trial involving new, as yet unproven drugs, these facilities may be best for you. If your treatment involves an already-approved, standard form of chemotherapy, this can be carried out locally.

>> What Treatment Options Will I Be Offered?

2009-01-28T11:09:00.000-08:00

Treatment options may vary according to the age and over-all health of the patient, and the extent of the disease. It is important to be informed of all available options for your particular case, so that you can make decision on the option you feel most comfortable with. Surgery, chemotherapy, and clinical trials, as well as new approaches such as photodynamic therapy, immunotherapy, and gene therapy may be offered. Speak openly with your doctor regarding suggested procedures. Questions may include:

Why is this procedure best for me?
What does the procedure entail?
What are the advantages/disadvantages of this treatment (i.e, will this procedure limit my eligibility for other treatments)?
What are the possible risks or adverse side effects?
What are the response, survival, and mortality rates associated with this procedure?

>> Is Palliative Treatment an Option?

2009-01-28T11:07:00.000-08:00

In some circumstances, age, contributing health problems, or advanced disease may make aggressive treatment impossible. In these cases, palliative care (that which treats the symptoms, but not the disease itself) may be appropriate. If you opt for palliative care, it is doubly important to communicate fully with your doctor. Many symptoms of mesothelioma can be alleviated or substantially lessened if you are completely open with your doctor. Each time you have an appointment, tell your doctor how you feel, what discomfort you are experiencing, and your level of pain. A good doctor should be willing to address your questions and concerns.

>> Mesathelioma Stages

2009-01-28T11:06:00.000-08:00

Treatment options are often determined by the stage of mesothelioma a patient is in. There are three staging systems currently in use for pleural mesothelioma and each one measures somewhat different variables; peritoneal mesothelioma is not staged.

Staging is the term used to describe the extent of a patient's cancer, based on the primary tumor and its spread in the body. It can help the medical team plan treatment, estimate prognosis and identify clinical trials for which the patient may be eligible.

Staging is based on a knowledge of how the cancer develops, from the primary tumor, to the invasion of nearby organs and tissues, to distant spread or metastasis. Staging systems have evolved over time, and they continue to change as scientists learn more about cancer. Some staging systems cover many different types of cancer, while others focus on more specific cancers. The TNM (primary tumor, regional lymph nodes, distant metastasis) is the most common staging system for mesothelioma.

Some elements common to most staging systems are:

Location of the primary tumor.
Size and number of the tumors.
Lymph node involvement.
Cell type and tumor grade.
Metastasis.

Many cancer registries, such as the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) use summary staging, a system used for all types of cancer. Summary staging groups cancer into five main categories:

In situ - cancer that is present only in the layer of cells in which it began.
Localized - cancer that is limited to the organ in which it began with no evidence of spread.
Regional - cancer that has spread from the primary site to nearby lymph nodes or organs.
Distant - cancer that has spread from the primary site to distant lymph nodes or organs.
Unknown - cases where not enough information exists to indicate stage.

Several types of testing may be used to help doctors determine stage, and to formulate a treatment plan.

Physical examinations. The doctor examines the body by looking, feeling and listening to anything out of the ordinary.
Imaging techniques. Procedures such as x-rays, CT scans, MRIs and PET scans may show the location, size of the tumor and whether the cancer has spread.
Laboratory tests. Studies of blood, urine, fluid and tissue can provide information about the cancer. Tumor markers, sometime elevated when cancer is present, may provide information.
Pathology reports. Results of the examination of tissue samples can include information about the size of the tumor(s), extension into adjacent structures, type of cells and grade of the tumor. Results of the examination of cells in fluid, such as that from a mesothelioma-related pleural effusion, may also provide information.
Surgical reports. Observations about the size and appearance of the tumor(s), lymph nodes and nearby organs.

Staging information should be provided to the patient by his doctor so that potential treatment plans can be discussed. Stage of the mesothelioma, as well as consideration of other factors such as age, health status and the patient's wishes may dictate different treatment options.

The oldest staging system and the one most often used is the Butchart System which is based mainly on the extent of primary tumor mass and divides mesotheliomas into four stages. The more recent TNM system considers variables of tumor in mass and spread, lymph node involvement, and metastasis. The Brigham System is the latest system and stages mesothelioma according to resectability (the ability to surgically remove) and lymph node involvement.

Butchart System – extent of primary tumor mass

Stage I: Mesothelioma is present in the right or left pleura and may also involve the diaphragm on the same side.
Stage II: Mesothelioma invades the chest wall or involves the esophagus, heart, or pleura on both sides. Lymph nodes in the chest may also be involved.
Stage III: Mesothelioma has penetrated through the diaphragm into the lining of the abdominal cavity or peritoneum. Lymph nodes beyond those in the chest may also be involved.
Stage IV: There is evidence of metastasis or spread through the bloodstream to other organs.

TNM System -- variables of T (tumor), N (lymph nodes), M (metastasis)

Stage I: Mesothelioma involves right or left pleura and may also have spread to the lung, pericardium, or diaphragm on the same side. Lymph nodes are not involved.
Stage II: Mesothelioma has spread from the pleura on one side to nearby lymph nodes next to the lung on the same side. It may also have spread into the lung, pericardium, or diaphragm on the same side.
Stage III: Mesothelioma is now in the chest wall, muscle, ribs, heart, esophagus, or other organs in the chest on the same side with or without spread to lymph nodes on the same side as the primary tumor.
Stage IV: Mesothelioma has spread into the lymph nodes in the chest on the side opposite the primary tumor, or extends to the pleura or lung on the opposite side, or directly extends into organs in the abdominal cavity or neck. Any distant metastases is included in this stage.

Brigham System: (variables of tumor resectability and nodal status)

Stage I: Resectable mesothelioma and no lymph node involvement
Stage II: Resectable mesothelioma but with lymph node involvement
Stage III: Unresectable mesothelioma extending into chest wall, heart, or through diaphragm, peritoneum; with or without extrathoracic lymph node involvement
Stage IV: Distant metastatic disease

>> Who Gets Mesothelioma?

2009-01-27T16:05:00.000-08:00

Statistics show that, because of their work history, the disease most often affects men between the ages of 50 and 70 who were employed in an asbestos-laden environment before asbestos warnings and bans were in place in the 1970s. Though women still have a much lower frequency of the disease, cases of second-hand exposure to asbestos has prompted more diagnoses among women, especially those whose male family members worked with asbestos. The occupations most associated with mesothelioma are shipyard workers, electricians, plumbers, construction industry workers, pipefitters, boilermakers, and anyone subject to heavy exposure to dangerous asbestos and airborne asbestos fibers.

An abundance of cases have also demonstrated that mesothelioma can develop among people who lived in communities where asbestos factories or mines were located. In some instances, entire towns have been adversely affected by the presence of asbestos fibers in the air. For example, in Libby, Montana - site of a former vermiculite asbestos mine - hundreds have already died of mesothelioma.

Though still significantly rarer than other cancers, an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year in the United States. Other countries, notably the United Kingdom and Australia, report a much higher incidence of the disease. Nevertheless, the United States - like many other countries - has seen an increase in asbestos-caused cancer as men who worked in U.S. shipyards in the 1940s and 1950s, at the height of production, are now being diagnosed with mesothelioma.

>> Effects of the Disease

2009-01-27T15:58:00.000-08:00

The invasion of the mesothelium by cancer cells makes it very difficult for the patient to breathe, resulting in the need for oxygen, especially as the disease progresses. Those with the pleural form of mesothelioma may also suffer from pleural effusions. These effusions prevent the smooth movement of the lungs and other organs in the chest. Peritoneal mesothelioma also affects the stomach area and abdominal cavity, causing nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite, which can result in dangerous weight loss. In addition to breathing difficulties and loss of appetite, mesothelioma victims also complain of excessive coughing, sleeping difficulties, persistent chest pain, fever, and pain in the lower back.

Mesothelioma, in general, is a very painful disease and because it is usually not diagnosed until it's in an advanced stage. For this reason, the symptoms are typically quite serious. Late diagnosis also means that the cancer is more likely to have metastasized, or spread, making successful mesothelioma treatment even more difficult.

>> Mesothelioma Treatment - A Patient's Options

2009-01-27T15:53:00.000-08:00

Once an individual has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, the next step is to discuss mesothelioma treatment options with his/her physician. Recent scientific research has produced significant breakthroughs with regard to treatment protocols for mesothelioma patients and more options are now available for managing the disease and supporting improved quality of life. Newly diagnosed patients always have many questions about the treatment options that would be most effective for them, including questions about new treatment therapies like Alimta and Cisplatin and other chemotherapy drugs. In addition to these newer drugs that are being used to treat asbestos cancer, mesothelioma patients also have a number of "conventional" treatment options to consider, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. Clinical trials and experimental treatments are still other options that some mesothelioma patients may be eligible to participate in. Our site features a comprehensive mesothelioma cancer treatment section that includes important information for patients and families. We’ve included resources on top mesothelioma doctors such as Dr. Sugarbaker, as well as a comprehensive list of questions that you may wish to discuss with your personal physician when preparing a treatment plan. We are always providing new and informative resources regarding mesothelioma treatment including: Clinical Trials, conventional treatments, experimental therapies, and more. Check back often for the most recent advances in mesothelioma treatments.

>> Risk factors

2009-01-27T15:51:00.000-08:00

Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma.^[9] Mesothelioma is now known to occur in those who are genetically pre-disposed to it. A history of asbestos exposure exists in almost all cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos. In rare cases, mesothelioma has also been associated with irradiation, intrapleural thorium dioxide (Thorotrast), and inhalation of other fibrous silicates, such as erionite.

Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. If tiny asbestos particles float in the air, especially during the manufacturing process, they may be inhaled or swallowed, and can cause serious health problems. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney.

The combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person's risk of developing cancer of the airways (lung cancer, bronchial carcinoma). The Kent brand of cigarettes used asbestos in its filters for the first few years of production in the 1950s and some cases of mesothelioma have resulted. Smoking modern cigarettes does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma.

Some studies suggest that simian virus 40 (SV40) may act as a cofactor in the development of mesothelioma.

>> Pathophysiology

2009-01-27T15:50:00.000-08:00

lining of the serous cavities of the body including the The mesothelium consists of a single layer of flattened to cuboidal cells forming the epithelialperitoneal, pericardial and pleural cavities. Deposition of asbestos fibres in the parenchyma of the lung may result in the penetration of the visceral pleura from where the fibre can then be carried to the pleural surface, thus leading to the development of malignant mesothelial plaques. The processes leading to the development of peritoneal mesothelioma remain unresolved, although it has been proposed that asbestos fibres from the lung are transported to the abdomen and associated organs via the lymphatic system. Additionally, asbestos fibres may be deposited in the gut after ingestion of sputum contaminated with asbestos fibres.

Pleural contamination with asbestos or other mineral fibres has been shown to cause cancer. Long thin asbestos fibers (blue asbestos, amphibole fibers) are more potent carcinogens than "feathery fibers" (chrysotile or white asbestos fibers).^[6] However, there is now evidence that smaller particles may be more dangerous than the larger fibers.[1][2] They remain suspended in the air where they can be inhaled, and may penetrate more easily and deeper into the lungs. "We probably will find out a lot more about the health aspects of asbestos from [the World Trade Center attack], unfortunately," said Dr. Alan Fein, chief of pulmonary and critical-care medicine at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System. Dr. Fein has treated several patients for "World Trade Center syndrome" or respiratory ailments from brief exposures of only a day or two near the collapsed buildings.[3]

Mesothelioma development in rats has been demonstrated following intra-pleural inoculation of phosphorylated chrysotile fibres. It has been suggested that in humans, transport of fibres to the pleura is critical to the pathogenesis of mesothelioma. This is supported by the observed recruitment of significant numbers of macrophages and other cells of the immune system to localised lesions of accumulated asbestos fibres in the pleural and peritoneal cavities of rats. These lesions continued to attract and accumulate macrophages as the disease progressed, and cellular changes within the lesion culminated in a morphologically malignant tumour.

Experimental evidence suggests that asbestos acts as a complete carcinogen with the development of mesothelioma occurring in sequential stages of initiation and promotion. The molecular mechanisms underlying the malignant transformation of normal mesothelial cells by asbestos fibres remain unclear despite the demonstration of its oncogenic capabilities. However, complete in vitro transformation of normal human mesothelial cells to malignant phenotype following exposure to asbestos fibres has not yet been achieved. In general, asbestos fibres are thought to act through direct physical interactions with the cells of the mesothelium in conjunction with indirect effects following interaction with inflammatory cells such as macrophages.

Analysis of the interactions between asbestos fibres and DNA has shown that phagocytosed fibres are able to make contact with chromosomes, often adhering to the chromatin fibres or becoming entangled within the chromosome. This contact between the asbestos fibre and the chromosomes or structural proteins of the spindle apparatus can induce complex abnormalities. The most common abnormality is monosomy of chromosome 22. Other frequent abnormalities include structural rearrangement of 1p, 3p, 9p and 6q chromosome arms.

Common gene abnormalities in mesothelioma cell lines include deletion of the tumor suppressor genes:

Neurofibromatosis type 2 at 22q12
P16^INK4A
P14^ARF

Asbestos has also been shown to mediate the entry of foreign DNA into target cells. Incorporation of this foreign DNA may lead to mutations and oncogenesis by several possible mechanisms:

Inactivation of tumor suppressor genes
Activation of oncogenes
Activation of proto-oncogenes due to incorporation of foreign DNA containing a promoter region
Activation of DNA repair enzymes, which may be prone to error
Activation of telomerase
Prevention of apoptosis

Asbestos fibers have been shown to alter the function and secretory properties of macrophages, ultimately creating conditions which favour the development of mesothelioma. Following asbestos phagocytosis, macrophages generate increased amounts of hydroxyl radicals, which are normal by-products of cellular anaerobic metabolism. However, these free radicals are also known clastogenic and membrane-active agents thought to promote asbestos carcinogenicity. These oxidants can participate in the oncogenic process by directly and indirectly interacting with DNA, modifying membrane-associated cellular events, including oncogene activation and perturbation of cellular antioxidant defences.

Asbestos also may possess immunosuppressive properties. For example, chrysotile fibres have been shown to depress the in vitro proliferation of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes, suppress natural killer cell lysis and significantly reduce lymphokine-activated killer cell viability and recovery. Furthermore, genetic alterations in asbestos-activated macrophages may result in the release of potent mesothelial cell mitogens such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) which in turn, may induce the chronic stimulation and proliferation of mesothelial cells after injury by asbestos fibres.

>> Diagnosis

2009-01-27T15:44:00.000-08:00

CT scan of a patient with mesothelioma, coronal section (the section follows the plane the divides the body in a front and a back half). The mesothelioma is indicated by yellow arrows, the central pleural effusion (fluid collection) is marked with a yellow star. Red numbers: (1) right lung, (2) spine, (3) left lung, (4) ribs, (5) descending part of the aorta, (6) spleen, (7) left kidney, (8) right kidney, (9) liver.Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history. A history of exposure to asbestos may increase clinical suspicion for mesothelioma. A physical examination is performed, followed by chest X-ray and often lung function tests. The X-ray may reveal pleural thickening commonly seen after asbestos exposure and increases suspicion of mesothelioma. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI is usually performed. If a large amount of fluid is present, abnormal cells may be detected by cytology if this fluid is aspirated with a syringe. For pleural fluid this is done by a pleural tap or chest drain, in ascites with an paracentesis or ascitic drain and in a pericardial effusion with pericardiocentesis. While absence of malignant cells on cytology does not completely exclude mesothelioma, it makes it much more unlikely, especially if an alternative diagnosis can be made (e.g. tuberculosis, heart failure).

If cytology is positive or a plaque is regarded as suspicious, a biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. A doctor removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples.

If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a laparoscopy. To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small incision in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.

>> Signs and symptoms

2009-01-27T15:29:00.000-08:00

Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath, cough, and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.

Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity). Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.

These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.

Mesothelioma that affects the pleura can cause these signs and symptoms:

chest wall pain

pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung

shortness of breath

fatigue or anemia

wheezing, hoarseness, or cough

blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up (hemoptysis)

In severe cases, the person may have many tumor masses. The individual may develop a pneumothorax, or collapse of the lung. The disease may metastasize, or spread, to other parts of the body.

Tumors that affect the abdominal cavity often do not cause symptoms until they are at a late stage. Symptoms include:

abdominal pain

ascites, or an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen

a mass in the abdomen

problems with bowel function

weight loss

In severe cases of the disease, the following signs and symptoms may be present:

blood clots in the veins, which may cause thrombophlebitis

disseminated intravascular coagulation, a disorder causing severe bleeding in many body organs

jaundice, or yellowing of the eyes and skin

low blood sugar level

pleural effusion

pulmonary emboli, or blood clots in the arteries of the lungs

severe ascites

A mesothelioma does not usually spread to the bone, brain, or adrenal glands. Pleural tumors are usually found only on one side of the lungs.

>> What is Mesothelioma

2009-01-27T15:26:00.000-08:00

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos. In this disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs. Its most common site is the pleura (outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall), but it may also occur in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), the heart, the pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart) or tunica vaginalis.

Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways. Washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can also put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking. Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in mesothelioma (see asbestos and the law).

The symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan, and is confirmed with a biopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic examination. A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to take biopsies. It allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural space (called pleurodesis), which prevents more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, the disease carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.