Asbestos News Roundup: 2.13.14 – Low Asbestos Exposure Still Risky

February 13th, 2014. 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.

Industrial Worker Asbestos Disease—Even Low Asbestos Exposure is Dangerous

New research published recently in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, suggests that industrial workers at the lowest levels of the asbestos exposure spectrum may still be at risk for deadly mesothelioma, lung cancer, and laryngeal cancer.

The study used data from the long-running Netherlands Cohort Study of 58,279 Norwegian men between 55 and 69 years old. To determine the association between asbestos risk and cancer, researchers compared each man’s job history to asbestos-exposure matrices of various occupations. They then compared likely levels of asbestos exposure to the incidence of mesothelioma and several other cancers.

After 17.3 years of follow-up, there were 132 cases of mesothelioma, 2,324 cases of lung cancer, and 166 cases of laryngeal cancer. Although very rare, mesothelioma is considered the most deadly of the asbestos-linked cancers because of its fast progression and resistance to standard treatments. Of the three types of cancer studied, only two subtypes—lung adenocarcinoma (a form of non-small cell lung cancer) and glottis cancer (a subtype of laryngeal cancer affecting the vocal chords)—were associated with higher levels of prolonged asbestos exposure.

For mesothelioma and all other categories of lung and laryngeal cancer, even lower levels of asbestos exposure were enough to trigger disease. “Asbestos levels encountered at the lower end of the exposure distribution may be associated with an increased risk of pleural mesothelioma, lung cancer, and laryngeal cancer,” the researchers conclude.

The U.S. EPA has stated that all levels of asbestos exposure are potentially risky. They have strict guidelines governing the handling and disposal of asbestos and recommend that do-it-yourself home renovators hire asbestos abatement professionals in order to minimize their mesothelioma risk.

The original study appears in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, the journal of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. (Offermans, NS, et al, “Occupational Asbestos Exposure and Risk of Pleural Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer, and Laryngeal Cancer in the Prospective Netherlands Cohort Study”, December 17, 2013, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epub ahead of print. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24351898).

Asbestos Lawsuit

Houston, TX: Roy L. Jones, and his wife, Patricia, have filed an asbestos lawsuit against several defendants alleging the companies contributed to Mr. Jones lung cancer. According to the lawsuit, Jones has been diagnosed with lung cancer resulting from exposure from asbestos. The plaintiffs are claiming negligence and gross negligence.

The defendants are: Avocet Enterprises Inc., Bird Inc., Carrier Corp., Certainteed Corp., General Electric Co., Georgia-Pacific LLC, Ingersoll-Rand Co., Kelly-Moore Paint Co., Riley Power Inc., Sears Roebuck and Co., Trane U.S. Inc., Union Carbide Corp., Viacom Inc., The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and Shell Chemical LP.

The couple claim the defendants created dangerous conditions, failed in safety standards and did not warn employees of the risks. The Joneses are seeking an amount in damages in excess of the minimal jurisdictional amounts, plus court costs and any other relief. (setexasrecord.com)

Asbestos Settlement

Boston, MA: the state Attorney General’s (AG) Office has ordered an Essex-based demolition company to pay civil penalties possibly totaling up to $125,000 to resolve allegations of improper handling and disposal of asbestos during the demolition of a building in Worcester.

According to the complaint, McConnell Enterprises Inc., a state-licensed asbestos removal contractor, was working on the demolition of Worcester’s former Crompton and Knowles building in 2011 when workers uncovered piping wrapped with asbestos insulation. The asbestos-containing material was left hanging three stories above the ground, putting workers and others in the area at “risk of contact with harmful fibers” for an extended period of time, the AG’s office claims.

State Attorney General Martha Coakley, in a prepared statement, said the case is one she is taking seriously. “Our office takes the mishandling of asbestos very seriously because of the health effects,” Coakley said. “Companies working with asbestos-containing materials must be held to the highest standards of care as ordered under our state air laws and regulations.”

According to the complaint, McConnell also failed to follow proper notification procedures, preventing the state Department of Environmental Protection from conducting appropriate oversight of the company’s asbestos removal activities.

“Licensed asbestos contractors are fully aware of the removal, handling, packaging and storage requirements that must be followed when dealing with asbestos-containing materials and of the requirement to provide notification to MassDEP in advance of this work,” said MassDEP Commissioner Kenneth Kimmell. “Asbestos is a known carcinogen, and following the rules is imperative to protect workers as well as the general public and environment. Failure to do so will result in significant penalty exposure, as well as escalated cleanup, decontamination and monitoring costs.”

The AG’s office alleges that McConnell falsely certified that it had complied with the applicable laws and regulations, in order to receive payment from the City of Worcester, violating the Massachusetts False Claims Act. The complaint also alleges various violations of the commonwealth’s air pollution prevention statute, its asbestos regulations, and its solid waste management statute and regulations.

The statement from the AG’s office stipulates that, McConnell must pay $82,500 in civil penalties to the commonwealth and another $42,500 in civil penalties if it fails to conform to waste regulations over the next 18 months. (Gloucestertimes.com)

Tags: Asbestos, asbestos lawsuit, asbestos legal help, Asbestos Mesothelioma, Asbestos Settlement

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