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Posts Tagged ‘Libby Montana’
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
Residents living near the former W.R. Grace Zonolite factory on North Maple Street in Spokane, Washington, have recently been distressed to learn that the EPA suspects soil in their yards, as well as public property, may be contaminated with asbestos.
Testers in hazmat suits are taking dozens of soil samples in each yard and sending them off for a new, more sophisticated test that can detect asbestos rates occurring at rates as little as .25%. The EPA is spending between $900 and $1400 per yard for the analyses.
Concern over the area grew as the publicity over the W.R. Grace vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana, exploded several months ago as a result of the company’s federal trial. The town of Libby was heavily contaminated by asbestos from the mine and more than 200 people have died from asbestos-related diseases, such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.
The Zonolite factory produced insulation using hundreds of thousands of tons of asbestos contaminated vermiculite from Libby for years before closing in 1973. It was in the early 1970’s that regulations governing asbestos use were passed.
Anyone that worked at the Zonolite factory, as well as anyone living or working nearby should be regularly screened for mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases throughout their life. Until the results of the soil analyses are back, people living in the vicinity of North Maple Street should avoid doing anything that disturbs the soil and should refrain from outside activities in their yards.
Tags: asbestos, EPA, Libby Montana, mesothelioma, WR Grace
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Monday, September 28th, 2009
Asbestos has been used as a building material in Massachusetts shipyards and buildings for more than 100 years. The state’s long history of industrialized economy has served to provide Massachusetts with an unusually high number of mesothelioma-related cases and deaths. For many, a Massachusetts mesothelioma lawyer has succeeded in helping sufferers receive fair compensation.
Shipbuilding in Massachusetts
Massachusetts is home to a variety of government and private shipbuilding companies. For much of the last century, ships built in the state have relied heavily on asbestos products for insulation and fireproofing. Unfortunately, this has led to a number of mesothelioma cases among Massachusetts shipbuilders, longshoremen and naval workers.
Some of the most prominent shipbuilding industries in Massachusetts include:
- Boston Navy Yard, Charlestown
- Fore River Shipyard, Quincy
- Victory Yard, Squantum
- Bethlehem Hingham, Hingham
- Bethlehem Atlantic Works, Boston
- Quincy Adams Yacht Yard, Quincy
- General Dynamics, Quincy
- George Lawley and Sons, Neponset
Asbestos Mining
Massachusetts also has a long history of direct asbestos manufacturing. Two asbestos mines have operated in Massachusetts, and naturally-occurring deposits of the material have been found in the vicinity of Pittsfield and Harvard forest.
A North Cambridge asbestos mine has been linked to W.R. Grace and Company – an asbestos manufacturer based out of Libby, Montana. W.R. Grace has undergone federal indictments on the claim that they knowingly exposed citizens and employees to unsafe levels of asbestos. Additional W.R. Grace facilities can be found in Woburn and Walpole.
Mesothelioma in Massachusetts
Simon, Eddins & Greenstone, LLP has mesothelioma lawyers who are experienced in handling Massachusetts laws and litigation. Our mesothelioma attorneys have filed petitions related to asbestos cases in such counties as Middlesex.
Examples of successful Massachusetts-based outcomes earned by our mesothelioma lawyers include:
$8,419,516.08 after attorney’s fees and expenses for a gentleman who developed mesothelioma at the age of 68. He was exposed to asbestos products through his work as a plumber in California and Massachusetts.
$3,458,646.60 after attorney’s fees and expenses for a gentleman who developed mesothelioma at the age of 76. He was exposed to asbestos products through his work as residential and commercial heating work in Massachusetts.
Client names are omitted for personal and financial privacy.
Tags: asbestos, Libby Montana, mesothelioma, WR Grace
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Monday, September 21st, 2009
From the “Windy City” of Chicago in the northeast down to Madison County in the southwest, Illinois is a state that owes much of its success to heavy industry. Steel mills, manufacturing plants, and automobile factories are all well represented within the state. Though these industries have brought employers and jobs to the great state of Illinois, they have also brought an increased risk for asbestos exposure and mesothelioma.
Illinois Plants and Industry
Illinois is considered to be the industrial epicenter of the Midwest. Chicago is especially notable for its strong ties to the steel and automotive industries. Within these manufacturing plants, asbestos was widely used for its insulation and fire-resistant properties. At Ford and General Motors manufacturing plants, asbestos was used in vehicle products such as brake pads.
Steel mills such as Inland Steel, Republic Steel, and Interlake Steel have also been linked to a heightened risk of asbestos exposure. Illinois oil refineries have been linked to mesothelioma as well, with notable employers that include Shell Oil, Sinclair, and Mobil.
Illinois Vermiculite Processing
W.R. Grace and Company is one of the most notorious companies when it comes to asbestos exposure. The company, which operated an asbestos mine in Libby, Montana, has undergone several federal trials concerning long-term negligence and cover-ups related to unsafe exposure to asbestos.
From 1974 to the 1990s, W.R. Grace shipped asbestos-contaminated vermiculite to a plant in West Chicago for processing. Due to the high amounts of asbestos fiber that were released into the air during processing, this region of West Chicago has been deemed an EPA Superfund site by the U.S. government. Both employees of the plant and those living in the surrounding area may have been exposed to high levels of asbestos.
Mesothelioma in Illinois
Mesothelioma lawyers at Simon, Eddins & Greenstone, LLP have significant experience when it comes to asbestos-related lawsuits in Illinois. Our mesothelioma attorneys have filed petitions in a number of high-risk Illinois regions, including Cook County, Grundy County and Madison County.
Illinois is bound by a number of unique mesothelioma state laws that require considerable knowledge and expertise. Contact us today to find out how our mesothelioma lawyers can help with your Illinois asbestos lawsuit.
Tags: asbestos, EPA, GM, Libby Montana, mesothelioma, vermiculite
Posted in legal advice | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
The town of Libby, Montana continues to recover from the disappointment of losing their lawsuit against W. R. Grace, a company that operated a vermiculite mine in the area. Asbestos from the mine has led to more than 200 asbestos related deaths and 2000 illnesses in a town of 3000 residents.
Despite the horrific tragedy that has occurred in the town, residents such as Dean Herreid and Mayor Doug Roll choose to focus on the future. Says Roll, “We need to get the stigma of the ‘death town’ away from us. It’s been hanging over us for at least nine years.”
Herreid suffers from asbestosis yet he agrees. “Don’t feel sorry for us. That’s not what we want.”
Hope on the horizon for Libby:
Tags: asbestos, Libby Montana, vermiculite, WR Grace
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Wednesday, June 17th, 2009
$6 million in healthcare is on the way for Libby, Montana residents suffering from asbestos diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and asbestos cancer.
Montana Senator Max Baucus recently announced that the funding will come in the form of a federal grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services. The money will go to the Lincoln County Health Department and three other health organizations for screenings and healthcare for people suffering from any asbestos disease.
The area is a federal Superfund site because of large scale asbestos contamination from the W.R. Grace vermiculite mine that was operated in the area for several decades. Asbestos victim advocates such as Sen. Baucus urge the Environmental Protection Agency to consider the situation in Libby a “public health emergency”. This designation would pave the way for even more federal money to help asbestos victims in the area.
News of the federal asbestos healthcare grant will likely be a ray of sunshine to a community that has been hit with astounding loss, disappointment, and death over the last decade.
Tags: asbestos, EPA, Libby Montana, mesothelioma, vermiculite, WR Grace
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