Asbestos Mesothelioma Archive

Asbestos News Roundup: 12.10.09

December 10th, 2009. By AbiK

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

Asbestos Lawsuit 

Rome, Italy: No, this isn’t in the US, but it’s getting worldwide attention… Stephan Schmidheiny of Switzerland and Jean-Louis de Cartier of Belgium have been charged—as key shareholders in the construction company, Eternit, which closed its Italian operation in 1986—with spreading asbestos fibers over large areas in northern Italy. How? The powdery fibers were the result of roof covering and pipe production at several plants they operated in the region. 

As reported, the trial opened this week in Turin. The lawsuit alleges that Schmidheiny and de Cartier were ultimately responsible for the asbestos-related deaths of hundreds of Eternit factory workers and local residents. In addition, about 3,000 victims and their families have joined a civil lawsuit attached to the criminal proceedings. 

The trial is expected to last up to two years. If convicted, Schmidheiny and de Cartier could face up to twelve years in prison. They both deny any wrongdoing. (Associated Press)

Asbestos Settlement

Washington, DC: Richard Pullman, a former Smithsonian Institution worker, has settled Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Mesothelioma
Posted in Asbestos Mesothelioma | No Comments »

Asbestos News Roundup: 12.8.09

December 8th, 2009. By AbiK

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

Asbestos-related Lawsuit

La Crosse County, WI: An auto salvage business owner, Daniel D. Marini of Mindoro, WI, was found guilty of environmental violations while operating two of his salvage companies in two counties—La Crosse and Jackson counties. Marini was charged with unlawful activities he apparently engaged in while openly burning five mobile homes at his salvage company. 

In addition to burying the ash from the mobile homes on-site, he also illegally transported 90 drums of non-labelled hazardous waste and hazardous substances including oil, antifreeze, and gasoline mixes—all of which ran off into the ground as he performed automotive crushing activities. 

Asbestos enters the picture because Marini demolished the mobile homes without first inspecting the homes for the presence of any asbestos—and he did not notify the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) of his activities. The DNR subsequently conducted an Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Mesothelioma
Posted in Asbestos Mesothelioma | No Comments »

Asbestos News Roundup: 12.3.09

December 3rd, 2009. By LucyC

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

Asbestos Fines

Washington, DC: OSHA issued citations to Cambria Contracting Inc, at the end of November for 11 alleged willful violations of the agency’s construction asbestos standard for failing to train and protect its workers at a jobsite in Buffalo, NY. The Lockport, NY-based demolition contractor faces a total of $484,000 in proposed penalties.

In October, OSHA cited Superior General Contracting of Cheektowaga, NY, for 10 alleged serious violations of workplace health standards at a jobsite in Amherst, NY. The contractor faces a total of $50,000 in fines for not providing all required safeguards for its employees who the agency says were exposed to asbestos-containing pipe insulation during a residential remodeling job. 

Specifically, OSHA found that the company did not monitor to determine asbestos exposure levels, use wet methods to clean up debris, provide HEPA vacuum cleaners to collect debris and dust, ensure the prompt cleanup and disposal of debris in leak-tight containers, ensure appropriate respirator use, require the use of protective clothing, perform all work in a regulated Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Mesothelioma
Posted in Asbestos Mesothelioma | No Comments »

Asbestos News Roundup: 12.1.09

December 1st, 2009. By LucyC

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

Where Asbestos Mesothelioma Strikes

If you’ve ever wondered what states in the US are most affected by asbestos mesothelioma, look no further than the CDC’s study on malignant asbestos mesothelioma death rates for the years 1999 – 2005. A map showing the results of the study is shown here (from the CDC website).

According to the CDC study, the map above indicates that the state death rate was greater than the national rate of 13.8 per million population per year in 26 states; in six states (Maine, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington, Wyoming, and West Virginia) the rate exceeded 20 per million per year.

Malignant mesothelioma death rate per 1M population, by state, United States, 1999–2005

 

Asbestos Mesothelioma Information  

Palm Springs, CA: The Jennifer Diamond Cancer Research Library is a free library that provides access to cancer information for newly diagnosed patients who visit the Cathedral city-based Gilda’s Club center for treatment. It is one of six libraries in California that provides access to cancer information. (The Desert Sun) 

Asbestos Hot Spots

Bethlehem, PA: Student exposure to asbestos at a Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School in Bethlehem Township, Pennsylvania, was reportedly concealed until recently, when a student and two teachers blew the whistle on the school. The school had purchased an old house that   reportedly had a basement floor that contained asbestos. During a two month renovation of the premises, the whistleblowers allege that they and possibly as many as 100 other people, mostly students, were exposed to asbestos. Furthermore, they were told to keep quiet about it. (Mesotheliomaweb)

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Mesothelioma
Posted in Asbestos Mesothelioma | No Comments »

Asbestos News Roundup: 11.26.09

November 26th, 2009. By LucyC

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

Asbestos Screening: The Building Trades National Screening Program

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is currently funding the Worker Health Protection Program (WHPP) that provides free medical screenings for current and former workers at numerous DOE sites, specifically: Gaseous Diffusion Plants (GDPs) in Oak Ridge, TN, Paducah, KY and Portsmouth, OH; the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in Idaho Falls, ID; Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL) and Y-12 in Oak Ridge, TN and two closure sites: Mound in Miamisburg, OH and Fernald in Harrison, OH.

Because the goal of the program is to detect early stage work-related illness, the screenings are designed to identify adverse health outcomes related to on the job exposure to a number of toxic substances including asbestos. Asbestos is a known carcinogen and can cause mesothelioma, a fatal form of cancer, as well as reparatory illness such as asbestosis. 

The WHPP is managed by Queens College of the City University of New York. You can see their screening calendar here  

Construction Workers at Risk for Asbestos Exposure

According to the United States Department of Labor an estimated 1.3 million employees in the construction and general industry face significant asbestos exposure on the job. Those most at risk work within the construction industry, with some of the heaviest exposure occurring during asbestos removal, renovations, or demolition. 

Employees are also at high risk for asbestos exposure during the manufacture of asbestos products, and there are more than 3,000 such products on the market, including textiles, Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Mesothelioma
Posted in Asbestos Mesothelioma | No Comments »