Asbestos is a naturally occurring substance found in rock formations. Heavily mined and marketed worldwide through the last century, leading industrial nations built their business on asbestos products. Known for its fire resistance and durability, asbestos became a highly sought after commodity in the world of industry, manufacturing and construction.

Unfortunately, health hazards associated with asbestos began surfaces much later. Mesothelioma, a respiratory cancer most often found in lung lining, is caused solely by asbestos exposure. Asbestos fibers, once inhaled, can become lodged in lung lining tissue and begin a cancerous development. Without showing external signs or symptoms for decades, mesothelioma undergoes a latency period of twenty to fifty years. Typically, mesothelioma victims have no idea they are developing the disease until its final and most aggressive stage.

Dummitt developed pleural mesothelioma, which is the type found in lung lining. Peritoneal mesothelioma is another type of the disease, less common and specific to lining tissue of other abdominal cavities.

Dummitt believes he was exposed to asbestos while serving in the US Navy as a boiler tender. For eighteen years he worked on and repaired components in boiler rooms and fire rooms of Navy vessels that required asbestos products and materials.

Asbestos exposure is not uncommon to Naval and military veterans. Asbestos was perhaps most heavily used in military munitions manufacturing and shipbuilding. Today, after years of service, veterans are showing mesothelioma signs and symptoms.

Although there are mesothelioma treatments available there is no known cure. Treatments include surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Mesothelioma treatments are considered palliative, designed to extend patient life expectancy and raise quality of life. There are a few alternatives, and highly aggressive, treatments available, but candidate requirements are quite specific.

While mesothelioma cases grow worldwide, asbestos continues to be used. Although asbestos regulations have become more stringent in some countries, many developing nations have little or no protection in place for asbestos exposure. It is estimated that without an immediate halt of global asbestos use the world could be faced with close to one hundred thousand mesothelioma cases each year.

According to the news article, Dummitt was awarded sixteen million dollars for past pain and suffering, and another sixteen million for future pain and suffering.

Canada’s asbestos market, backed by the federal government, continues to export its asbestos products to developing countries where health awareness, safety precautions and treatment facilities are rare if present at all. World Health Organization estimates twenty thousand cases of mesothelioma worldwide each year, and this is a conservative estimate considering how many cases are going unrecognized and unrecorded. Without an immediate worldwide ban on asbestos, annual, global mesothelioma case numbers are expected to quickly rise to ninety thousand.

According to a story covered in an article of The Star, one Ottawa woman has taken a different approach to raising awareness about Canada’s asbestos exportation. After loosing her husband Robert to mesothelioma in 2009, Michaela Keyerlingk began considering the incongruence between Canada’s heavy asbestos exportation and the country’s equally heavy domestic asbestos use regulations. Why is Canada leadership willing to sell and ship a substance to other people groups—many known to have limited, if any, health precautions in place–if they are so stringently careful with the substance themselves?

Michaela put a banner ad on the internet that reads: “Canada is the only western country that still exports deadly asbestos!’’ Alone, this ad is bound to draw attention. But to cinch the connection to what Michaela considers hypocrisy on part of Canada’s federal government, she placed the Conservative Party of Canada logo on the banner as well.

Not only did Michaels receive countless responses from people who have also lost loved ones to mesothelioma or are concerned about Canada’s exportation of asbestos, but she received a response from a government official calling her use of the logo unauthorized and requesting that it be removed immediately.

Michaela agreed that her use of the logo is unauthorized, rather than immediately consenting, however, she came back with a request of her own. If a leading government representative would meet with her to hear her story and explain Canada’s asbestos exportation, she would remove the logo. So far, no such meeting has been scheduled and the banner ad continues to gain attention.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring material that is known to cause severe respiratory illnesses including fatal cancer mesothelioma. Once inhaled, asbestos fibers can become attached to otherwise healthy tissues and begin a mutative process leading to malignant tumor development. In malignant mesothelioma cases, patients typically undergo an extremely long latency period before mesothelioma symptoms demonstrate. This latency period often lasts between twenty and fifty years.

Many, if not most, mesothelioma patients have no idea they were ever exposed to asbestos and therefore have no reason to suspect they are developing cancer. In the case of Bronglais Hospital, possible exposure has been found and those associated will have a chance for prescreening—a rare occurrence in mesothelioma treatment stages.

About twenty thousand mesothelioma cases are reported worldwide each year. International medical officials suggest that this number is low as many cases are going unrecognized or unreported. Regardless of its obvious health hazards, asbestos continues to be used in dozens of countries, and often without proper safety precautions.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is investigating the facilities “management of asbestos” at this time.

According to the BBC Mid Wales report, a spokesperson for the health board said,  “I can give an assurance that systems and processes have been put in place across the health board to prevent this happening again. We would like to offer assurance that the asbestos was not in areas accessible to patients or the public. We are ensuring that all maintenance staff are involved in the HSE investigation and we continue to offer support and advice to those who have concerns.”

Mesothelioma cases are rising. According to World Health Organization they are rising quickly. Caused by toxic chemical asbestos, mesothelioma cases are expected to grow in number until asbestos use is discontinued worldwide. Even then, a peak would be expected to follow decades later. This is due to mesothelioma’s characteristic latency period, ranging from twenty to fifty years.

Currently about twenty thousand reported cases of malignant mesothelioma happen each year. However, thousands are suspected to go unrecognized or unreported. Three thousand cases are in America annually, while UK suffers about two thousand mesothelioma cases each year. In a world of advancing science and medicine, and in a case where the cause is known, these numbers seem just too high to accept.

Postmortems were done on two of the recent Bradford victims, both having been employed in the area in past. Asbestos-caused plaque was found in one, while asbestos fibers were found in the other. The third individual had been advised by his doctors that symptoms he was experiencing were those of mesothelioma.

Asbestos was used heavily through the last century in industrial markets of US, UK, Australia, Japan and other countries. Although asbestos regulations entered most workplaces a few decades ago, the long latency period specific to mesothelioma caused cases to show up as many as fifty or sixty years after original asbestos exposure.

Once asbestos fibers are inhaled they can begin a mutative process in otherwise healthy tissues. This begins development of malignant mesothelioma tumors, which spread through surrounding areas in irregular patterns. Mesothelioma is most often found in protective lung lining, although it does affect other abdominal cavities. Symptoms do not show until decades later, leaving most patients entirely in the dark about their condition.

Mesothelioma treatments exist and include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. These are often administered in combination as palliative care in an effort to extend life expectancy and raise quality of life. Mesothelioma patient life expectancy following diagnosis averages eighteen months and is very painful. There is no known cure for mesothelioma.

Smith was diagnosed with rare mesothelioma cancer in May and filed suit in June. Mesothelioma’s only known cause is asbestos. Historically asbestos exposure has been related to workplace hazards as the toxic chemical was used heavily through industrial and manufacturing arenas in the nineteen hundreds.

Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period, typically ranging from twenty to fifty years. During this time signs and symptoms do not show. However, towards the end of the latency period mesothelioma becomes quite aggressive and symptoms mimicking those of bronchitis or pneumonia ensue. Most patients have no idea they have been exposed to asbestos and therefore have no cause for concern until decades later.

Mesothelioma tumor growth is specific to protective organ lining. Most often seen in lung lining, malignant mesothelioma can affect other abdominal cavities as well. There is no known cure for mesothelioma although several mesothelioma treatments are available. These include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, often administered in combination as palliative care.

According to the West Virginia Record, the suit states the sixty defendants “are being sued on theories of negligence, contaminated buildings, breach of expressed/implied warranty, strict liability, intentional tort, conspiracy, misrepresentation and post-sale duty to warn.”

To date, over six hundred thousand lawsuits have been filed in connection with asbestos exposure. World health organization estimates close to ninety thousand people worldwide each year will be suffering with mesothelioma if asbestos use is not immediately stopped.

Mr. Jennings was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2009. Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to toxic asbestos, a naturally occurring chemical considered a Type 1 carcinogen by World Health Organization. Mr. Jennings was exposed to asbestos during his employment as an engineer; his work in a laboratory included regular use of raw asbestos materials.

Once asbestos fibers are inhaled, they can become lodged in lung lining tissue causing a mutative process. This process develops into malignant tumors that spread through surrounding areas in an irregular web-like pattern. Malignant mesothelioma is characterized by a latency period typically ranging from twenty to fifty years, and symptoms that mimic those of bronchitis and pneumonia.

Mesothelioma treatments are available including surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. There is no known cure for mesothelioma.

Mrs. Jennings warns others who work with asbestos about realities associated with exposure. In an article published in The Bolton News, she says, “I don’t think people realise that asbestos kills. I implore any builder to make sure they wear protective clothing and masks. You just don’t know where asbestos is, it is still in buildings now. I don’t want this to happen to anyone else.”

In a July 5^th article in the Salisbury Journal, Pes says: “For many years I worked there with no idea about the damage asbestos could do to my health. In later years when I became aware about the dangers of asbestos, I had an idea that I had been exposed but I never expected that I would end up with this disease.

“Despite my progressive illness and the restrictions it brings, I’m doing my best to enjoy each day I have left. I’m not angry but I do feel strongly that more should have been done to protect me from getting this disease.”

Mesothelioma and other severe respiratory conditions are caused by inhalation of toxic asbestos fibers. Much like Pes, many mesothelioma patients have no idea they are living or working in the presence of asbestos. Although relatively safe when incased in a containing materials, such as floor tiles or ceiling tiles, asbestos poses a threat after consistent wear and tear releases the once enclosed fibers into the air.

Like Pes’s case, mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period between original asbestos exposure and demonstration of mesothelioma symptoms. Mesothelioma victims often go for decades with no idea they are suffering from a deadly cancer. This makes early detection and mesothelioma treatment a challenge.

Historically, asbestos exposure and diseases it can cause have been associated with industrial employment such as shipbuilding, steelwork and mining. However, as residential and commercial construction components containing asbestos begin to break down, countless homes and workplaces are becoming unsafe. This is seen in Pes’s case and cases like it.

Adrian Budgen of Irwin Mitchell law firm in the UK is recently quoted in The Star on this demographic change in mesothelioma victims. He said, “Asbestos has long been associated with heavy industry but sadly we are seeing an increasing number of people from other sectors – such as health and education – falling victim to diseases like mesothelioma.

“The rising numbers of white- collar workers who are going on to suffer from mesothelioma highlights the need for a proper record of which public buildings – whether they are council offices, hospitals or schools – contain asbestos to prevent future, needless tragedies.”

Pleural mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the mesothelium, the protective lining around the lungs. Once mesothelioma development begins, flat, wide tumors begin to spread in an irregular pattern through lung lining. Other treatments specific to NSCLC have aided in the fight against mesothelioma. ALK markers may be found in mesothelioma cells as well as lung cancer cells used in crizotinib testing.

Mesothelioma is caused by toxic chemical asbestos. Asbestos is typically found encased in another material, such as a building or construction component. However, after years of wear and tear, or in the case of sudden demolition, asbestos fibers can be released from the containing material, becoming a health and safety hazard.

Once asbestos fibers are inhaled they become lodged in the mesothelium—or in lining of other abdominal cavities such as the heart or diaphragm. This starts the cancerous growth process leading to malignant mesothelioma. Asbestos is considered a Type 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization (WHO) and is regulated in many countries.

In Pfizer’s crizotinib tests, patients with advanced cancers experienced longer than average survival times after taking the new treatment. Two years and longer life expectancy is the average for just 20% of NSCLC patients; the expectancy dropping quickly between one and two years. 74% of those on crizotinib were alive after one year, and 54% after two years. This new drug could be a huge stride ahead in rare cancer treatment.

Mesothelioma is characterized by a life expectancy ranging from just six months to two years following diagnosis. Sadly, mesothelioma patients are typically developing the disease for twenty to fifty years before they notice symptoms. When symptoms to demonstrate they mimic those of bronchitis or pneumonia, making mesothelioma difficult to diagnose early.

Mesothelioma treatments are available. Standards include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Often, these are administered in combination as palliative care to focus on pain management and to extend patient life expectancy.

About three thousand Americans suffer with mesothelioma each year, and the number worldwide is on the rise from twenty thousand annually as asbestos continues to be used. WHO estimates a quick increase to ninety thousand cases yearly around the world if asbestos use is not greatly curbed or stopped completely.

Asbestos is known for its fire resistance and durability. The last century saw asbestos rise to the top of industrial use—spreading it around the world in countless forms including insulation, plumbing components, roof sheets, floor and ceiling tiles. In spite of its ill health effects, asbestos continues to be mined, bought, sold and used globally.

Mesothelioma affects about twenty thousand people worldwide, a number that is on the rise. Mesothelioma cases are expected to greatly increase over the next decades as asbestos continues to be heavily used in developing countries; India alone employees over 100,000 people in asbestos products manufacturing plants. These facilities are not equipped with proper ventilation components, nor are employees provided with adequate safety gear to protect against inhalation of asbestos fibers.

Mesothelioma development is begun when asbestos fibers enter the lungs and become lodged in protective lung lining, called mesothelium. Tumors begin to grow and spread through surrounding areas without exhibiting sign or symptoms until decades later. Mesothelioma is characterized by this long latency period and a short life expectancy following diagnosis.

Although there are mesothelioma treatments available, there is no cure, and it is developing countries noted for such heavy asbestos use that lack medical facilities able to diagnose or treat mesothelioma.  In light of the continued heavy use of asbestos in Asia, Ken Takahashi, director of a WHO occupational health group cautions Asian nations of a coming “asbestos tsunami.”

Malignant mesothelioma affects about twenty thousand people around the world each year. Caused by exposure to toxic chemical asbestos, mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period and a short life expectancy. Research continues for new treatments and a mesothelioma cure; for now treatment standards include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, none of which are considered curative.

Since her husband’s death, Mrs. Witney has campaigned for more thorough information to be made available to patients covering details of possible side effects related to new or trial treatments. Much to do with her determination, Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust has recently published an informational pamphlet about the effects and risks of new treatments. Mrs. Witney is happy to see this outcome, but skeptical of its long-term value.

“I am extremely pleased that at last something concrete has appeared, but sadly a little skeptical as to how well the leaflet will be presented to trials patients,” Mrs. Witney said. She continued, “The reason for my skepticism is that this simple piece of paper has taken a ridiculously long time to produce and I feel it has been completed with some reluctance as I have been constantly fobbed off throughout this time.”

Mrs. Witney, who helped nurse her husband through his final days, is aware of the extreme pain and discomfort associated with mesothelioma, and added trauma this can cause patients and their loved ones.  Mrs. Witney challenges UK health systems to aid in lessening pain and discomfort for all involved. “So many people suffer inadequate care within the NHS [National Health Service], not only patients but also dedicated nursing staff, due to poor management, an inability on the part of the decision makers to admit they are sometimes wrong, and the curtain of secrecy in which they like to cloak themselves when dealing with anything they find unpalatable, in the hope it will eventually disappear,” she said.

In conclusion of her fight to have more drug trial information available to patients, Mrs. Withney said, “I want to thank everyone at the Oxford Mail for the huge support they gave me at a time when I struggled to get up each morning let alone find the strength to battle with a pretty formidable opponent.”

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer—about three thousand Americans are affected by it each year, and close to twenty thousand people worldwide. There are two types of mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma makes us about 80% of total cases, and affects lung-lining tissue. Peritoneal mesothelioma is less common and affects lining of other abdominal organs. Both types of mesothelioma are considered fatal.

Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period, similar to what Edward Comer experienced. Malignant mesothelioma often takes twenty to fifty years to develop to its final stage and demonstrate symptoms. Patients often have no idea they have mesothelioma until decades after asbestos exposure; and many have no idea they ere ever exposed to asbestos. Mesothelioma symptoms demonstrate as those of pneumonia and bronchitis, postponing diagnosis even longer.

The illusive characteristics of asbestos fibers and a general “don’t-ask-don’t-tell” attitude towards asbestos in the workplace of the past, has only added questions to studies of mesothelioma development. Mesothelioma’s long latency period complicated matters even more, making its cause, and any treatments options, something of a mystery.  The last several decades, however, have witnessed a change in regulations and medical research associated with asbestos exposure and mesothelioma. The Environmental Protection agency works to protect the American public from toxic exposure, while scientists and medical experts endeavor for a cure.

Edward Comer believes he was exposed to asbestos during his twenty-four years as an insulator, form 1960 to 1984. Asbestos was used in the last century, not only as an insulation material, but also as an additive and stabilizer for countless other products present in homes, commercial buildings and equipment around the globe. Edward and Barbara are suing companies they believe to have been directly involved in Edward’s asbestos exposure—companies they suggest have knowingly or negligently withheld vital information or protection from Edward during his employment as an insulator.

To date, over 600,000 asbestos related cases have been filed—the first dating back to the 1920s. An estimated 200 to 250 million dollars have been spent on asbestos liabilities, with 1 to 3 million claimants involved.

Sadly, it will not end here. The Comers are joining an ongoing list of those affected by toxic asbestos. Until asbestos is completely banned worldwide, mesothelioma cases, and other asbestos-caused diseases, will be on the rise.

OSHA takes asbestos misuse and neglect seriously, as does Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), listing asbestos as a type 1 carcinogen. Asbestos is a toxic chemical found in many rock deposits thought the world. Mined and used heavily through the past century, asbestos is known for its fire resistance and durability. However, in the past few decades asbestos has also become known as the cause of mesothelioma, a rare cancer affecting respiratory system functions.

If asbestos fibers are inhaled they can become lodged in lung tissue, initiating mesothelioma development, a cancerous growth of malignant tumors. These tumors spread irregularly through lung lining or lining of other abdominal cavities, causing no visible signs for decades. Mesothelioma is characterized by this long latency period, lasting for twenty to fifty years. Once symptoms demonstrate, mimicking those of pneumonia or bronchitis, mesothelioma has become so aggressive that patient life expectancy averages only eighteen months.

Mesothelioma treatments are available and include surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Often administered in combination, mesothelioma treatments tend to be palliative in nature, attempting to manage pain and extend patient life expectancy.

In response to the Illinois company’s misconduct, an OSHA news statement claimed, “…five unprotected and untrained workers allegedly were required to conduct asbestos removal exposing them to this cancer-causing material.” Asbestos abatement requires specific training and certification. While regulations and licensure may vary from state to state, OSHA and EPA objectives to protect public health and enhance American air quality are always in focus.

The OSHA statement additionally accuses the Illinois company of, “…failing to implement a respirator protection program; failing to use engineering controls and work practices for Class I asbestos work; not conducting asbestos work in regulated areas; and failing to provide hygiene facilities for workers removing the dangerous material.” The statement continued, “A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.”

According to tests done at the site in question, materials being used contained 20 – 50% asbestos, a high toxicity level. Until asbestos exposure, both intentional and accidental, is completely stopped, mesothelioma cases are expected to rise worldwide. With a latency period of several decades, mesothelioma cases and other asbestos related diseases might continue to multiply before peaking.

Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer affecting about three thousand Americans each year and close to twenty thousand people worldwide. Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos fibers. Asbestos has been historically considered a workplace hazard, associated specifically with shipbuilding, refineries, munitions manufacturing and commercial and residential construction.

Asbestos was so heavily used through the last century in the US it gained the nickname, ‘backbone of American industry.’ Today, the World Health Organization considers asbestos a type 1carcinogen, the Environmental Protection Agency works to regulate and monitor use and handling of asbestos, and countless contracting companies stay in business by specializing in asbestos abatement.  What was once thought to be the solution to so many problems is now considered a threat to public health and safety.

Mesothelioma does not demonstrate signs or symptoms until its final and most aggressive stage. Once a proper diagnosis is made, prognosis is grim; mesothelioma life expectancy is short and painful. Mesothelioma treatments are available, usually including some combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Often treatments are administered on a palliative basis, hoping to provide patients with better quality of life and extend life expectancy.

The National Cancer Institute is currently sponsoring two trials to test gene therapy in mesothelioma patients. Both studies are being conducted at University of Pennsylvania’s Abramson Cancer Center. They are titled, ‘Intrapleural Gene Transfer for Pleural Mesothelioma’ and ‘Combination Gene Transfer and Chemotherapy.’

Researchers of gene therapy are soon to publish an article in journal Current Treatment Options in Oncology. Study authors consider gene therapy a good treatment for mesothelioma as many of the malignant tumors are clustered close together in the beginning stages of the disease, providing a larger target area for treatment. Additionally, mesothelioma tumors tend to have larger surface areas, also making it easier for gene therapy to be administered on a cellular level.

Casey was employed as a plumber for forty years, during which he worked with and around asbestos containing components. Asbestos fibers, if inhaled, can begin a cancerous growth process of malignant tumors, spreading though lining of lungs and other abdominal cavities, this is called mesothelioma cancer.

Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period—typically between twenty and fifty years. During this time patients usually have no idea they have the disease.  Symptoms demonstrate during the last and most aggressive stage of mesothelioma. Symptoms mimic those of bronchitis or pneumonia, making mesothelioma difficult to diagnose. About three thousand Americans suffer with mesothelioma each year, making it a rare cancer and adding to the chance of it being missed by medical professionals. Once a proper diagnosis is made, patients average a life expectancy of just eighteen months.

Although asbestos is considered a type 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization, it is still used around the world for building and production purposes. While countries such as the US, UK and Australia have regulated asbestos use, many developing countries are using the toxic material with little or no safety precautions. It is these countries that are also less likely to have medical facilities able to diagnose or treat mesothelioma and other asbestos related illnesses.

Mesothelioma treatments include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Surgeries are often performed in an effort to remove affected tissue, alleviate pain and aid patient breathing. There is no cure for mesothelioma.

In March, a jury awarded Casey $5 million in loss of consortium, $15 million in non-economic damages, and $1,273,421 for economic damages after finding Kaiser guilty of negligence. Certain building materials Casey used during his employment, provided by Kaiser, contained asbestos and considered defective.

Earlier this month, Kaiser was additionally found guilty of oppression or malice in their treatment and negligence of Casey during his employment. Kaiser was fined $20 million for punitive damages.

Due to the outage, one of the reactors required refueling. According to DOM’s spokesman, Rick Zuercher, the refueling process can take up to a month in time and necessitate nearly one hundred different contractors working on multiple aspects of the project. It was one of these many contractors that reported an asbestos threat at the power plant.

State Department of Labor and Industry responded to the report and began an investigation. Not much is being shared publicly, however. Department spokeswoman Jennifer Wester said, “We’re looking into it, yes,” but declined to make any further comments on the matter.

Asbestos would be expected in a power plant—one of the structures known to use the material for its fire resistant and insulating qualities. Relatively safe when contained in an intact component, asbestos poses a threat when its fibers or dust particles become airborne. Asbestos exposure can occur after wear and tear breaks down the containing materials or some disaster or demolition suddenly tears open the containing material.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines regulations for use and removal of asbestos in its Clean Air Act. These regulations did not come into play, however, until the nineteen-eighties. Asbestos was used heavily in the US before its health threats were discovered. Close to a century of asbestos use in the US has now brought countless cases of exposure, which can easily go unchecked and unnoticed for years. .

Asbestos is known to cause severe respiratory illnesses. Among these is rare cancer mesothelioma—a system of irregularly patterned malignant tumors which grow through lung lining and lining of other abdominal cavities. Mesothelioma development begins after asbestos fibers are inhaled into the lungs. Characterized by a long latency period typically between twenty and fifty years, mesothelioma goes undetected for decades. Diagnosis is difficult as symptoms do not demonstrate until the disease has reached its final and most aggressive stage. Life expectancy following diagnosis averages eighteen months. There are mesothelioma treatments available, but no known cure.

DOM’s Surry power plant has a potential health and safety threat on their hands. Depending on the level of exposure, employees, contractors and area locals could be put at risk for mesothelioma or other respiratory diseases.  Zuercher said a “team of experts” has tested the facility and consider asbestos levels to be well within safe brackets outlined by Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards.

City Manager William Bridgeo was hoping this problem would be one that just fades away. However, the escalated situation now requires attention from authorities. Not only are current residents and their questionable activities causing concern, but Fire Chief Roger Audette is wary of the building’s fire hazard potential and the effects such a disaster could have on other closely set homes and buildings.

Bridgeo said, “This is one of those unfortunate situations, in my mind, where I fear Mr. Murphy and his law will kick in, and something tragic will occur if we do nothing. And there’s really no other responsible party we can go after.”

Through legal process the city of Augusta was able to claim responsibility for the property. The only option, though, seems to be demolition. “I have to tell you,” Bridgeo concluded, “I can’t see any other options open to us that responsibly address the concerns that police, fire, code enforcement and I have.”

Now demolition plans have brought up a whole new area of concern. Asbestos shingles cover the exterior of the apartments building, and must be safely removed before demolition begins. Interior components may also contain the toxic chemical, postponing project completion dates and raising costs.

Bob LABreck, city facilities and systems manager, is watching expenses of this new responsibility go up and up. “It’s a mess,” he said. “It’s covered in asbestos, and there is literally eight to ten inches of debris on the floor, on every floor. You name it, it’s in there. It’s a tired building.”

Asbestos fibers are known to cause several respiratory illnesses included rare cancer mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period and a short life expectancy following diagnosis. Diagnosis is often difficult as many mesothelioma patients have no idea they were ever exposed to asbestos, and when symptoms do demonstrate they mimic those of pneumonia and bronchitis. There are mesothelioma treatments available, but no cure.

LaBreck estimates asbestos abatement at the property will double the amount spent on demolition alone. However, Mayor David Rollins takes on the project thinking of public safety and benefits to the community. “As much as we don’t like the number in front of us, the potential disaster is a much greater number,” he said.

O’Donnell received mesothelioma treatment, including chemotherapy, but his doctors advised him that there would be no full recovery. “That’s very hard to take,” he said, “but you just have to accept it.”

According to Prof Julian Peto, of London School of Hygiene and Topical Medicine and the Institute of Cancer Research, the UK has the highest annual mesothelioma death rate, with over two thousand losses each year. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates ninety thousand mesothelioma cases worldwide if global asbestos use is not curbed immediately. WHO classifies asbestos as a Type 1 carcinogen, responsible for causing both pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma as well as asbestosis and lung cancer.

Asbestos use has been heavily regulated in many countries including the UK, Australia and the US. However, prior to these regulations, most of which became enforced just in the last few decades, asbestos was used without proper safety and health protection—there are countless asbestos containing materials that have been spread across the nations for decades. Now, the clean-up jobs continue to put workers and the public at risk.

O’Donnell believes he was exposed to asbestos during his construction career in Glasgow. With its fire resistant and stabilizing qualities, asbestos was a regularly used substance in all building arenas. O’Donnell had countless chances to be exposed to the toxic fibers on a daily basis. He did not know at the time that the dust he was breathing in was such a danger.

O’Donnell’s daughter, Elaine Darling, comments on her father’s workplace asbestos exposure. “He was never made aware of the dangers of asbestos,” she said. “They didn’t have health and safety the way we do now. A lot of his work was pulling down tenement buildings and working on the roofs, where there was asbestos you didn’t know about.”

Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period without signs or symptoms. Once symptoms do show, the cancer has developed to an aggressive stage. Diagnosis can be difficult as symptoms mimic those of pneumonia or bronchitis.

O’Donnell’s daughter said, “It’s been hard seeing how the mesothelioma has affected my dad, seeing him lose weight and getting thinner about the face. It’s frightening how quickly something that has been inside him for years can take effect.”

Asbestos has been used in the US since the 1920s. Its fire resistance and strength brought asbestos quickly to the top of most used materials in US industries. Between the 1920s and 1980s asbestos earned the nickname “backbone of American industry.”

In the past few decades, however, the health concerns associated with asbestos exposure have come to light. What has built much of American industry, as well as military equipment, commercial and residential buildings and countless other structures, is actually killing people.

About three thousand Americans suffer each year from rare cancer mesothelioma, which is caused by asbestos fibers. Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period and a short life expectancy following diagnosis. There are mesothelioma treatments available, but no known cure. Other severe respiratory conditions linked to asbestos exposure include lung cancer and asbestosis.

In the 1980s the Environmental Protection Agency began to define asbestos regulations in its Clean Air Act. This act describes the responsibility of all US citizens and residents to raise and maintain the quality of air in America. Current regulations require contractors working with asbestos to hold to the highest standards in ventilation control, personnel protection, transportation and proper disposal of asbestos containing materials. Specific licenses can be attained after training has been received.

Due to the high content of asbestos in American buildings, many contractors receive the necessary training to work in asbestos abatement. In fact, there are companies working only in this niche. However, the training, licenses and associated regulations can make asbestos abatement an expensive business. Corners are often cut.

Cascade paving and the Oregon Employees Federal Credit Union have been fined $48,000 for violating asbestos regulations. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality became involved in demolition inspection and noted that Cascade was sending asbestos debris through a grinder before disposal. This toxic waste was not bagged or transported properly and was disposed of at a waste site that also lacked the proper licenses for asbestos handling.

Among the wreckage of the building, piles of asbestos containing material were seen out in the open. Cars and houses through the surrounding area were covered the dust from the demolition, possibly containing disease causing asbestos fibers.

Asbestos is a toxic chemical considered a Type 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization. Heavily used in the US through the last century countless building and structures still hold asbestos containing materials. These materials, such as floor and ceiling tiles, can take years to wear down, releasing asbestos fibers into the air and creating a  public health hazard.

Environmental Protection Agency says of asbestos, “Asbestos is a mineral fiber that has been used commonly in a variety of building construction materials for insulation and as a fire-retardant. Because of its fiber strength and heat resistant properties, asbestos has been used for a wide range of manufactured goods, mostly in building materials (roofing shingles, ceiling and floor tiles, paper products, and asbestos cement products), friction products (automobile clutch, brake, and transmission parts), heat-resistant fabrics, packaging, gaskets, and coatings.  When asbestos-containing materials are damaged or disturbed by repair, remodeling or demolition activities, microscopic fibers become airborne and can be inhaled into the lungs, where they can cause significant health problems.”

One specific health problem caused by asbestos is rare cancer mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period and short life expectancy following diagnosis. Mesothelioma develops through the lining of lungs and other abdominal cavity linings as an irregularly patterned system of tumors. Mesothelioma treatments exist, but there is no known cure.

Susan White, President of Sussex Environmental Health consultants, LLC (SEHC), based in Delaware, aids in inspection for schools with asbestos and other indoor air quality (IAQ) issues. She said of the Lansdowne school situation, “A thorough building investigation should have involved testing some of the ceiling tiles. Had it been discovered earlier, it could have been worked into the initial renovation budget.”  She continues, “With today being National Healthy Schools Day it’s important that educational institutions across the nation look to ways of providing the healthiest IAQ possible for their students, faculty and others.”

Many schools and municipal buildings built during the ‘asbestos age’ are now beginning to show signs of wear and tear that could lead to asbestos exposure. With diseases like mesothelioma potentially affecting staff, students, faculty, and the public, White’s advise to seek thorough inspections is well founded.

Mesothelioma patients may benefit from EU Clinical Trials Register website as sixteen current posted trials pertain to malignant mesothelioma. About three thousand Americans suffer with one of the two types of mesothelioma each year, while the worldwide estimate is between fifteen and twenty thousand cases.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer affecting abdominal cavity lining. Most common is pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the lungs. The lesser-seen type is peritoneal mesothelioma, affecting other linings such as that of the heart.

Mesothelioma is believed to be caused solely by the dust and fibers of toxic chemical asbestos. Asbestos has been used for decades in building, construction, oil refining, shipbuilding, manufacturing and countless other industries. As it became known as a health hazard use minimized, but asbestos is still widely used around the globe. Although materials containing asbestos such as floor or ceiling tiles, may be relatively safe while intact, once they wear out or become damaged the fibers can be released and become airborne. If asbestos fibers are inhaled they can begin developing into mesothelioma.

European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, John Dalli, said of EU Clinical Trials Register website: “The register launched is good news for patients as it will allow them to get easier information about clinical trials going on in the EU, possibly giving access to important new treatment. It is also of great interest to healthcare professionals and carers, the research community and industry.”

New mesothelioma treatments will be a welcome addition for mesothelioma patients and their families. There is currently no known cure for mesothelioma although many treatment options are available. Treatments typically include a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Palliative care is also available for patients wishing to focus on quality of life rather than cancer-direct treatments.

The trials currently pertaining to mesothelioma posted on EU Clinical Trials Register website include the following: “Phase I/II study with cisplatin and pemetrexed +/- sorafenib in malignant pleural mesothelioma”, and “Treatment of malignant mesothelioma with pemetrexed (Alimta) + platinum (4 courses) or pemetrexed (Alimta) + platinum (4 courses) followed by Caelyx single drug (4 courses).”

Asbestos was heavily used throughout the US between the 1920s and 1980s. Present in countless industries, manufacturing lines, refineries and residential buildings, asbestos was once referred to as the backbone of American industry. Today, with its health hazards better known, asbestos has been greatly regulated and controlled. Special licensing and disposal protocols are in place for contractors who work in asbestos abatement.

Asbestos causes rare and aggressive cancer mesothelioma, as well as lung cancer, asbestosis, and other severe respiratory symptoms. If asbestos dust or fibers are inhaled, they can begin a mutative process in lung lining or lining of other abdominal cavities. This process develops into mesothelioma over a course of several decades.

Mesothelioma is characterized by irregularly patterned tumors and symptoms that mimic those of bronchitis and pneumonia. Diagnosis can be difficult due to such a long latency period and signs easily mistaken for other illnesses. After proper diagnosis is made, average life expectancy is eighteen months. There are mesothelioma treatments available, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, but no known cure.

DEQ fined Contract Flooring as well as HP after the July 2010 event. The contracting company contested their fine of $10,800, stating that they properly disposed of the asbestos materials once they become aware of its presence; they are currently negotiating a settlement with DEQ.

Although flooring workers were exposed to asbestos during the job, there is no evidence yet to suggest that HP employees or local residents have been at all exposed.

Large amounts of asbestos material have become public health concerns in several localities; new ways of dealing with the issue need to be considered.

Based on the Canadian company’s review of the situation and available resources, burying the asbestos looks like the best way to go. Public Works Minister said in a debate on his Ministry’s budget for 2011-2012, “The review included consideration of overseas shipment, treatment in Bermuda, landfill in Bermuda, offshore deep sea disposal and encapsulation in place.” He continued, “The preferred disposal option is burial of the asbestos containing material in a marine fill as part of a required airport improvement project.”

Public response and feedback from environmental groups have been good, giving the project’s initial direction a hearty thumbs-up.

Public Works Minister said, “Encouraged by the response from this presentation, the Ministry has asked the [Canadian] consultant to prepare a proposal that will provide for an environmental impact statement, design and tender package for the disposal works. The public will be consulted before a final disposal method is selected. It is anticipated that the public consultation, engineering design and the start of implementation will take place in the upcoming fiscal year.”

The plan’s budget has already covered $1.2 million in costs just through this original assessment stage.

Asbestos is known to cause several fatal illnesses including rare cancer mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is cause by asbestos fibers becoming inhaled or ingested. This can begin a mutative process leading to irregular malignant tumor growth in the lung lining and lining of other abdominal cavities. Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period—often between twenty and fifty years. Once diagnosed, mesothelioma patients average an eighteen–month life expectancy. Mesothelioma treatments include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, but there is no known cure.

Shadow Public Works Minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin suggests including all possible solutions to the asbestos problem in Bermuda. She suggests turning the asbestos into glass-type products. “It has been most successful in the United States,” she said.

All involved are looking forward to the end of asbestos accumulation in local communities. Health Minister Zane DeSilva said, “Hopefully, it will rid us of that problem forever.”

Meos Foundation is a non-profit operating to end mesothelioma suffering through education, awareness, patient advocacy and research for a mesothelioma cure. Simmons firm Managing Partner Mike Angelides said, “The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation works countless hours to provide hope and awareness for the mesothelioma community. Our firm is honored to once again make this contribution in support of the work that means so much to our own clients and to all mesothelioma patients and their families affected by the disease.”

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer affecting abdominal cavity lining, most commonly the lungs or heart. Irregularly patterned tumors characterize the disease and are difficult to diagnose and remove. There is no known cure for mesothelioma. Although treatments may include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, these are considered mostly palliative—aiding in pain management and breathing support. Mesothelioma patients average an eighteen-month life expectancy following diagnosis.

Asbestos is the cause of almost all mesothelioma cases. Fibers of the toxic chemical can be inhaled into the lungs where they begin malignant tumor development. This development typically takes decades to demonstrate symptoms, leaving most mesothelioma patients unaware of their condition for twenty to fifty years.

About three thousand Americans suffer with mesothelioma each year. Around the world the number of cases is thought to be rising quickly to ninety thousand, with many cases unreported. Asbestos materials continue to be used with little to no protection and even less education as to its toxic qualities.

In addition to the donation made by Simmons firm, the group will help the Meso Foundation by supporting the Annual International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma, held in Washington, D.C. June 23-25, 2011.

Meso Foundation Executive Director Kathleen Wiedemer said, “Funding peer-reviewed research and offering authoritative medical expertise to all mesothelioma patients and their families are the core purposes of the foundation. Through the Simmons law firm’s leadership level of support in our 2011 Legal Partners Program, the foundation will be well-positioned to continue our efforts to help the mesothelioma community, promote awareness of this devastating disease and continue supporting medical researchers as they work toward a cure.”

The July 2010 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, published a study headed by Dr. Saul Wiener, a physician at University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago. The study looked at errors in diagnoses and treatments on account of doctors misunderstanding, or missing altogether, key information from patient information. The study showed that most providers fail to investigate patient context, such as work and home environment.

Contextual data is specifically important in cases where patients are suffering with rare cancer mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is caused by an environmental danger: exposure to asbestos. If inhaled, asbestos fibers can begin a mutative growth process in abdominal cavity lining.

Asbestos exposure is most commonly known as an occupational hazard. In the US such industries as shipbuilding, munitions manufacturing and oil refining have been know to use asbestos components. Construction is also an industry associated with asbestos, as many building materials have contained the toxic chemical since as early as the 1920s.

Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period with symptoms demonstrating decades after cancer development begins; unless the patient knew they were exposed to asbestos, they would not know to consider mesothelioma. A few questions about patient work or home history could greatly help providers with proper diagnosis. Unfortunately, mesothelioma is often misdiagnosed as pneumonia or bronchitis, further postponing proper care. Mesothelioma treatments include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, but there is no cure for mesothelioma.

Dr. Weiner’s study included medical actors posing as patients who were seen by 100 participating doctors. The actor-patients presented bio-medical, red-flag signs and symptoms. The study concluded that 62 – 88% of the time information was missed that would have been key for proper diagnosis and care.

Such a great margin of error in the patient care process denotes a need for change. The President’s Cancer Panel presented a report to President Obama, titled, “Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk — What We Can Do Now.” This report suggested: “physicians and other medical personnel should routinely query patients about their previous and current workplace and home environments as part of the standard medical history.”

After beginning a trial mesothelioma treatment regime Andy suffered excessive side effects, including inability to use his legs and uncontrollable diarrhea. He died twelve days later in Churchill Hospital.

Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos dust and fibers. If inhaled, asbestos fibers can begin a mutative development in abdominal cavity lining. Most often affecting lung lining, mesothelioma grows irregularly patterned tumors which take decades to fully develop. Signs and symptoms may not be noticed for twenty to fifty years after original asbestos exposure and mimic those of pneumonia and bronchitis.

Mesothelioma treatments include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapies. Due to the short patient life expectancy following diagnosis, which averaged eighteen months, many patients choose palliative care rather than cancer direct treatments. Palliative care focuses on pain management and quality of life.

Karen Witney found her husband in the hospital on several occasions unattended, and left in unhygienic states. This added greatly to both her and her husband s anxiety. Karen describes the last week of Andy’s life as “an unimaginable nightmare.”

Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust chief executive Sir Jonathan Michael, wrote a letter to Karen Witney in response to her and her husband’s experience at Churchill Hospital. In the letter Michael wrote: “We regret that we did not provide Mr. Witney with a high standard of care during the final days of his life and for the distress and suffering this caused you both.”

Richard Money-Kyrle, of Darbys Solicitors LLP, negligence attorneys, said in response to the ordeal, “Medical negligence can come in many forms – not just botched surgery or misdiagnosis of a serious illness or injury. In this case, it was substandard care for someone suffering terribly with the effects of these drugs. There is no cure for mesothelioma. Surgery and drugs can extend life expectancy and quality of life however the individual must never be forgotten in the quest for new and better treatment.”

It is estimated that close to ninety thousand people suffer with mesothelioma each year around the world. A fraction of those are in countries where adequate health facilities exist and an even smaller number can afford the treatments and care necessary for such a rare disease.

Denis Sapiro, manager of University of Washington’s Occupational Health and Safety Office, acknowledged that asbestos materials had been present throughout the school’s buildings since the beginning of asbestos use (sometime in the 1920s for most of the US).

Used for its durability and fire resistant qualities, asbestos is not a threat when contained in other materials such as ceiling tiles or floor tiles. However, if exposed, the fibers of asbestos become airborne and can be dangerous. Once inhaled, asbestos fibers can begin a cancerous development in the lung lining and lining of other abdominal cavities. This growth is known as rare cancer mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma takes twenty to fifty years to demonstrate symptoms, making it difficult to diagnose. Symptoms are the same as those of pneumonia or bronchitis, often postponing proper diagnosis even more. Life expectancy following diagnosis is short, averaging eighteen months. Mesothelioma treatments exist, but there is no known cure.

About three thousand Americans die of mesothelioma each year. An estimated fifteen to twenty thousand mesothelioma deaths are reported globally each year with close to twice that number thought to go unrecorded.  The World Health Organization classifies asbestos as a Type 1 carcinogen and expects the number of asbestos related deaths to quickly triple if asbestos use is not drastically minimized around the world.

University of Washington began their labeling effort just a few years ago. As promised, all areas, components or materials containing asbestos received a sticker reading “Asbestos Danger.” These stickers were applied throughout the campus, including over three hundred buildings.

During a school break, letters were sent home to students and their families to introduce them to the warning signs they would find on returning to the university. However, many students sere still surprised and concerned to find the stickers on campus.

University of Washington’s asbestos compliance analyst, Roy Smith, clarified that the areas noted with “Asbestos Danger” stickers are not current health threats, but that immediate reports should be made if damage was done to or noted in those areas. Smith stated that University of Washington’s Facility Services would respond immediately to any damage report on campus.

While in Croydon, Mrs. Wickings spent time in the dusty archives, which she believed included asbestos dust. At Epsom her job required her to read meters in a boiler room of exposed pipes, another location she thought had exposed her to asbestos.

Asbestos exposure is considered the sole cause of mesothelioma, a rare cancer affecting lining of the lungs and other abdominal cavities. If inhaled, asbestos fibers can begin a cancerous growth process developing into an irregular pattern of tumors. This process typically takes twenty to fifty years to demonstrate symptoms. Mesothelioma patients often have no idea they have cancer until decades later when signs begin to show.

Mesothelioma symptoms include coughing and wheezing. Diagnosis can be difficult as these symptoms are often mistaken for pneumonia or bronchitis. There are several mesothelioma treatments available. Most common is a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Due to the short life expectancy following diagnosis, many mesothelioma patients are choosing palliative care to manage the pain and focus on quality of life. Although great research and testing initiatives are in process around the world, there is no known mesothelioma cure at this time.

Mrs. Wickings was active prior to the last few months of her life. She quickly went from swimming for exercise to struggling to walk. She said of her illness, “I thought it might be bronchitis or pneumonia at first, it just started as a bad cough.”

Her sister, Janet Martin, noticed the extreme change in her health. She said, “It was not until after Christmas that she began to go downhill very rapidly. She was struggling at Christmas but got through it and was able to spend it with her family.” Martin said of her sister: “She was a wonderful woman, she was always taking the initiative. She was very active and loved growing vegetables in her allotment.”

Mrs. Wickings recognized the need to educate others on the potential danger of asbestos exposure and the difficulties associated with proper mesothelioma diagnosis. “This needs publicity, because other people need to realise they might have been in danger,” she said.

Mrs. Wickings’s case against the Inland Revenue offices was postponed while her solicitors searched for additional evidence. Mrs. Wickings had hoped the compensation from the case could provide for her disabled husband, Ernie, after she was gone.

The US District Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts branch, found that when participants were passed through the training program Deleon employed them as asbestos removal specialists by paying them under-the-table. Payroll forms and reports were fraudulently filed to hide these arrangements.

During the six years Deleon fraudulently trained at Environmental Compliance Training, an estimated 65 to 80% of her students did not receive proper training.

US Environmental Protection Agency regulations covering asbestos abatement require contractors engaged in such work to be properly trained with appropriate licenses or certificates on hand, depending on the specific state. Asbestos removal, disposal and clean up is all to be done in a manner that benefits the health and safety of the American public while protecting the quality of American air.

Asbestos fibers are known to cause fatal health conditions including lung cancer and asbestosis. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused by asbestos fibers that affect the lining of lungs and other abdominal cavities. Mesothelioma is characterized by a long latency period and a short life expectancy following diagnosis. Mesothelioma treatments include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, but there is no known cure.

In November of 2008 Deleon was found guilty on twenty seven counts including mail fraud, payroll fraud, making false documents, conspiracy to make false documents, hiring illegal aliens and encouraging illegal aliens to remain in the US.

In a press release Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, said, “Albania Deleon put communities at risk by issuing fraudulent asbestos-removal training certificates to hundreds of untrained workers.”  She continued, “This is yet another example of great teamwork and dedication of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, U.S. Marshals Service and our own special agents who protect the American people from environmental crimes.”

Deleon fled the state following her trial, but was found in Santa Domingo over half a year later. Her sentencing is scheduled for March.

One New York man is now serving 6 years in prison and must pay $20,000 in fines after illegal and fraudulent asbestos removal. Even after his conviction he continued to run the company illegally—dumping asbestos in unapproved locations and reporting fraudulently on job completion papers.

Asbestos has been a long time building material favorite of the US and many countries around the world. With its relatively low cost and strong, resistant qualities, asbestos has made it into countless buildings and structures constructed between 1920 and 1970 in countries where the material was used.

Weapons and munitions, shipbuilding, plumbing, oil and fuel refining and residential and commercial construction are just a few of the industries to profit from asbestos over the years. However, growing health concerns began to make headlines, and asbestos use all but stopped in the 1980s. Health and environmental regulations were created and have been maintained to protect and enhance quality of life for the American public in response to the threat of asbestos.

Unfortunately, after decades of asbestos use, its mass removal is not an option. If enclosed in some material, dangerous asbestos fibers are not a threat; but if exposed, these fibers can cause fatal respiratory illnesses including mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused almost solely by asbestos. There are many mesothelioma treatments available, but no cure. Average life expectancy following diagnosis of mesothelioma is eighteen months.

As asbestos containing materials begin to age and wear, homeowners and companies hire specially trained asbestos removal professionals to take potentially hazardous materials from their homes, offices, and facilities. These contractors are held to high standards for removal and disposal of asbestos materials including HIPAA regulated clean-up to certify all harmful dust is also gone.

Asbestos removal services are not cheap—for the hiring party or the contractor. Corners are being cut on all sides to gain profit, and the public is paying the price in tax money and health hazard potential.

An asbestos attorney in New York, Joseph Belluck takes upholding asbestos regulations seriously. Belluck believes “companies hired to abate asbestos must be held to the strictest standards.” Not only does Belluck think asbestos criminals should be punished accordingly for putting public health at risk, but that tax payer costs for clean-up should be factored into fines payable.

Mesothelioma is caused almost solely by asbestos and is characterized by a long latency period between asbestos exposure and demonstration of symptoms. Twenty to fifty years encompasses a normal expected development time for mesothelioma. When symptoms do begin, diagnosis can be further postponed as the coughing, wheezing and lung fluid typical of mesothelioma is often misdiagnosed as pneumonia or other treatable respiratory conditions.

A rare cancer, mesothelioma affects lining of abdominal cavities, particularly the lungs. Once inhaled, asbestos fibers can begin a mutation process in otherwise healthy cells. This process grows into the irregularly patterned tumors of mesothelioma. An estimated fifteen to twenty thousand cases of mesothelioma occur annually around the world; three thousand of those in America.

When symptoms are properly diagnosed, mesothelioma patients have several treatment options. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are all cancer-direct mesothelioma treatments. However, as there is no cure for mesothelioma, palliative care is a growing choice in mesothelioma cases. Palliative care focuses on pain management and quality of life for the patient.

The Japanese study showed that the US, Russia, UK, Germany and Japan used the most asbestos between 1920 and 1970. The eighty-nine countries included in the study collectively used over sixty-five million metric tons in the same time period. These eighty-nine countries comprised more than eighty-two percent of the global population in 2000.

Unfortunately, an important discovery by the researchers told of unreported mesothelioma cases throughout the world. Many of these unreported cases came from the top fifteen counties in asbestos use, including Russia, Kazakhstan, China and India. As asbestos use continues in developing countries the need will rise for adequate safeguards against mesothelioma and treatment options for future patients. Without accurate reports, administrators and practitioners will be unable to properly care for the rising number of mesothelioma patients.

Co-author of the study, Ken Takahashi, of University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, said “Our most important finding is the magnitude of unreported mesothelioma in countries that use asbestos at substantial levels but report no cases of the disease.” Takahashi and other study authors hope to encourage discontinued asbestos use and mining as well as encourage international cooperatives to share knowledge in the fight against mesothelioma.

This is certainly the case in a current Toledo, Ohio mystery. In the past two months a combined sixty bags of asbestos waste were found dumped illegally in the city. One deposit was made in East Toledo in an alley off of St. Louis Street, while another was made in an empty North Toledo house.

A more recent dump of twenty-nine bags was found on Champlain Street just in the last two weeks. Ohio Protection Agency and city of Toledo have brought a case against the illegal dumping and are now searching for suspects involved. Although the materials seem to be from same or similar sources, no one party has been indicted.

Asbestos fibers are a public health threat, causing lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer almost solely caused by asbestos fibers, which after being inhaled can begin a mutation in lung lining and lining of other abdominal cavities. There are mesothelioma treatments available, but no cure.

Materials containing asbestos are common in building supplies and are present throughout the country. While intact, components containing asbestos pose no threat, but once exposed, due to wear and tear or demolition, asbestos fibers become airborne and dangerous.

Removing asbestos requires certification and special licensing. In Ohio, an air pollution control permit is required to dispose of asbestos material in approved landfills. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Act defines strict parameters for use and removal of asbestos as fitting with America’s responsibility to maintain and promote US air quality. These requirements are often associated with higher costs, leaving room for fraud and deceit in work and records.

Jail time and fines are delivered seriously to anyone breaking air quality laws and putting others at risk. Ohio Protection Agency and Toledo officials are committed to finding the responsible parties and bringing them to justice.

Mesothelioma and its cause, toxic chemical asbestos, continue to be leading reasons for lawsuits, both class action and individual. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer begun by asbestos fibers mutating lung-lining cells. It is characterized by a long latency period and a short life expectancy following diagnosis. There are several mesothelioma treatments available, but no cure.

Asbestos has been associated with manufacturing industries and construction in the US for decades. Shipbuilding, munitions manufacturing, insulation materials, paints, building equipment such as floor and ceiling tiles have all gained reputations for association with, and often contamination by, asbestos. There are countless possibilities for asbestos exposure throughout American homes and workplaces, leaving much room for negligence and misconduct.

Asbestos can be removed from buildings and facilities, but the costs associated with such a job can run high. Materials containing asbestos that are left intact pose no health threats. However, to be removed from a home or building, the materials must be broken down which can release the dangerous fibers into the air. There are several ways to minimize risks and strict regulations to be followed.

Water is often used to soak down all materials in an effort to minimize airborne fibers. All involved should wear respiratory protection and clothing should be cleaned on site to inhibit spread of fibers. Clean up is done with a HIPAA grade filter to insure no dust is left behind after work is completed.

In addition to all common-sense precautions are regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Act regarding asbestos. Even with such standards in place many groups and individuals have been found cutting corners and falsifying reports, putting others at risk.

Between industrial use of asbestos and removal protocols, there is plenty of room for wrong action and lawsuits. However, in the case of Guy and Brock, it seems their suit was based more on hype that on fact. They have been ordered to return the settlement amount of $210,000 as well as an additional $210,000 in punitive damages. Illinois Central wants compensation for nearly $1 million dollars spent in attorney fees. US District Judge David Bramlette has ordered an accounting from both sides of all associated fees. If Illinois Central is not granted compensation, they would have spend over twice the amount they have already received.

Moore was exposed to asbestos during his employment at a Newcastle shipyard, which allegedly caused his fatal case of mesothelioma. Moore worked as an electrician in the yard located on the Tyne River.

The Moore family’s lawyer said, “Alan was a very fit man, but, at the end, did suffer from terrible breathing difficulties. In Alan’s case, he first experienced significant asbestos-related respiratory disability in early 2007. This became increasingly debilitating towards the end of his life.”

There are no known curative treatments for mesothelioma, which is almost solely caused by exposure to asbestos fibers. Asbestos and mesothelioma continue to be a consistent source of workplace hazard litigations. For decades in the western world, asbestos has played a large role in industries such as shipbuilding, oil refining, construction and munitions manufacturing. Asbestos is also associated with residential building materials such as floor and ceiling tiles.

Health risks linked with asbestos have become more apparent in the last few decades and its use has greatly diminished. Many nations have discontinued use of asbestos in building and construction and now have regulations in place to protect workers and residents from exposure to asbestos.

These regulations, however, are not always followed. An American man, Ray Barker, found this to be true. A former employee at Genesee County Community Action Resource Department, Barker discovered his employer dealing with asbestos materials in a dangerous manner.

Barker’s employer distributed free insulation as part of an assistance program for families in need. While installing the new materials, however, existing asbestos materials were allegedly disturbed, causing a potential health risk to receiving families. Barker shared his concerns with his employer and was then fired.

Later, Barker discovered a connection between an asbestos mine in Montana and the insulation product being provided through the company’s assistance program. He claims the company corrected their questionable dealings after he had been fired.

Ray Barker filed suit against his former employer and won $250,000 for wrongful termination. At this time there is no report of litigations against the company for fraudulent or wrongful misconduct in regards to the products they provided.

In one of Firm Build’s training programs as may as eighty youths tore-out and demolished old building materials. Not only was the firm accused of using the teenagers as free labor, but the safety precautions taken were knowledgeably minimal. Cotton facemasks were the only protective respiratory provision for the youths as they tore up, hammered into small pieces, and removed old floor tiles and other building materials. Some of the teens reported that the dust was so thick they had to take breaks outside for fresh air.

That dust will haunt them for years to come. It has been found that the floor tiles and other materials in the building broken down and removed by the teenagers were made of the toxic chemical asbestos.

Asbestos fibers are known to cause severe health conditions. Lung cancer, asbestosis and the rare cancer mesothelioma can all begin from exposure to asbestos dust. Unfortunately, the latency times associated with asbestos related illnesses are so long that many patients have no idea they are developing a fatal disease until many years later. Mesothelioma typically takes twenty to forty years to develop into recognizable symptoms. There are no known curative mesothelioma treatments.

Merced County’s District Attorney Larry More II was appalled at findings in the case. He said, “We are simply at a loss to understand why the appropriate safeguards would not have been taken. These kids never bargained for this kind of a problem.”

Morse is specifically concerned for anxiety caused to the teenagers who know they have been exposed to asbestos, but will have no way to know the extent of the damage for years to come. “The sad fact of the matter is that some of these students, who were kids when they participated in these programs, may spend the rest of their lives wondering whether they will develop cancer or lung damage.” He continues, “It is frankly appalling that anyone would play Russian roulette with the health of teenagers simply to cut corners on a construction project. But that’s what appears to have happened.”

Firm Build’s executives are facing heavy fines and a potential fifteen years in prison.

Two Mitchells and Butlers workers were on the job to provide necessary repairs. Following instructions, they began drilling through the ceiling tiles when dust and debris fell directly on them.

Asbestos fibers cause many severe respiratory conditions including the rare and fatal cancer mesothelioma.

A survey of the property had been taken prior to beginning work at the pub. Asbestos risks in the areas to be repaired had been noted. However, before Mitchells and Butlers sent workers to the site, that work order was changed to include repairs in areas not tested for asbestos. The employees were following what they thought were safe and qualified instructions.

In response to Mitchells and Butlers’ carelessness, Health and Safety Executive Inspector Victoria Wise said, “Construction and maintenance workers are among those most at risk from asbestos-related diseases due to the nature of their work.

“Asbestos is still widely present in buildings constructed prior to 2000, so workers can often inadvertently disturb materials containing asbestos if the correct survey has not been carried out to check for its presence and appropriate control measures put in place.

“Mitchells & Butlers Retail Ltd knew there was asbestos in the building and should have ensured that all the areas where work was to be done had been checked for asbestos and the necessary precautions taken.

“Everyone who owns or operates commercial premises built prior to 2000 must ensure that a suitable and sufficient assessment for asbestos has been carried out prior to any construction work starting.

“In addition construction and maintenance workers should have asbestos awareness training so that they can recognise that some materials may contain asbestos and know what action to take.”

Jonathan Cook, a worker, is concerned after his exposure to the fibers.  “Because the effects of asbestos take a long time to show up, the worry of whether the asbestos has caused lasting damage to my health will stay with me for years to come,” he said.

“And it’s not just me – it’s a huge worry for my partner also, as there is a chance that she might have been exposed to fibres that were brought home on my work clothes.”

The Trade Center buildings in New York were built with over four hundred tons of asbestos material. When the buildings collapsed, the material deconstructed, forcing the toxic asbestos fibers into the air. Thousands of local and national servicemen and women and volunteers flooded the area to help, being exposed to the fibers.

Asbestos fibers can cause several severe respiratory conditions including asbestosis, pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is the more common of mesothelioma cancers. This disease affects lung lining when asbestos fibers begin a mutation process in lung lining tissue. Peritoneal mesothelioma is a similar cancer affecting lining tissue of other abdominal cavities, such as the lining of the heart. Both mesothelioma cancers are characterized by irregularly patterned tumors which develop over many decades. There is currently no known curative treatment for mesothelioma cancers. Once diagnosed, patients’ average life expectancy is eighteen months.

Due to its long latency period and the high number of patients exposed during their working years, it is typical that diagnosis is found well beyond mid-life. To date, only one individual has survived mesothelioma in the US. This case was diagnosed and treated while the patient was in her twenties. However, many patients have no idea they were ever exposed to asbestos until they have been diagnosed much later in life.

Currently, 9/11 first responders know of their exposure to asbestos and the associated risks.  The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensations Act is a pending modification of the Public Health Act. This Act would provide 9/11 workers with monitoring and treatment for diseases and mental health issues brought on by their time at the World Trade Center Site.

There are 10,563 plaintiffs involved in the World Trade Center Disaster Site Litigation for compensation. The settlement agreement has been signed by 95% percent of these individuals, moving the case forward. A group of administrators will be deciding the payment for each case through the next months—splitting the total $700 million by severity of injury and potential risk of exposure time.

Mrs. Valentino died just two months after being diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the lung lining. In the US mesothelioma is most often associated with exposure to the toxic chemical asbestos. Used commonly prior to the 1980’s as a building material, fire deterrent and additive in many manufacturing processes, asbestos is now a recognized health threat.

Once the fibers of asbestos are inhaled and enter the lungs, a mutation begins in the cells of the lung lining called the mesothelium. The cancer grows aggressively in irregular patterns. There is no known cure for mesothelioma. Due to the short and painful life expectancy typically following diagnoses, many mesothelioma patients are choosing palliative treatment to manage the pain. The more aggressive approach may include surgery and chemotherapy.

Mrs. Valentino was allegedly exposed to the toxic asbestos fibers during her employment at several hospitals in the Columbus area thirty to forty years ago. She worked in at least three, including St. Anthony’s Hospital, Mount Carmel Health and St. Ann’s Hospital. Like Mrs. Valentino whose exposure is presumed to have taken place in the sixties and seventies, mesothelioma patients have a long development time before signs and symptoms occur. A latency period of several decades is not uncommon.

Mr. Valentino has named Allied Corporation as the primary defendant; the successor company to Bendix-Corp based in Cleveland. The suit states Mrs. Valentino, “was exposed to asbestos, products containing asbestos or machinery using asbestos products,” during her hospital employment.

Mrs. Valentino is one of about three thousand Americans to die of mesothelioma each year. Like many other cases, the fault often lies in negligence and misconduct on the part of an employer. Without a known cure and with the long development period of mesothelioma, it is often too late to prepare for loss or financial security for families left behind.

Robert Vojakovic, Asbestos Diseases Society president, advocates funding more research for the development of a cure. His grasp on the staggering situation is a clear one.

“Obviously I’ve been around for the last 32 years and I’ve seen stacks of people dying from diseases – we lose about five people from our organisation every week in Western Australia.”

“My concern was mainly to get more money into medical research. I reckon with 10 or 15 years we’re going to clean up the disease [and] be able to treat it.”

He goes on, “But if any person got exposed to asbestos today, it will be maybe 30 years before he’s going to get any disease, so it’s more logical that we put staggering amounts of money into research.”

“We are all at risk – it only takes several fibres, one fibre to cause a malfunction or mutate one of your cells and that triggers cellular process to get mesothelioma.”

Not everyone agrees with the approach to fund further research. Chris Evans, Minister of Australia’s Federal Workplace Relations suggests advancing national awareness of the problem and educating the nation on avoidance strategies.

“Each of the states have got various bits of information and we’ve got some data collection,” he said. “The Tasmanian Government’s made an initiative recently which will help in that regard in their state, but we do need to pull all the things together to actually make sense of it all and make sure we’ve got priorities.”

Bruce Robinson is the Director of the National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases. His response to the situation is more in line with Vojakovics focus on research.

Robinson said, “”The epidemic of asbestos cancers is continuing to rise, it won’t peak for some time yet, and then it’s going continue for another 40, 50, 60 years.”

“So there are more than 20,000 people expected to die just of mesothelioma, which isn’t the only asbestos-induced cancer.

“And that’s just in Australia – millions are going to die around the world and we think Australia’s is the best place to find a cure so those millions of people can be helped.”

Patient’s health is a determining factor in the decision for surgery. Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that can quickly lower patient stamina and quality of life. The probability for a beneficial surgical outcome needs to be high. Mesothelioma is without a curative treatment; much of patient care centers on pain management. After diagnosis many patients have a life expectancy of just six to eighteen months. The goal of surgery is to remove as many tumors as possible, which could lessen the pain and raise both quality of life and life expectancy.

According to Dr. Flores, CT scans taken for mesothelioma surgery preparation can be misleading. There can be more infected tissues, tumors and cells than were visible from the scans. Therefore, many surgeons decide between an extra-pleural pneumonectomy or a pleurectomy/decortication once the surgery has begun. This way, lungs, lining and surrounding tissues can be more thoroughly inspected prior to removal.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused almost solely be the fibers of asbestos, a toxic chemical used in many building materials. Asbestos fiber exposure is commonly associated with workplace hazards in manufacturing industries like shipbuilding and oil refining. Although mesothelioma typically attacks the lining of the lungs called the mesothelium, it can also be found throughout the abdomen in linings of other organs such as the heart.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Act defines and describes the responsibilities for promoting and maintaining air quality in America. Regulations for asbestos use, as well as its safe removal and destruction, fall under the Clean Air Act’s guidelines.  In spite of the nations high standards three thousand Americans suffer with mesothelioma each year.

It can take more than twenty years for mesothelioma to develop signs or symptoms, which according to Dr. Flores can include shortness of breath. Chest pain and persistent coughing can also be signs of mesothelioma. With symptoms mimicking more common, treatable respiratory conditions like pneumonia, mesothelioma is easily misdiagnosed.

Asbestos removal is an important part of any demolition project dealing with buildings, homes and infrastructure of yesteryear. The material was used fervently throughout the twentieth century, and was only regulated beginning in the 1980′s when its undeniable links to serious health risks were brought forward. Today, medical professionals and scientists agree that asbestos can cause an array of respiratory complications, lung cancer, and mesothelioma – a terminal cancer of the soft tissue lining the body’s vital organs.

Unfortunately, asbestos remediation efforts aren’t cheap. Workers handling the dangerous substance must wear protective gear including respirators, must keep the material wet to prevent it from spreading in the form of dust, and are required to dispose of it in designated toxic material depots. Exact regulations vary by state, but asbestos mitigation efforts are generally considered an expensive, time consuming and unlucky occurrence that delays projects and leeches funds.

Dennis Harrington reported that the asbestos materials found at the site of Quincy’s new concourse inflated the cost of demolition from $500,000 to $1.1 million, a considerable change that’s been hard on the project’s budget.

“It’s turned out to be about as bad as it can be,” said Harrington. “There are lots of hidden floors with asbestos material.”

Thomas Koch, the Mayor of Quincy, is happy that the people of the city will be able to dodge the bullet of asbestos contamination, but frustrated with the unexpected costs.

“It’s there. We have to deal with it,” he said. “The city’s not picking up the tab thankfully.”

With the dramatic rise of mesothelioma diagnoses and subsequent asbestos litigation, its no wonder that many companies which manufactured, distributed, or consumed asbestos products are under drastically increasing pressure from asbestos related lawsuits. General Motors, for example, processed just $2 million worth of mesothelioma claims throughout the 1990′s, a number which rose to an average of $30 million in the years beyond 2000.

In General Motor Corp.’s case, the claims originate from GM employees who were exposed to asbestos containing brake pads in the latter years of the twentieth century. Some of these employees went on to develop mesothelioma, an aggressive and terminal cancer caused by asbestos, and have sued the company for both medical and other damages.

The relentless accumulation of liability has forced many large companies, including General Motors Corp., into bankruptcy. For many corporations which have become tangled in asbestos litigation, the path out of bankruptcy and back into profitable business operations lies in establishing a trust. A trust, in this case, is a separate financial entity funded by the business in question which is responsible for paying all asbestos related claims. Establishing a trust separates liability away from the company’s normal operations and allows it to emerge from bankruptcy. The complication lies in the fact that all of the companies asbestos related liabilities must first be identified and recorded in order to establish the size of the trust.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Gerber granted unsecured creditors permission to request hitherto unreleased information from GM in order to estimate the total amount of asbestos claims the company will be facing. Records covering the age, medical history, employment history and other information of GM’s claimants will help their creditors to establish a total cost for asbestos litigation, which in turn will expedite the formation of a trust.

General Motor Corp.’s representatives protested that the private information wasn’t necessary to estimate total damages, and that it could be misused to the detriment of the GM’s claimants or the company itself. Judge Robert Gerber didn’t agree, and held that the creditors will be granted access to the information they need.

While GM had previously held that its total liability could amount to some $650 million, the committee of creditors estimating their debts says the figure could be more like $3 billion.

The Lancet, a British medical journal, recently published an article which touches on the growing asbestos related disease problems in developing nations. The article claims: “India’s surging consumption of asbestos, the industry’s hefty political and economic clout, and the country’s poor record of worker protection… [suggest that] a sizeable burden of asbestos-related disease is inevitable… [the health consequences] will be felt into the next century.”

Asbestos products have recently become more readily available to developing nations due to the stranglehold placed on the market by modern bans and regulations upheld in wealthier countries. What’s left of the asbestos mining industry, which consists of several large operations in Brazil, Russia, and perhaps most surprisingly Canada, are all too happy to ship a variety of asbestos products at discounted rates to Newly Industrialized Countries (NIC) like India. The skyrocketing Indian asbestos market in concert with their lack of asbestos safe handling restrictions could spell trouble over the next several decades.

Products that contain asbestos cause mesothelioma, a cancer affecting the tissue lining of the body’s organs, as well as asbestosis, lung cancer and more. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes that asbestos related diseases may claim as many as 90,000 lives every year. Diseases that are caused by asbestos can take 20 to 50 years to fully develop from the time of exposure, meaning that the repercussions of a changing asbestos world market will not be felt immediately.

The problem is exacerbated by a lack of asbestos education in developing nations and NICs. According to a 2007 article in The Tribune, a UK online magazine, awareness of asbestos’s toxicity in India is staggeringly low. The article claims that children in India play in and around asbestos laced cement products, that asbestos is allegedly used in some rice bleaching processes, and that most Indian consumers do not believe the material is toxic.

According to The Lancet, Arthur Frank, MD, PhD, the Chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, stated: “We can expect a lot more death and disease [in India]. There is no champion for the working person, or for the elimination or reduction in the use of asbestos that I can see in the central Indian Government.”

Of all the organizations in the area the United States Army is perhaps the best equipped to perform the necessary tests, and after soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division deployed in the area complained of sore throats and other respiratory ailments, investigations were quickly made.

The possible presence of asbestos fibers in the cement, pipes, tiles, shingles and other raw materials that were brought asunder was one of the primary concerns. Asbestos has been shown to cause a wide variety of illnesses including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma, an aggressive and invariably terminal cancer of the soft tissue around the lungs.

Experience in the United States with large urban disasters such as the 9/11 attacks have demonstrated the vast after effects that asbestos can have on a disaster area. Thousands of people were unknowingly subjected to asbestos contaminated air, water and more after 9/11 – both on and off of official work-sites. The ramifications weren’t overlooked, either. With hundreds of new cancer diagnoses resulting from exposure at and around ground zero, a judge involved in the subsequent lawsuits reportedly rejected a settlement of nearly $600 million claiming it was insufficient for the loss suffered by individuals and their families.

In Haiti, after the analysis of soil, water and air samples taken from the areas U.S. troops are working, it appears that asbestos is not a significant threat.

“We collected air samples from 31 locations to see if our guys were potentially breathing anything bad,” said the public health officer in charge of the operation, “…everything we have been able to analyze so far has not presented a risk that is expected to be long-term, short-term or one we can’t mitigate.”

The results of asbestos testing in Haiti are certainly a relief, but they’re not actually very surprising. While many developed nations have a troubling history with adamant asbestos use, developing nations rarely fabricate the substance themselves and often import it if they use it at all. Much of this phenomena could be due to the massive asbestos demand increase in the United States and European countries during World War II that resulted from a rapid rise of military production. After the war, much of the swollen asbestos industry found commercial outlets for their products.

Asbestos may not pose a threat in Haiti, but as it turns out both food and water have been somewhat problematic. Luckily, nothing other than curable illnesses and minor ailments have been reported yet.

CP Chem, Troy’s former employer and a division of the well known ConocoPhillips Company, was found responsible for his health condition after just eight days at trial. It was shown that CP Chem knowingly shipped a product known as Flosal that contained asbestos dust. The Flosal was received by Troy and others like him and then dumped into other equipment by hand. This dangerous practice left the air full of dangerous asbestos dust, but was condoned by CP Chem just the same.

The dangers of asbestos have been known for quite some time. Employees that worked with asbestos were complaining of respiratory ailments as early as the beginning of the twentieth century, and medical trials soon followed that found the asbestos fibers responsible.

The usefulness of asbestos and its cost efficient production and implementation hindered the forming of regulations regarding its safe handling for nearly a century. Asbestos producing companies as well as their biggest buyers actively formed the public’s opinion of asbestos through positive campaigning, and in some cases even paid researchers to back bogus claims concerning its harmlessness.

After much difficulty, the United States EPA finally passed the Asbestos Ban and Phase Out rule in the late 1980′s, but it was overturned in the early nineties after company with large asbestos interests sued the agency.

Today, heavy regulations and restrictions apply to the use and handling of asbestos materials. While asbestos is still legal in the United States, companies that have endangered their employees with the substance in full knowledge of its potential toxicity can be held liable.

Troy Loften’s $15.2 million victory proves that CP Chem acted negligently with asbestos products throughout the 1980′s, and opens the doors for other former employees to file lawsuits. More than 700 other lawsuits involving former employees of ConocoPhillips or its subsidiaries that developed asbestos related diseases are pending.

The new registry was launched by the New South Wales (NSW) Premier Kristina Keneally, the NSW Minister Assisting the Minister for Health Frank Sartor, and the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Julia Gillard. Managed by a consortium of medical institutes led by the Cancer Institute of New South Wales, the new registry will work to improve the world’s understanding of mesothelioma with the help of some of the foremost experts in asbestos related illness in Australia.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive, terminal cancer directly linked with exposure to asbestos fibers. Before the ban of asbestos in Australia, the nation had the highest per capita usage of the dangerous substance. With their mesothelioma diagnoses ranging among the highest in the world, Australia is now working to increase awareness of the disease, promote research of better treatments, and tighten international restrictions on the substance’s use.

Many developed nations outlawed the use of asbestos or applied strict usage regulations towards the end of the twentieth century in response to mounting evidence of its hazardous nature. Some nations such as Canada and Russia continue its production, however, and export the dangerous material to a wide variety of developing nations such as Mexico, India and China. While limited knowledge of the disease and its diagnosis techniques in those parts of the world are likely reducing the recorded incidents of mesothelioma and other asbestos related diseases, many fear that diagnoses of asbestos related illnesses are doomed to rise in nations which import the material.

The new Australian Mesothelioma Register will collect specific information about patient exposure, and hopes to contribute evidence to the international debate concerning the possibility of a complete ban.

Australia’s tragic experience with asbestos related diseases may serve to expedite asbestos bans worldwide, which could in turn dramatically reduce exposure and save countless lives. At present, as many as 100,000 new cases of mesothelioma are developed worldwide, with just around 3% of those in the United States.

“The NSW Government’s Cancer Institute has been awarded a major contract to manage and operate a national register of mesothelioma cases on behalf of the Commonwealth Government,” said Premier Kristina Keneally.

“The Cancer Institute is recognized as a national leader in the management of cancer registries and will manage the new registry with a consortium including the Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Sydney, the Asbestos Disease Research Institute and the Western Australian Cancer Registry.”

The new Australian Mesothelioma Registry will replace the existing register that has been in place for more than twenty five years. Those involved hope that the implementation of new technology will improve the efficacy of information gathering efforts and ultimately curb the destruction caused by the disease. The new registry will begin collecting information this June.

Asbestos was used commonly through much of the 20th century in a variety of different industries for its fire and resistance as well as its remarkable insulating properties. Asbestos products in the form of pressed boards, blown wall insulation, pipe wrapping, roof tiles, flooring tiles and more are often discovered while renovating or demolishing buildings constructed before the turn of the century.

Nowadays, strict state and federally enforced restrictions and regulations apply to the safe handling and proper disposal of asbestos containing materials. Professionals who work with or around asbestos must be properly trained and certified in effectively protecting themselves and the local population against exposure to the substance through air or water contamination.

Exposure to asbestos fibers can cause mesothelioma, an aggressive and fatal cancer, and several other dangerous diseases and respiratory ailments. The microscopic, hair like fibers can enter the body through accidental ingestion or inhalation, and easily slip past the body’s normal protection against foreign debris due to their unique shape. Asbestos fibers often pass through the lung or intestinal walls and settle into a protective soft tissue known as the mesothelium. Once lodged in the mesothelium, asbestos fibers cause aggravation and scarring that can result in the development of malignant tumors.

According to the grand jury, Merit lied about his experience with asbestos remediation and claimed he was properly licensed for asbestos testing in order to gain employment with a demolition company. The falsified results from his improperly conducted tests were submitted to gain the state’s permission to demolish several mobile homes in Elizabeth city. Three mobile homes were demolished before the state halted the work following a tip that the tests were improperly conducted.

Qualified Colorado officials conducted follow testing on the demolition site to assess the damage and contamination. After the demolition of just three mobile homes, enough asbestos had been exposed for the state to declare an “emergency circumstance involving the sudden discharge of a hazardous substance.”

Prosecutors from the Office of the Attorney General of Colorado will pursue the case against Michael Merit in an Ebert County district court.

The investigation was recently closed and a decision was made stating that no further research is necessary. The EPA admits that breaking up the asbestos that occurs naturally around El Dorado Hills will increase residents’ exposure to the substance, but claims that further evidence is necessary to link this specific form of asbestos to the harmful and fatal diseases normally associated with the mineral.

“We don’t think,” said Jill Dyken, a federal environmental health scientist, “the exposure is high enough that we would be able to measure elevated rates of diseases in the community.”

Residents are not altogether comfortable with the decision to close the investigation, and fear that development is certain to proceed despite the dangers it could pose to people in the area.

The problem is that NOA hasn’t been studied enough to make any accurate conclusions. The El Dorado Hills county website discusses the presence of NOA throughout the region, and states “When rock containing NOA is broken or crushed, asbestos may be released from the rock and may become airborne, potentially causing a health hazard.” Additionally, the American Cancer Society claims that around a third of mesothelioma cases are attributed to non-occupational exposure, and traditional research in the arena of asbestos exposure demonstrates that short term studies such as the one performed by the EPA are fairly ineffective.

Nadine Lauren, a spokesperson for a local group that opposes development in the area believes that the EPA’s claim that further evidence is required to necessitate a full scale study is simply “a curtain a lot of people are hiding behind.”

Moving forward with construction projects in El Dorado Hills may open the door for further development of asbestos contaminated land throughout California. While the EPA is remaining aloof about the issue, the county’s environmental management director says that El Dorado Hills plans to work with federal officials to improve public education concerning asbestos exposure.

According to Colin McCail QC, Mr. Ibbs’ barrister, the retiree was frequently exposed to clouds of asbestos dust between 1969 and 1985. The court decided that the decay of his health and specifically the asbestosis that leaves him continuously out of breath can certainly be ascribed to the conditions in which he worked.

In addition to current respiratory complications, Mr. Ibbs’ likelihood of developing mesothelioma, a terminal cancer caused by asbestos exposure, is greatly increased.

The Judge mentioned that he would have awarded Mr. Ibbs’ a considerably higher compensation were he not suffering from other ailments that could not be blamed on asbestos exposure. The existence of several separate health issues could certainly have aggravated and promoted the development of his asbestosis.

Mr. Ibbs had reportedly been offered £20,000 by Michelin’s lawyers to settle out of court, but opted to pursue legal action. At the time of his employment with Michelin, Mr Ibbs was one of several thousand employees who worked in similar conditions. The success of his case could very well encourage a flood of others to pursue a similar course.

Mr McCaul, Mr Ibbs’ barrister, said “In order to develop asbestosis, you need to have been exposed to a significant amount of asbestos dust. [Mr. Ibbs'] exposure seems to have come from maintenance work on pipes layered with asbestos. There must have been a significant amount of dust at the factory. It’s probably fair to say there were former colleagues exposed to the same conditions.”

The ADEQ as well as other environmental and health organizations around the world are concerned with reducing airborne asbestos at work sites to decrease the hazard to human health that it creates. Microscopic asbestos fibers can be accidentally inhaled or ingested in areas with high contamination, and can cause a variety of serious and even fatal diseases. Mesothelioma, an aggressive and terminal cancer caused by exposure to asbestos, claims the lives of some three thousand Americans every year.

Kendall Shelby, an Arkansas resident, owns an air quality company in Fort Smith that monitors asbestos levels in the air during asbestos removal projects. “If it’s a small, short project, you know a clearance check is all we do,” Shelby said, “anything of larger size we’ll try to throw in a few days of air monitoring just for the benefit of the client.”

Regulations regarding the safe handling of asbestos tightened quickly in the late 1980′s following the EPA’s Asbestos Ban and Phaseout Rule. After the EPA’s attempt to completely ban the substance was overturned in 1991, the regulations began to loosen some throughout the remainder of the decade. This ebb and flow of legal requirements concerning asbestos remediation has a direct effect on the companies in the industry.

“Back a long time ago we had 10, 15 guys in the field and now most companies are fairly small,” said Shelby. “As of now I have just three people out there.”

Concerning the newest regulations announced by the ADEQ, Shelby said “[it will] probably cost us an additional five percent across the board to do it the way the new regulations will require us to do it, which is something I think we can live with.”

While it may be necessary for Shelby and others to hire new staff or make other changes to adhere to the new regulations, adapting to change seems like something companies in the asbestos remediation industry are somewhat used to. “We did this already,” Shelby said, referring the changes in the late 1990′s, “so it’s not any big change to some companies.”

Unfortunately, carbon nanotube’s thread like structure closely resembles the needle like form of asbestos fibers, which are known to cause a variety of serious and even fatal diseases such as mesothelioma. Airborne asbestos fibers can enter the body easily through inhalation or ingestion, and due to their tiny size and odd shape cannot be expelled by the body’s normal defenses against foreign debris. The fibers slip right through lung and intestinal walls, and eventually become entangled in the mesothelium, a protective tissue that surrounds our body’s vital organs. The resulting scarring of the mesothelium can create malignant tumors that cause death in just twelve to eighteen months.

The use of asbestos products in both residential and commercial construction was normal throughout the twentieth century, and the resulting contamination is responsible for some three thousand deaths annually in the United States alone. After nearly a century of evading critics and covering up key medical evidences, the asbestos industry is just now beginning to come under fire for its hazardous practices and its sabotage of asbestos related studies and medical investigations.

A series of studies performed in the United Kingdom showed that the injection of certain kinds of nanotubes into the abdomen of mice caused the same type of inflammation that is traditionally recognized as a pre-mesothelioma symptom in asbestos contaminated patients. Some fear that the dawn of large scale nanotube manufacturing could be the beginning of yet another epic battle against a massively profitable and dangerously negligent industry.

In the United States, the EPA has recognized the potentially harmful similarities between carbon nanotubes and asbestos fibers, namely their long, thin, thread like shape. The agency has begun taking measures to specify which types of nanotubes could pose potential health hazards.

While the EPA has begun exhibiting some interest in the nanotube industry, it’s important to remember that as of yet no research has conclusively linked carbon nanotubes to respiratory or other health hazards in humans.