Asbestos News Roundup: 12.9.11

December 9th, 2011. By LucyC

A roundup of recent asbestos-related news and information that you should be aware of. An ongoing list of reported asbestos hot spots in the US from the Asbestos News Roundup archive appears on our asbestos map.

Asbestos News

New York, NY: Parks officials in New York have secured $15 million in funding for the building demolition of the former Kings Park (N.Y.) Psychiatric Center grounds. The project could begin as early as May 2012. According to a recent article in the Long Island Times Beacon Record, seven of the buildings set for demolition have been condemned because they contain asbestos or are unsafe to enter. A state parks official said tanker trucks will be used to wet down the demolished structures in order to prevent the asbestos dust from becoming airborne.

Asbestos contamination is always a concern when older buildings are renovated or demolished. Although asbestos is recognized today as a carcinogen by most authorities, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it was widely used in construction and building materials in the U.S. through the 1970s.

East Flushing, NY: Residents of the Pomonok Houses project in Queens, NY, are facing the reality that their homes are seriously contaminated with asbestos. Built 60 years ago, Pomonok Houses contains asbestos in the building and insulation materials, which is constant cause for concern among the residents.

According to an article in the Queens Tribune, the building managers have attempted to cover-up the fact that asbestos is present in the floor tiles in the majority of the units. However, an exterminator who was called in to deal with bedbugs confirmed the presence of asbestos, and the secret was out, the tenants say. So far, no one has come forward to remedy the situation. (mesothelioma.com)

Asbestos Law

Vancouver, BC: Arthur Moore of AM Environmental will receive sentencing on January 23, 2012, after being found guilty of ignoring orders from WorkSafeBC and the B.C. Supreme Court to stop exposing “vulnerable” workers to asbestos.

According to a report in the Vancouver Sun, WorkSafeBC inspectors found Moore did not provide employees with protective clothing while they were demolishing homes with asbestos-contaminated drywall. Some of those employees were reportedly as young as 14 years of age. Moore continued to operate in this manner despite restraining orders from the B.C. Supreme Court.

A lawyer for the Workers’ Compensation Board told Justice Richard Goepel that Moore “contrary to the court’s order exposed workers as young as 14 to a life threatening substance.” He said WCB statistics on the effects of asbestos were unequivocal.” Asbestos kills. It was the leading killer of workers in B.C. in 2009, responsible for 44 per cent of all deaths arising from employment.” Moore could be looking at a jail sentence of between 6 and 12 months. (Vancouversun.com)

Asbestos-Containing Products Alert

Fife, Scotland: A news report by the Courier–out of Scotland– indicates that the popular Chinese lanterns used by many to celebrate weddings, birthdays and memorials contain asbestos. The lanterns were the recent subject of an intensive investigation after officials discovered the problem. A trading standards officer from Perth and Kinross told the paper, ”The lanterns were coated in a form of asbestos and appropriate enforcement action was taken immediately to prevent their sale to the public.”

The investigation traced the manufacturer to China, although names were not released. While significant efforts have reportedly been made to improve the safety of the paper lanterns, low quality Chinese lanterns remain available on the market in the UK that should not be for sale. They may also be for sale in other countries.

Tags: Asbestos, asbestos lawsuit, Asbestos Settlement, asbestosis, asbestos_mesothelioma, mesothelioma

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