Yesterday was the second day of a trial in which two former executives of a Swiss building firm are accused of negligence resulting in more than 2000 asbestos related deaths. The executives allegedly failed to take the proper precautions in regards to minimizing asbestos contamination in the workplace during their terms with Eternit, a European cement giant. Prosecutor Raffaele Guariniello stated that asbestos dust in the air near the factories has caused tumors to develop in Eternit employees, their families and others living nearby.
Asbestos is a fibrous substance which was used fervently throughout the 20th century as a fire retardant and insulator in a wide variety of industries. When the material is disturbed or aggravated during manufacture or installation, tiny fibers of the substance break free and are suspended in the air for some time before coming to rest in the workplace. If these fibers are inhaled or ingested they can become lodged in the mesothelium, a protective tissue that encases our chest and abdominal cavities among others, and can eventually cause substantial internal scarring. This scarring can lead to mesothelioma, a fatal cancer, as well as other deadly diseases. The latency of asbestos related disease, that is, the time it takes to develop after exposure to asbestos, is anywhere from a few years to more than half a century. While the dangers of asbestos have been vaguely understood since the 1930′s, the material’s incredible industrial utility combined with the disease’s curiously long latency have delayed the blossom of asbestos litigation until recent years.
The trial in Turin, Italy is seeking damages for almost 3,000 individuals. The owner of Eternit, Stephan Schmidheiny, and the former managing director, Jean-Louis de Cartier de Machienne, have assembled a defense team of 26 lawyers. They deny responsibility for the health problems of Eternit’s employees, their families, and other affected individuals. If convicted, Stephen and Jean-Louis could face as many as 12 years in prison.
Three entire court rooms were made available which cover the hearing via closed circuit television for spectators, journalists, and the friends and families of those involved in the case. On the day of the opening session of the trial, Thursday, demonstrators crowded around the court bearing picket signs and banners that demand justice for the victims.
Prosecutors claim that it’s the largest trial of its kind to date, while ANSA, a well respected Italian news cooperative, is calling it “The Trial of the Century.”
