Asbestos Concerns Close St. Louis Post Office

STLToday.com reported that a United States Post Office located near the Westport Plaza was closed last Friday after a St. Louis County Health Inspector suspected that asbestos had been released during the renovation of an adjoining office.

According to a spokesperson for the County Health Department, Craig LeFebvre, workers performing renovations in the building next to the post office located at 2002 Congressional Drive discovered the asbestos materials. The Health Department was notified and it was determined that a temporary partition would not be enough to seal the area and the inspector requested that the post office be closed.

Postal officials and the building owner are cooperating with the Health Department to secure the area. Regional manager of customer relations for the postal service, Loretta Tolliver, stated that the Postal Service has hired a specialist to examine the air quality within their building. Until it is determined that the post office is safe for occupancy, Tolliver urges customers to use the post office located on North New Ballas Road.

Exposure to airborne asbestos fibers can cause many asbestos related illnesses, like asbestosis and the terminal lung cancer mesothelioma. Efforts made by the postal service and the St. Louis County Health Department are in place to help protect residents, postal office employees, workers in the renovation and customers of the post office from being exposed to these harmful fibers. The Congressional Drive Post Office will be reopened when the Health Department and the independent specialist determine that the building is safe for public use.

Bozeman Montana Initiates Efforts for More Cleanups

The City of Bozeman, Montana, has taken the next step towards the clean-up of the asbestos contamination at the current Superfund site near the Bozeman Public Library. The area around the Public Library was once used to store and mill asbestos ore from Gallatin County and then distributed to other areas of the country. The area was used for this purpose during the first half of the twentieth century. The current proposal made by the city is actually an addendum to the Voluntary Cleanup Plan that was adopted in 2002.

After receiving the Bozeman cleanup proposal, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, DEQ, began to seek out public opinions regarding the area. The new plan involves the excavation of the asbestos-contaminated soil near the library, enforce proper asbestos disposal efforts at the Bozeman Landfill, proper training of city officials and employees in regard to asbestos removal and cleanup, as well as, deed restrictions for properties containing asbestos. This remaining asbestos clean up could cost as much as $438000, a percentage of which will be reimbursed to the city by the DEQ.

These efforts will hopefully help to ensure the safety of the current and future residents of Bozeman, as exposure to asbestos has been known to cause several diseases including asbestosis, lung cancer and the terminal cancer, mesothelioma. Asbestos exposure has also been known to cause gastrointestinal and colon cancers. The latency period of asbestos disease makes diagnosis of conditions such as mesothelioma difficult and often too late to start treatment.

The addendum proposed by the city will expand to properties not covered in the first Voluntary Cleanup Plan. Many of these areas are heavily contaminated with asbestos. Superfund is the federal government program, designed to clean up the nation’s uncontrolled hazardous waste sites, which began the Bozeman project years ago. The Montana DEQ is excited to work with the residents and city to finalize efforts for the city’s cleanup efforts and controlling the asbestos exposure among residents.

New Asbestos Cancer Research from Ohio State University

Ohio State University scientists are hoping to discover how asbestos fibers form cancer in human cells. Although clinical applications for the research are years away, researchers hope their work will aid in new treatments, drug developments and ultimately increase the number of mesothelioma survivors.

The OSU research involves the use of atomic force microscopy, which will allow researchers to observe what happens after asbestos exposure on a molecular level. In particular, researchers hope to be able to see how a single asbestos fiber binds with a receptor protein on a cell’s surface. Eric Taylor, a doctoral candidate in earth science at Ohio State, explains that they are “looking at what molecules are involved in a chain of events when the fiber touches the cell. Does the binding occur over minutes or hours and what processes are triggered?”

The study will begin with a focus on blue asbestos, a once common form of asbestos used in ceiling tiles and insulation that was banned from most of the US in 1980, but is still a risk to many people today. Scientists hope to then continue their studies on all six forms of asbestos fibers. The first protein to be studied will be the epidermal growth factor receptor. This receptor is present on the surface of every human cell.

Understanding the intricacies of the binding process between asbestos minerals and proteins might help researchers figure out how to prevent or even undo the interaction which currently causes serious asbestos related illnesses. The conditions commonly associated with asbestos exposure include lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma, a largely terminal cancer that forms in the membrane lining of the lungs or stomach.

Although the motivation for this project is to find a way to intervene and prevent asbestos related disease after asbestos exposure, we are hopeful that this research will open the door for new treatment options and possibly a cure or key to remission for mesothelioma patients.

Asbestos Related Illnesses and Deaths Grow According to CDC Report

Big industry had for years claimed that asbestos was safe and not a risk to human life and it is only after years of research, and thousands of deaths, that the true dangers of asbestos exposure have become crystal clear. The Centers for Disease Control reports that despite efforts to lower exposure rates to asbestos, more people, and especially tradesmen, are continuing to develop health problems associated with the hazardous fibers.

Doctors with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health performed their research with over 38 years of data. This data showed that the number of premature deaths, or deaths that occurred before the age of 65, from asbestos-related diseases are occurring at a high rate now and will continue to increase in years to come. The increase will become more apparent as the latency period between exposure and the onset of asbestos disease is between 20 to 50 years. Many people exposed to asbestos in their teens and twenty’s during the 50 and 60’s are only now developing symptoms. The diseases take so long to have their full impact that death and disease will continue to grow.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber that was mined and used extensively in insulation and other uses in a wide range of products for its heat resistance. When loose asbestos fibers are inhaled, they “grab onto” the lining of the lungs and other internal organs, which can lead to debilitating and often terminal disease. The terminal lung cancer mesothelioma is a major killer with most patients diagnosed only having a few months to a year to live.

According to the CDC’s study, almost 13% of victims who died from asbestosis were tradesmen between the ages of 25 and 64. Actually tradesmen and construction workers accounted for the largest percentage of asbestos related deaths. Although many uses of asbestos have been banned since the 1980s, researchers still estimate that there are 1.3 million construction workers being exposed to asbestos every year through building demolitions or renovation work.

Contrary to popular belief, asbestos is still in use by some industries today. In their study, the CDC stated that more than 2,000 metric tons of asbestos was used in manufacturing in the US in 2006 alone and an unknown amount was imported. In addition, asbestos remains in the building materials in many homes and buildings that were built prior to 1970.

The study also cited other top industries in which high rates of asbestos-related diseases among workers were noted, including shipbuilding and repair, the military, and automobile maintenance. Researchers urge for the continued efforts to spread awareness of the dangers of asbestos. Since many symptoms of asbestos-related diseases are similar to other common illnesses and non-asbestos related lung cancer, health experts recommend the use of chest x-rays, CT imaging, and biopsy to diagnose and screen patients who may have been exposed to asbestos either at work or in the home.

Hamner Institute Recieves Grant For Asbestos Study From EPA

The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded the Hamner Institute a $2.1 million contract to research the health effects of asbestos exposure. The three-year study will focus on vermiculite, and in particular, asbestos-contaminated vermiculite that was widely used in insulation and industrial packing materials.

The Hamner Institute, a science center located in Research Triangle Park and once associated with the chemical industry, is striving to become one of the largest independent health research centers in the country. The Hamner Institute currently has more than 30 years of national and international experience in public health and environmental sciences research and continues to advance technologies that conduct chemical safety assessments and tools for assessing human health risks in products and chemicals.

The world’s leading source of vermiculite was from a mine in Libby, Montana operated by W.R Grace. Although the mine was shut down in 1990, asbestos contaminated vermiculite was shipped to hundreds of locations throughout the United States. It is widely known that workers of the Libby mines and residents of the town became ill with asbestos related diseases including mesothelioma, a terminal form of cancer. The research proposed by the Hamner Institute will help to gauge the effect of the vermiculite on areas where the product was shipped.

Asbestos related illnesses are still considered rare, although there are thousands of deaths each year that are contributed to asbestos exposure. It is the hope of the EPA and the cancer community that this contract and research will allow for significant progress in this field.

University Gives Update on Mesothelioma Study

In 2006, the University of Minnesota began a 4.9 million dollar study of mesothelioma in the Iron Ridge of Minnesota where unusually high rates of the rare and terminal lung cancer have been discovered. Interest in the study was sparked further as the Minnesota Department of Health began reviewing data from the state cancer registry in preparation for the study and discovered an alarming number of mesothelioma deaths in Minnesota’s iron mining industry.

The Iron Range is located in the northeastern region of Minnesota. It is a landscape that is rich in taconite, which contains iron and silica and is melted down to produce steel. The research into the region will continue, with health screenings for miners of the region and their families to begin this spring. Researchers hope to complete random screenings of at least 2000 people in the Iron Ridge region. The screenings will be completed at the Virginia Regional Medical Center in the next six to nine months.

The questions raised during this research include if the taconite dust may be contaminated with asbestos or if the exposure occurred at various construction and labor jobs around the taconite mines.

Asbestos Violations Cited In Bend, Oregon

According to the local ABC affiliate KOHD, two companies were recently fined $15,000 in civil penalties by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for unlicensed asbestos abatement during the demolition of three mobile home units at Sun Country Mobile Home Park in Bend, Oregon. An asbestos survey conducted by the property owner at the site in April 2008 indicated that asbestos was present in paint located on the roofs of three of the units. In addition to the unlicensed asbestos abatement fines, Hoviss Build Group LLC and Williamette Builders Group LLC were also fined for failing to deposit the asbestos-containing waste materials at an approved DEQ disposal site.

Once the property owner knew that there was asbestos in the roof of the trailer units, they should have only hired a licensed asbestos abatement company to handle its removal, which Hoviss and Williamette are not. The Central Oregon Investors LLC, owners of the Sun Country Park, was also fined $16,651 for allowing unlicensed workers to perform an asbestos abatement project.

Exposure to airborne asbestos is a danger to both the workers that handled the demolition project and to nearby residents. There is no safe level of asbestos exposure once the material has been rendered “friable”, meaning the material is likely to cause asbestos fibers to become airborne. Exposure to asbestos fibers can cause a number of respiratory illnesses and has been proven to cause terminal lung cancer known as mesothelioma.

The Department of Environmental Quality in Oregon requires that a licensed asbestos abatement contractor must remove any material containing more than 1% asbestos. A licensed asbestos abatement contractor will know how to properly remove and contain the materials to limit the risk of exposure. These licensed contractors are also equipped with the proper protective clothing and masks.

The fines issued by each state for improper handling of asbestos materials are important to the safety of employees and residents everywhere. The companies have 20 days to appeal.

Drawing attention to these events helps to raise overall asbestos awareness and awareness of the dangers of asbestos exposure.

Asbestos Awareness Day Conference Registration Open

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, an independent organization funded through voluntary contributions and staffed completely by volunteers, has opened registration for its 5th annual Asbestos Awareness Day Conference for March 27 through March 29, 2009. This year’s event will be held at the Manhattan Beach Marriott in Manhattan Beach, CA.

In 2004, asbestos victims and their families founded the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO). The mission of ADAO is to provide the most advanced medical, occupational and environmental information available about asbestos-related diseases to individuals throughout the world. The global asbestos crisis will be an integral part of the 2009 ADAO conference and there will be a particular focus on India, the world's largest importer of asbestos.

This year the organization plans to bring together a powerful combination of asbestos victims, their families, employers, employees, researchers and medical experts from around the globe to offer medical, occupational and environmental information about asbestos-related disease. There will be expert speakers discussing exposure prevention and identifying occupational and non-occupational exposure, public health and the early warning symptoms of asbestos-related disease. Musician Jordon Zevon, son of Warren Zevon who lost his life to asbestos disease and prominent advocate for the rights of asbestos victims and their families, will be the event’s keynote speaker.

The conference is made possible with the support and collaborative efforts of two key organizations. The first is the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, which is one of the 41 National Cancer Institutes and is considered one of the nation’s best facilities as they have conducted over 700 cancer-specific scientific investigations and clinical trials. The International Ban Asbestos Secretariat also plays a key role in the conference. The IBAS works as an instrument for the exchange of information between groups and individuals working to achieve a global asbestos ban.

For more information or to register, go to: www.AsbestosDiseaseAwareness.org

Fort Bragg Officers Exposed To Asbestos

Evon Colchiski is the father of Pvt. Jason Colchiski who served a year in Iraq and is now stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. As a father, Evon’s concerns were raised when his 21 year-old son called to tell him that he had been ordered to remove floor tile from a storeroom in a barracks building, which was built during the time of the Korean War, for breaking Fort Bragg regulations. The true concern came when his son informed him that the overseeing officer had told Colchiski, and the other officers assigned to the removal, to “be careful” as the tiles contained asbestos.

According to recent articles released on the FayObserver, the father told his son about the dangers of asbestos exposure during a phone conversation and when told to resume working on the floor removal, Pvt. Colchiski told his sergeant that he would not continue the work due to the severe health risks and was then instructed to use a mask. During the work prior to this time, no protective breathing masks were supplied to the officers.

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that was used regularly in building materials, such as floor tiles, prior to the 1970s when regulations were put in place to limit its use. Exposure to asbestos in its stable form is generally harmless, but exposure to airborne asbestos fibers, which occur when asbestos materials are broken up for removal or from age, can lead to several asbestos related illnesses including mesothelioma, a form of terminal cancer. Anyone who works around asbestos dust is supposed to wear masks and take other precautions to keep the particles out of their lungs, off their clothes and from getting into the air where it can travel and effect innocent bystanders.

Although the father, Evon, spoke with the son’s sergeant and explained the risks of asbestos exposure, Pvt. Colchiski told his father that on the following day, he saw other officers enter the store room to complete the removal and install new tile without protective equipment. Evon proceeded to obtain a sample of the removed tile and have it tested. The test results showed that the tile did indeed contain asbestos and the concerned father notified North Carolina health officials. The N.C. Division of Public Health has jurisdiction even though Fort Bragg is a federal military installation and began investigating the incident with the cooperation of the Fort Bragg’s Environmental Branch.

The army conducted chest x-rays and breathing tests on those officers that were exposed; unfortunately, many asbestos related illnesses have a latency period of 20-50 years. The army has agreed to test those officers involved in the asbestos tile clean up once a year for the next five years and every five years thereafter. This was according to Bryan Sleigh, the division’s top doctor, 82nd Airborne Division Surgeon.

Asbestos Tiles in St. Louis Possibly Disposed of Improperly

A north St. Louis County fire district is under investigation by state and county authorities for the removal and disposal of floor tiles, possibly containing asbestos, from a recently purchased building. STLtoday.com reported the story, alleging that the fire district did not allow two asbestos investigators access to the building. The investigators were with the St. Louis County Health Department Air Pollution Control Program and were responding to complaints from residents.

The fire district purchased the building in November from Superior Heating & Cooling and began holding board meetings at the location shortly thereafter. It was noted in the property disclosure at the time of the sale, supplied by Superior Heating & Cooling, that the floor tiles might contain asbestos. It was at one of the first public meetings that a resident made fire district officials aware of the broken tiles located in the meeting room and his concerns that they may contain asbestos, as he had dealt with asbestos removal in his own home previously. The following week when the resident, Pat Boul, returned for the next meeting, the broken tiles were removed and the floor had been painted.

Boul and other residents of the district noticed that a trash bin behind the building was full of the broken tiles. Concerned for the safety and welfare of residents and other people in the area, as exposure to asbestos fibers can lead to various asbestos related illnesses including mesothelioma a terminal form of cancer, the residents took samples of the tile and turned them over to authorities. This was the complaint that County Health Officials were responding to when they were denied access to the fire district’s building.

When officials arrived at the new district building they were met by Deputy Chief McPike who did show the investigators to a room where tiles had been removed, but the investigators were quickly removed from the room by another party of three, one of which claimed to be the fire district’s attorney. The attorney notified investigators that they had to leave the premises until they could supply a court order for the inspection.

The Health Department investigators reported back to their office and within a week the fire district received a notice of violation for seven different violations including obstructing county personnel and failure in regard to asbestos abatement projects. However, the fire district’s attorney still expresses non-cooperation without a court order and feels that the investigation and allegations are actually attempts at harassment, as the fire district has been in battle with residents over separate issues for the past year.

The report provided by STLtoday.com notes that the investigators, after being removed from the building, witnessed fire fighters going to the back of the building, where the trash bin full of tiles was located, with brooms and shovels in a possible attempt to clean-up the debris. It will be important to determine if the tiles did in fact contain asbestos and formulate a plan to assess exposure beyond the building in which the tiles were removed. Also to be sure if any residents or other people were exposed to the broken tiles located in the trash bin.

Cancer May Overtake Heart Disease

Heart disease may be losing its number one position in the next two years as cancer quickly takes its place as the number one killer. In reports released on Tuesday by international health experts, global cancer cases and deaths will more than double by the year 2030 with cancer becoming the number one cause of death worldwide by 2010.

The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer reported that 12.4 million people would be diagnosed with some form of cancer this year and 7.6 million people will die globally. Much of this trend is attributed to a growing population, rising cancer cases among aging populations, as cancer is more common in the elderly, and an increasing rate of cigarette smoking in poorer countries.

Lung cancer was the most common form of new cases and deaths for men and breast cancer the most common type among women according to the report. There are more deaths among men from cancer than women and cancer currently accounts for approximately one in eight deaths worldwide. Many forms of cancer are still untreatable, such as mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer caused by exposure to airborne asbestos fibers.

Peter Boyle, director of the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer stated that “this is going to present amazing problems at every level in every society worldwide” during a news conference. He also stated “there are more deaths in the world from cancer than from AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined."

Once believed to be a problem for Westernized, wealthier and industrialized countries, cancer has grown to become a global burden and has begun to impact poor and medium-income countries as well. Although wealthier countries have made progress in eliminating cigarette smoking, one of the most common causes of lung cancer and other illnesses, the tobacco industry has found new customers in developing countries, which have limited health budgets. This means that cancer treatment facilities are out of reach for many people and life-saving treatments are seldom available according to Boyle.

Although there has been progress against cancer in the United States and Europe through regular screenings for breast and colorectal cancer, an overall decline in smoking rates and improved cancer treatments, the global threat of cancer has not yet been recognized in some developing countries. For this reason, there has been a gathering of organizations calling on the government to act, including a request to ratify an international tobacco control treaty. These organizations include the American Cancer Society, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Cancer Institute of Mexico, among others.

Vermont Asbestos Clean-up Will Cost Over $200 Million

State and federal officials announced in Northern Vermont that a clean up of the hazardous waste from the Belvidere Mountain asbestos mine located in Lowell and Eden, operated for nearly a century in Vermont, will cost over 200 million dollars. Although the mine has not been in operation for many years, there still remain piles of waste rock that contain asbestos, placing residents in nearby areas at risk for developing asbestos related illnesses and the painful asbestos cancer known as mesothelioma.

The Vermont Health Department has already identified that residents living near the mine are experiencing higher rates of lung cancer and asbestosis. Asbestos related illnesses can remain latent for 20-50 years and the rates of lung cancer incidences are likely to continue to grow.

Vermont Assistant Attorney General John Beling remains hopeful that the funding for the cleanup will come from charges being pressed against the Vermont Asbestos Group, but representatives of the asbestos group state that the company does not have the appropriate funds or assets to cover those costs. In addition, the Vermont Assistant Attorney General is looking to another previous asbestos mine owner, G-1 Holdings, to recover the costs of the clean up as well. G-1 Holdings is currently in bankruptcy. Although Beling realizes that they will not recover 100% of the over $200 million needed, they will get as much they can to aid clean up efforts.

The Federal Environmental Protection Agency spent almost $2 million last year in the area to stop waste minerals from damaging nearby streams and wetlands. The EPA is still deciding if the Belvidere Mountain asbestos mine should be added to the government’s Superfund list, which would make federal money and support available for the clean up.

Lung Cancer Awareness

Many cancer awareness organizations deemed last month as Lung Cancer Awareness month; this year lung cancer will claim the lives of over 100,000 Americans. In spite of such statistics, lung cancer often goes unrealized until it has reached an advanced level, making it difficult to treat. We'd like to encourage people to educate themselves and others to increase their awareness of lung cancer and related diseases such as mesothelioma, a cancer caused by asbestos exposure that affects thousands each year and is one of the most painful cancers and most difficult lung cancers to treat.

Doctors face difficulties in diagnosing any lung cancer, as there is no established screening process like the ones that exist for breast and prostate cancer diagnosis. Mesothelioma diagnoses are even more difficult to make due the long latency period and aggressive nature of the disease. Mesothelioma is generally directly associated with occupational and environmental asbestos exposure and although it is more commonly diagnosed in men over the age of 50, it has been discovered that more women and younger people have been exposed to second hand asbestos and they are at risk for a mesothelioma diagnosis as well.

We encourage all individuals who have been exposed to asbestos in their lifetime - whether occupationally, second hand, or environmentally - to speak with their doctors about their exposure. The earlier a mesothelioma diagnosis is made the greater number of treatment options are available. In addition, we urge you to participate in the many rallies and fundraisers throughout the year in support of lung cancer research and treatment. Building awareness will save lives, there are still a few days left to participate and build lung cancer awareness in your community.

Restoring Hope With Memories and The Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund

Restoring Hope With Memories And The Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund

Often times we see tragedy progress into hope, but the stories are always heartening and the story of Chris Knighton and the loss of her husband Mick Knighton does just that; brings tears to your eyes and empowers you at the same time.

Chris and Mick Knighton were a happily married, loving couple with children and grandchildren that they shared their joy for life with. In 2000, Mick had been experiencing difficulty breathing and the couple visited their doctor to investigate. Once they received the diagnosis, they were both shocked and saddened. Mick was diagnosed with mesothelioma and only 6 months to live.

Mesothelioma is a terminal cancer, caused by exposure to airborne asbestos, which can affect the lining of the stomach or, as in Mick’s case, the lining of the lungs (known as pleural mesothelioma). Due to the advanced nature of Mick’s condition upon diagnosis, there were no treatment options available, only means to help make him more comfortable.

Mick and his wife, Chris, were shocked to learn of the limited research and information available on mesothelioma and the family was even more surprised to learn that Mick had been exposed to asbestos during his time serving in the Navy, almost 50 years prior to his diagnosis. The Navy took no responsibility for Mick’s illness. This realization inspired Chris to launch a fundraising campaign, both to honor her husband, who died 7 months after being diagnosed with mesothelioma, and to fund more research into this aggressive disease and new treatment options.

Out of the Knighton family’s tragedy was born the Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund, which raises awareness of mesothelioma and money for mesothelioma research. In 2002, Chris Knighton swore that her husband’s death would not be in vain and the thousands of other people exposed to asbestos would be recognized as she launched the fund.

In addition to the Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund, Chris launched the Snowdrop Fund that makes it easy for others to conduct fundraising efforts, as tributes to loved ones lost to or suffering with mesothelioma. The Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund helps to organize and promote Snowdrop Fund programs. It is this families hope that the combined efforts of both foundations can bring greater hope for the thousands of families who will be faced with mesothelioma diagnosis in the future.

Prominent Lawyer from Sunshine State Gives Final Deposition While Dying Of Pleural Mesothelioma

Last week one of Florida’s most prominent attorneys, Milton Ferrell Jr., gave a 3-½ hour video deposition only one day before dying from mesothelioma at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. In terrible anguish and refusing painkillers, Ferrell wanted to be lucid during his deposition against two brake companies and the Big Three automakers. He wanted the companies responsible for his asbestos cancer to be held accountable for his illness and death, as well as the death of so many others exposed to airborne asbestos through their products.

As former president of the American Board of Criminal Lawyers and chairman of Ferrell Worldwide, Ferrell filed suit with the Miami-Dade Circuit Court one week before his death from mesothelioma. The suit charges the two brake companies and the Big Three automakers with marketing an “unreasonable dangerous” product and failure to warn the public of its hazards.

Pleural mesothelioma is a terminal cancer caused by exposure to airborne asbestos, which attacks the lining of internal organs. Ferrell’s exposure to such materials was when he was in college working on brakes and cars for extra income; it is likely he was exposed to airborne asbestos while cleaning and removing brakes as the material was widely used in car brakes and insulation materials for years prior to 1970. Ferrell had already lost one lung to the illness and the mesothelioma that had spread to his brain, hip, stomach, and remaining lung, was taking his life.

Ferrell’s attorney notes that Ferrell had not intended to file suit until he realized how bleak the outcome of the mesothelioma diagnosis was. In his final three days, Ferrell’s mesothelioma lawyer rushed to get a court order to allow Ferrell to give his video deposition before he passed away.

Ferrell was considered a charitable and gracious man. Noted for his work with the Jackson Memorial Hospital and his help to found The Miami Project To Cure Paralysis, the Miami Aids Ministries and making many other charitable donations and offering legal services at no charge, Ferrell was well respected in all regards.

Asbestos Tragedy of Libby Goes National

Libby is a beautiful picturesque town located in the northwest corner of Montana. Framed by the Cabinet Mountains and Kootenai River more than 12,000 people call Libby home and many of those people consider Libby to be their worst nightmare.

It's a subject we've often covered on this blog because it is one of the greatest, most well known asbestos tragedies of our time. Since 1999, the EPA has been investigating asbestos contaminated vermiculite in the area of Libby. This vermiculite was discovered in the 1800s by miners and in 1920, Zonolite began mining the substance. In 1963, W.R. Grace bought out the mining operation and in 1990 the plant was closed. It was later discovered that the vermiculite mined in this area for soil conditioners and building insulation contained naturally occurring asbestos materials. The same materials that can cause mesothelioma and other asbestos related illnesses.

Since the EPA and Emergency Response Teams attention was focused on Libby in 1999, in 2002, Libby was placed on the EPA’s National Priorities List. Properties and land in the area of Libby were inspected for asbestos materials. Extensive clean-up efforts have been taking place in the mine area and the community of Libby for years and samples are still tested today.

The tragedy of Libby lives on and moves beyond the small Montana town’s borders. The Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry has identified 28 other states that processed a minimum of 100,000 tons of vermiculite from those asbestos laden Libby mines. Each of these sites has been instructed by the EPA to take action regarding their contamination and the spread of the deadly asbestos materials beyond the processing facilities.

In 2002, it had been determined that the mortality rates in Libby, Montana were 40% to 80% higher than expected and lung cancer mortality rates were increased as well. Employees of the plants that processed this asbestos laden vermiculite were exposed, as well as their family members, and residents in the area of facilities processing the vermiculite. The same risks hold true for those 28 other states that processed vermiculite from the Libby mines.

The Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry has supplied public reports for those 28 states with facilities that, although they may no longer be in operation, may have exposed employees, employee family members and residents of the community to airborne asbestos.

Common Mesothelioma Questions & Answers

Whether it is you or a loved one who has been given a mesothelioma diagnosis, the same common set of questions often pop into our minds. These are mesothelioma issues we've covered often on this blog, but they are so important, so critical, that they are worth revisiting from time to time. Covering the basics of mesothelioma is at the core of what we are trying to do in our effort to connect patients and families with critical information. As with any illness, you will learn a lot as you meet with doctors, but it is important to do your own research as well. Here are some common mesothelioma questions we've heard asked over the years by newly diagnosed patients:

What exactly is mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that attacks the mesothelium and is caused from exposure to airborne asbestos particles being inhaled and injested. Mesothelioma typically infects the pleura (lungs) or peritoneum (abdomen). The asbestos cancer forms around the lining of the organs. When infected by asbestos fibers, the cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and begin to divide at a rapid rate often causing malignant cells to develop and spread.

What causes mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma can be attributed to exposure to asbestos. Due to the long latency period of the disease, the asbestos exposure most often occurs decades prior to diagnosis, between 30-40 years prior in many cases. Many diagnosed with mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos in the workplace; however, the dangers of this exposure were also taken home to family members. Even low levels of exposure can lead to the development of mesothelioma. In addition, there are environmental exposures from deteriorating buildings and old asbestos construction materials to natural occurring asbestos in the earth being disturbed.

How is mesothelioma diagnosed?
If you have already received a mesothelioma diagnosis, then it may be a little less common to ask this question, but many family members and individuals in search of a second opinion are interested in understanding how mesothelioma is diagnosed. The symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to those of asbestosis, a non-cancerous yet life threatening inflammation of the lungs caused by exposure to asbestos, and lung cancer, making it difficult to identify. A complete patient history is required to determine a mesothelioma diagnosis including any exposure to asbestos. Of course, a physical examination is conducted as well as x-rays of the chest and abdominal area. A CT scan, MRI and biopsy are most often used to make a mesothelioma diagnosis.

What are the mesothelioma treatment options?
The treatment of mesothelioma varies from case to case. Factors that influence treatment options for mesothelioma include the location of the asbestos cancer, how far the cancer has developed, and the age and health of the individual diagnosed. Treatment options include surgery to remove the cells, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. The National Cancer Institute sponsors clinical trails to advance the treatment options for mesothelioma. Unfortunately, there currently is no cure for mesothelioma.

The toughest question, one of the first questions any normal person thinks of, is that of life expectancy. This must be determined on an individual basis. Like treatment, it depends greatly on the type of tumor (pleural mesothelioma or peritoneal mesothelioma), the stage of the disease, and the overall health of the patient.

Catonsville Pushing State of Maryland to Put Asbestos Rules In Place

Residents of Catonsville want bigger answers from the state of Maryland regarding asbestos hazards as a natural rock formation appeared in the middle of a construction site. Neighbors are not only worried about their health, but are growing even more concerned about state and county regulations regarding the rocks removal.

Why such a fuss about a rock? As it turns out this rock is asbestos. Exposure to airborne asbestos can lead to illnesses such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma, a terminal cancer, and the construction company working on the site was crushing the rock, sending asbestos into the air.

Enterprise homes, the company performing the crushing, immediately stopped operations and willingly tested nearby homes for asbestos, but it is the State’s failures that have residents really upset. It is under question to many residents if the state of Maryland has adopted the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act that would deal with situations such as these. AHERA has multiple requirements, including inspecting known asbestos-containing materials every three years, maintaining up-to-date asbestos management plans and training custodial staff in handling the mineral. Many residents believe there are no county or state regulations to deal with asbestos exposure, but that federal standards should have been followed. The Maryland Department of the Environment expressed in a Hometown Annapolis article, that there is not a need to mandate asbestos handling guidelines for companies like Enterprise, when they are willing to cooperate and make efforts to remedy the situation.

Construction at the site in Catonsville has resumed, although the asbestos rock is no longer being crushed. Neighbors are left to deal with dust and residue from the site on their homes and in their yards. Although they are being told the residue has been tested and does not contain asbestos, many are still uncertain. There is no doubt that resident’s hope that state and local jurisdiction will come up with an action plan to deal with similar situations in the future.

North Carolina Community Concerned About Former Asbestos Mill

Residents of Davidson, NC are faced with a difficult community decision as a Raleigh developer approaches the Westside neighborhood with hopes to build a commercial or residential development on the former Metrolina Warehouse LLC site. Concerns have been raised as the site was formerly the Linden Cotton Mill and, before that, it was an asbestos mill.

GreenHawk, the Raleigh developers, have opened talks with the community through several neighborhood meetings. Most residents have expressed concerns regarding asbestos, which is still buried under a portion of the site from its previous use as an asbestos mill. It has been noted that the previous owner of the site encapsulated the asbestos according to federal environmental standards and it had been certified as safe. Yet many residents retell stories of illnesses and deaths of family and friends from what they believed to be exposure to asbestos.

Many residents have rallied together and distributed fliers regarding the dangers of asbestos exposure from the proposed development, should GreenHawk decide to remove the asbestos currently on site. This flier notes, “The inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause serious diseases of the lungs and other organs that may not appear until years after the exposure occurs.” This fact is very true, as exposure to airborne asbestos is known to cause mesothelioma, or asbestos cancer that can remain latent for many years and in many cases is terminal.

GreenHawk has been very responsive to the community concerns and have brought in many environmental specialists to speak with residents about the asbestos issue. GreenHawk currently leans toward the removal of the asbestos materials by a licensed asbestos abatement company and under the watchful eye of the EPA. Residents, however, are divided. Some residents express their desire to just leave the asbestos where it is, buried, where it can’t get into the air and do more damage. However, there is no guarantee that developing on the site would not compromise the integrity of the existing encapsulation.

The town residents and GreenHawk plan to arrange several more neighborhood meetings regarding the issue before any steps towards development are taken. Although they had not been contacted for previous meetings, town officials have been notified and plan to be part of further discussions.

Honoring Our Veterans

Today we are proud to honor the United States veterans throughout the world. We are forever proud of the men and women who have served America. It is important to honor them this Veterans Day and everyday, as they have continuously risked their lives to protect ours. At SimmonsCooper we also remember the many military veterans that have lost their lives to lung cancer and mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure. We have been honored to represent veterans throughout the U.S., and today we honor them and the families they left behind.

Greater Research for Environmental Asbestos Exposure

For years mesothelioma concerns have been focused on the occupational environment, for those exposed to asbestos materials in the workplace and the people these workers were in daily contact with outside of the workplace. Only recently have researchers started to focus on asbestos fibers in the general environment and they are finding that asbestos is affecting more than just workers exposed to airborne asbestos.

Asbestos is a known carcinogen and is recognized for contributing to mesothelioma, a cancer affecting the pleural and peritoneal linings of internal organs and asbestos lung cancer. Mesothelioma is distinct in the cancer family as it originates from no other factor than exposure to asbestos materials. As it was once believed this exposure was only happening in the workplace, it is now becoming apparent that there are risks of exposure in our general environment. An individual can be exposed to asbestos when living with asbestos workers, has regular exposure to soiled work clothes from an asbestos worker, environmental exposure in neighborhoods of industrial sources, and passive exposure from buildings containing asbestos materials.

New research is being conducted to determine the effects of environmental asbestos exposure. With the help of the Mesothelioma Database, researchers have been able to study the geographical impact of environmental asbestos exposure. This research will help to determine the effects of airborne asbestos on people living close to industrial sources and naturally occurring asbestos mines and moving outward geographically to determine how much of a risk the asbestos is to residents of the next town. This risk mapping will expand mesothelioma diagnosis abilities and hopefully, allow for quicker mesothelioma treatment options.

Kentucky Demolition Raises Community Asbestos Concerns

As highlighted on KYPost.com, the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection has issued a public advisory regarding asbestos contamination of demolition materials being shredded and then offered to the public as free mulch.

Although it is a requirement of the Division of Air Quality that businesses sample for asbestos before performing any demolition project, this demolition project was not reported to the DAQ. The demolition site was located just within city limits and close to a public highway. The building being demolished and containing asbestos materials was once the Independent Tobacco Warehouse.

According to the post, a grinder was used to shred any remaining demolition material, including old roofing that commonly contains asbestos, and make it into mulch, as a large portion of the material was old wood. The Department of Environmental Protection responded to a complaint about the demolition piles and an air quality sample was taken. It was this sample which indicated that indeed there was asbestos in the free “mulch” piles.

Exposure to airborne asbestos can cause severe lung irritation and even asbestos cancers. A common asbestos cancer caused by exposure to airborne asbestos is mesothelioma. Mesothelioma affects the lining of internal organs like the lungs and stomach and often remains dormant for many years before diagnosis.

The scariest part of this type of asbestos exposure is that it is impossible to track which residents picked up this asbestos laden “free mulch” and took it back to their homes or businesses for use. Nor is there a way to calculate the number of adults or children who may have been exposed during the demolition itself either, as particles were obviously airborne during the shredding and demolition process as well. The post did not mention if workers performing the demolition were properly protected from exposure.

The Department of Environmental Protection immediately alerted the mayor of the town and Emergency Management Services of the asbestos contamination. The Independent Tobacco Warehouse and the company responsible for the site demolition were also cited for their violations.

Screening for Mesothelioma

There have been many questions raised about mesothelioma and how to distinguish a mesothelioma diagnosis from a lung cancer diagnosis, as the physical symptoms of both cancers can, on the surface, appear to be quite similar. If you have been extensively exposed to air born asbestos or live with some one who works with asbestos materials, you may be at risk for mesothelioma and it could be worthwhile to have a mesothelioma screening if you are displaying any systems such as pain under the rib cage, trouble breathing, swelling or lumps in the abdomen, or unexplainable weight loss.

According to WebMD, there are several screenings available to test for mesothelioma. As with all appointments, a medical history of the patient is completed along with a physical exam. Chest x-rays are also taken to view the condition of the lungs, organs and bones in the chest area. Blood work is ordered for a complete blood count. This lab checks for white blood cell, red blood cell and platelet numbers as well as hemoglobin and proteins in the blood. There is also a sedimentation test performed on the drawn blood which checks for the rate at which red blood cells separate and settle to the bottom of a test tube. These are fairly non-invasive screenings, but there is more to the screening.

In many cases a biopsy is performed where they remove tissue from the pleura, peritoneum (organ linings), lungs or abdomen to view under a microscope. There are several different methods to of performing a biopsy. Tissue may be retrieved using the most appropriate of these methods. There is fine needle aspiration biopsy, which uses a long thin needle and imaging machinery to allow the physician to draw fluid from abnormal areas or the lungs. With thoracoscopy, a thin tube-like apparatus is inserted which contains a light and lens for viewing the interior of the chest. Peritoneoscopy uses a similar instrument as thoracoscopy, but the peritoneoscopy is used for viewing the abdomen. Laparotomy and thoracotomy involve cutting the wall of the abdomen and chest (respectively) and checking for disease. With a bronchoscopy, a thin tube-like apparatus with a light and lens is inserted through the nose or mouth, down the trachea and into the lungs. This tool can also be used to remove tissue samples.

Once a tissue sample is recovered it is sent for a cytologic exam from a pathologist who will check for abnormalities. Ultimately, it is the biopsy and cytologic exam that will give the final determination if mesothelioma cancer is found. Knowing the steps and terminology of an asbestos cancer screening can take a lot of the fear out of your doctors’ visit. Take time to do your own research in mesothelioma diagnosis, screening and treatments.

Asbestos Roof Collapses in Primary School

The shock to a parent must be overwhelming when told that their children are being sent home from school due to a roof collapse, but even more shocking would be to learn that those children may have been exposed to air born asbestos which can cause varying forms of asbestos cancer.

According to the Independent.ie, many parents in Dublin were recently delivered this news as the asbestos roof of a primary school collapsed with children and teacher in attendance. After heavy rains and much leaking the roofing and insulation materials became saturated and the weight of these materials caused them to break through, almost to the schoolroom floor. At this point, the school has been closed due to fears of asbestos poisoning, and parents are left to wonder when their children will be able to return to school.

Extended exposure to air born asbestos can cause an asbestos cancer called mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the lungs, stomach and other internal organs. Treatment of asbestos cancer depends on the severity, location and type of illness. Although there have been successful treatments, this disease is still considered terminal.

For the children in Dublin, the t