Asbestos News Roundup: 11.24.09

November 24th, 2009. By LucyC

A roundup of recent asbestos-related news, asbestos lawsuits and the latest asbestos hot spots—places where asbestos has been found—and that you should be aware of. 

Asbestos Lawsuits

Jefferson County, TX: Charles Dees and Mary Guidroz have filed an asbestos suit naming over 100 corporate defendants, alleging the companies negligently used asbestos insulation on their premises. According to the suit the plaintiff was a truck driver who was exposed to asbestos at the defendants’ premises. Charles Dees was diagnosed with occupational asbestos exposure then lung cancer, in 2007.(SETexasRecord) 

Jefferson County, TX: The widow of an ex-Gulf Oil/Chevron USA employee has filed an asbestos suit against Chevron, alleging that during her husband’s employment he was exposed to materials containing asbestos and asbestos dust. He developed asbestos mesothelioma and died on February 11, 2009. The lawsuit states that Chevron failed to warn workers adequately and in a timely way, of the danger of asbestos exposure, and “failed to take the necessary engineering, safety, industrial hygiene and other precautions and provide adequate warning and training to ensure that the deceased was not exposed to the asbestos-containing products.” (SETexas Record)

Asbestos Hot Spots

Kootenai National Forest, MT: Tree bark in forests surrounding the vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana, contain asbestos dust, according to researchers at the Department of Safety, Health, and Industrial Hygiene at the University of Montana. The researchers state that amphibole asbestos (AA) was detected on wipe samples taken at the Kootenai National Forest, and that this poses a threat of airborne exposure to AA to local workers and tourists. (Journal of Environmental and Public Health)

November is Lung Cancer Month  – A Special Focus on Veterans

Here’s some rather sobering data from the Lung Cancer Alliance, which, they state on their website, is “the only national non-profit organization dedicated solely to providing patient support and advocacy for people living with or at risk for the disease.” 

“According to a study looking back on 33 years of cause of death data for people born between 1920 and 1939, the mortality rate for lung cancer among veterans has been nearly twice that of civilians. 2,000,000 World War II and Korean War veterans died an average of 11.1 years sooner than their civilian counterparts, making the toll of premature deaths in terms of “years of life lost” greater than that of all combat casualties from both wars. In addition to higher smoking rates, veterans of these wars were exposed to asbestos which was widely used in submarines, Navy ships and as plumbing and heating insulation.” (lungcanceralliance.org)

 

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Mesothelioma

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