Asbestos News Roundup: 2.18.10

February 18th, 2010. By LucyC

A roundup of recent asbestos-related news and information that you should be aware of. 

Asbestos Settlements

Bloomington, IL: A $17.87 million verdict was rendered on February 8, in favor of Jayne Menssen who filed an asbestos exposure lawsuit against a factory in Bloomington, where she worked in the 1960s.  A jury reached the verdict after deliberating for just one day following the four-week trial. 

According to a statement issued by her lawyer, Menssen developed asbestos mesothelioma as a result of being exposed to the lethal mineral while working as a secretary at Union Asbestos and Rubber Co, later called Unacro Industries Inc, from 1967 to 1969. The complaint argued that the defendants, Pneumo Abex LLC and Honeywell International Inc, and their corporate predecessors knew of but failed to warn employees and customers of the hazards of asbestos. (Pantagraph.com) 

Asbestos Law

Denver, CO: A Denver man has been indicted following allegations that he failed to properly dispose of asbestos that had been removed by his company, Talon Environmental Inc., from three business locations. James Robert Soyars Jr. is accused of keeping the asbestos in a storage space as opposed to safely disposing of it after the removal and of violating the Clean Air Act. If convicted of the charges, Soyars could receive as many as five years in prison. (TrakIn.com)

Banning Asbestos

Washington, DC: On February 10^th a new campaign was launched to ban asbestos. Called “Ban Asbestos Now,” it seeks to build awareness around the continued use of asbestos in the US.

Part of the campaign involves a call for videos, in which people across the country are asked to submit videos that drive attention to the national asbestos problem and motivate people to join the movement to ban this lethal substance.  

To enter the search, individuals, or teams of no more than four, need to create a 90-120 second video vignette that addresses such questions such as, “Did You Know Asbestos Is Still Legal in the US?”, “Where Can You Find It?”, and “Do You Know What Diseases It Can Cause?” 

The winning individual or team will be sent to the world famous 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival in Westwood Village, with $1000 cash per team member, and the winning video may become the viral platform of the “Ban Asbestos Now” campaign at BanAsbestosNow.com. The winner will be announced on May 19th, 2010. 

To learn more you can visit BanAsbestosNow.net, to view the Ban Asbestos Now Video Search Toolkit, which includes contest rules, video creation and submission guidelines, and promotional materials. (banasbestosnow.com)

Montreal, Quebec:  The Quebec Parliament has denied a motion to examine the dangers of exporting asbestos. There is one remaining asbestos mine in Canada, and it’s located in Quebec. The mine employs 400 people and provides more than CD$100 million in revenue. Almost all the asbestos from the mine is exported to developing countries, however the US also imports asbestos from Canada. (Presswire.com)

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Mesothelioma

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