Many people who were outspoken supporters of Senator Patty Murray’s (D-Wash.) proposed asbestos ban before the Senate unanimously voted in favor of the bill earlier this fall now say that the version of the bill that the Senate passed was weakened to satisfy industry concerns. The original version of the bill called for a complete ban on asbestos, but the version of the bill that the Senate passed doesn’t cover many asbestos-containing products. Although Senator Murray says she passionately supports a ban on all asbestos products, she was forced to accept compromise to win votes that would allow the bill to pass. She says, despite the limitations, the ban is “a major step forward.” EPA scientists have expressed concern that the ban would not cover all products that contain asbestos. Asbestos-contaminated talc, like that recently found in children’s modeling clay, and asbestos-contaminated taconite or vermiculite could still be sold under the current version of the bill. Although the funding for research remains in the current version of the bill, lobbyists want to control how the research would be conducted. Senator Murray continues to resist industry control of research. Compromise is an inevitable part of the legislative process, but public health officials and asbestos victim advocates remain concerned that the compromises in the asbestos ban go too far and weaken the bill too much.
For the full story, go to
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com
Filed under: General, Legal, Medical, Support on November 20th, 2007 | No Comments »
In the wake of a recent study that showed severe asbestos contamination in and around homes in a Quebec mining community, Quebec’s Ministry of Environment has announced that outdoor air sampling taken three years ago shows that the level of asbestos in Quebec’s outdoor air is within the standards used in Ontario. Quebec, where Canada’s asbestos mining industry is centered, doesn’t have its own standard for outdoor asbestos levels. The ministry has reported that the levels of asbestos found don’t create any health risk and the public should not be concerned about being exposed. But under United States standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency, the levels reported by the ministry today would be considered dangerous and would require immediate cleanup. Canada is one of the world’s largest asbestos producers and does not regulate asbestos exposure as carefully as the United States or other developed nations. In fact, the Canadian government has invested heavily in promoting asbestos markets in the developing world.
For the full story, go to
http://www.theglobeandmail.com
Filed under: General, Legal, Medical, Support on November 19th, 2007 | No Comments »
Minnesota’s Department of Health and Pollution Control Agency have announced that they won’t participate in a health study of current and former workers planned by Cleveland-Cliffs, an Iron Range mining company whose workers have shown extremely high rates of
mesothelioma. Mesothelioma, a rare cancer associated with asbestos exposure, has been diagnosed in 145 men in Northeastern Minnesota since 1988. The company had hoped that its study, scheduled for completion in two years, would proceed with the cooperation of the state agencies. The agencies have decided that they will not participate in the company study, however, and will instead invest their resources in a comprehensive study of mesothelioma in miners in Northeastern Minnesota’s Iron Range planned jointly between the University of Minnesota and the state health department. The state committed to this joint study with the University of Minnesota after scandal erupted over the health department’s year-long delay in reporting the death of 35 additional Iron Range miners from mesothelioma. Cleveland-Cliffs claims that it will still go ahead with its study and will hire an independent firm to complete the work. Lawmakers would prefer that the company scrap its plans and question whether the study would have any credibility.
For the full story, go to
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com
Filed under: General, Legal, Medical, Support on November 16th, 2007 | No Comments »
A new study reported in the
International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health says that many of the homes in Thetford Mines, a mining community of about 26,000 residents located about 70 miles south of Quebec City, are “severely contaminated” with asbestos. The study documents that asbestos levels inside and outside 26 homes in Thetford Mines are significantly above internationally accepted limits. The World Health Organization warns that any exposure to asbestos, no matter how small, poses some risk of cancer. Asbestos was found at dangerous levels in lawns and a community playground. In some samples, researchers say they found between 20 and 80 percent asbestos by volume in the soil. Researchers believe that asbestos fibers are blowing from piles of residue left by mining operations and from trucks carrying this residue. The asbestos residue piles are said to surround the town like mountains and are popular locations for off-road biking and driving. Some young people think of it as “sand like anywhere else.” Researchers warn that children are the most at risk from this exposure, however, because it can take decades for asbestos-related disease to develop. Asbestos mining is still an important part of the economic life of the area, providing jobs and making many people reluctant to talk about the problem. The Canadian federal and Quebec provincial governments strongly support Canada’s asbestos industry and have spent over $40 million in the last few years to protect Canada’s asbestos market in developing countries.
For the full story, go to
http://www.cbc.ca
Filed under: General, Legal, Medical, Support on November 15th, 2007 | No Comments »
The Chapman Valve Plant in Indian Orchard, Massachusetts has long worried local residents because it was known to use radioactive materials. The plant milled uranium for nuclear weapons, but then it closed in the 1980s and workers began to get sick. The neighborhood is very eager for any remaining radioactive materials to be gone, but city officials are even more concerned about asbestos. They say that the Navy has decontaminated the site of radioactive materials, but there is asbestos throughout the interior and even some of the building’s exterior. Asbestos removal will begin next week and must be completed before the demolition can go forward so that asbestos will not be released as the building comes apart. The demolition project is expected to be complete by late winter, and the site will then be ready for redevelopment of some kind.
For the full story, go to
http://www.cbs3springfield.com
Filed under: General, Legal, Medical, Support on November 13th, 2007 | No Comments »
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams have made a big difference in fire-ravaged Southern California. They are helping with the cleanup of destroyed homes, as well as making tens of thousands of meals for displaced Californians. Cleaning up after a fire or other disaster can be very expensive and stressful for families who are displaced and already in crisis. After the 2003 wildfires, SBDR cleaned up 600 burned out homes. Team members work to meet the needs of the families, generally to remove everything from the lot down to the concrete slab. They will even sift through ash to look for family jewelry and other valuables that may have survived the fire. The cleanup process is complicated by the presence of asbestos and other hazardous materials that require special disposal procedures, such as double-bagging.
For the full story, go to
http://www.bpnews.net
Filed under: General, Legal, Medical, Support on November 12th, 2007 | No Comments »
Ovalwood Hall at the Ohio State University’s Mansfield Campus will reopen for classes next year. An extensive renovation project, budgeted for $7.2 million, became more complicated and expensive when it was discovered that substantial asbestos abatement was needed. That work has been completed, at a cost of $170,000. The project manager praised workers for their efforts to accelerate the work where possible to ensure that the building reopens on time for classes in fall 2008. Ovalwood Hall, dedicated in October 1, 1966, has particular importance for the academic community because it was the very first building constructed on the Mansfield Campus.
For the full story, go to
http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com
Filed under: General, Legal, Medical, Support on November 11th, 2007 | No Comments »
The Environmental Protection Agency is working to remove asbestos, pesticides and other hazardous substances from the abandoned Albert potato farm in Wothington, Massachusetts. One of the farm’s buildings is structurally unsound and is releasing asbestos into the environment. In addition to several storage tanks, both above and below ground, the EPA found approximately 25 containers of hazardous chemicals on the site. The ground was not properly sealed around the some drums, raising the possibility of a hazardous release into the soil. And the farm has no fencing or other means to prevent access to the property. EPA crews are removing asbestos-containing transite board from the abandoned buildings and will dispose of asbestos products in a landfill licensed to handle them. The EPA is also doing air monitoring to be sure asbestos is not continuing to be released. The cleanup project is expected to cost about $120,000.
For the full story, go to
http://yosemite.epa.gov
Filed under: General, Legal, Medical, Support on November 9th, 2007 | No Comments »
U.S. Attorneys in West Virginia are monitoring the progress of the criminal case against Paul Pendergast in Maryland federal court and may bring changes against him in West Virginia as well. For five years, Paul Pendergast was in change of the West Virginia Capitol asbestos abatement program, and he has confessed to corruption while he was in this role. Predergast accepted kickbacks from an asbestos removal firm and manipulated the bidding process to favor the same firm. Predergast pleaded guilty in Maryland court and faces up to five years in prison in the Maryland case. See related story. He has also agreed to testify against the asbestos abatement firm. The scandal has extended to Predergast successor Gary Bryant Jr., who was fired for taking unauthorized overtime pay and structuring jobs to avoid competitive bidding.
For the full story, go to
http://sundaygazettemail.com
Filed under: General, Legal, Medical, Support on November 8th, 2007 | No Comments »
Cambridge, Maryland has come up with a innovative way to use downtown space that is awaiting renovation. After some basic cleanup and necessary asbestos removal, downtown studios are available to artists at very low rents, but only on a temporary basis. The spaces are expected to be available for a period of about 12 to 18 months while they await renovation. When the space becomes unavailable, the artist might be able to move to another similar space. While all hazardous materials, like asbestos, are removed before the spaces are rented, the studios are unfinished. What they do have are large spaces and good light. The program allows the space to be used when it would otherwise sit empty, and it provides valuable but inexpensive space for local artists.
For the full story, go to
http://www.newszap.com
Filed under: General, Legal, Medical, Support on November 7th, 2007 | No Comments »