Ceiling Textures Could Contain Asbestos

Many misconceptions exist about asbestos fibers. For example, many people believe that asbestos has been banned from the manufacture of all products in this country. But in fact, some products still use asbestos.

Some materials that use asbestos still today include roofing mastics and flooring materials. Also, some brake linings in vehicles still use asbestos.

Another misconception about asbestos fibers is the belief that asbestos in ceiling textures was banned during the 1970s. Although a ban was put into affect in 1978, instillation of the asbestos textures remained legal since banning it would have meant major financial losses for manufacturers. So, the installation of the ceilings continued into the 1980s until the supply ran out.

If you or someone you know is trying to remove older ceilings such as “popcorn” ceilings, you should have the ceilings inspected for asbestos. If you remove the ceilings and there was asbestos present, then the asbestos is released into the air where anyone can inhale it. There is no way of knowing whether you inhaled asbestos fibers or not. In fact, many people inhale small amounts of asbestos fibers without knowing it. Since the amount is small, the chances of forming mesothelioma are slim.

However, there is no “safe” level of asbestos exposure. Any exposure could lead to asbestosis or mesothelioma and that diagnosis might not come for decades.

Asbestos fibers are microscopic and cannot be seen by the human eye. It should never be assumed that a ceiling does not have asbestos fibers until tests are run. The cost to have lab tests done is very reasonable and should be conducted by anyone who is removing older ceilings.

Former Employee Suing Shipyard

David Armistead worked for BAE Land Systems’ Barrow Shipyard beginning in 1965. He has now filed a lawsuit asking for compensation of $500,000 claiming that he contracted mesothelioma while working for the company.

He also said that the company did not provide any protective clothing nor did they educate him about the health dangers related to the asbestos.

Asbestos exposure can lead to several nasty side effects including asbestosis, scarring of the lungs, lung cancer and mesothelioma.

The Barrow Shipyard covers about 169 acres and excels in the designing, building, testing, and commissioning of large vessels and submarines. It is an honorable institute and is credited with providing the first submarine to the United Kingdom.

Armistead started for the shipyard as an engineer working in the machine and engine shops. He says that the roofs and walls both contained a great amount of asbestos. He later transferred to the construction site of submarines where he applied asbestos covering layers to submarines.

EPA to finish Libby clean-up

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has formally declared the city of Libby, Montana a federal public health emergency. In this unanticipated step, the EPA has set aside $125 million to finish cleaning up the asbestos-contaminated city.

Before the mine closed in 1990, it was spilling 24,000 pounds of asbestos dust into the air each day. Asbestos particles were not only breathed in by residents outside, but also infiltrated their homes, covering attics, kitchens, and bedrooms with a fine layer of cancerous soot.

Decontaminating a home consists of first erecting a plastic tent over the house. Then EPA officials in protective gear vacuum every surface and crevice inside, and dig up the lawns to get rid of all the hazardous materials. Decontaminating a single home takes several days.

Exposure to asbestos has been linked to several fatal diseases including lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. Asbestos exposure is the only proven way to contract asbestosis and mesothelioma. Libby, Montana has 40 to 80 times the national average rate of death from asbestos-related diseases.

Phase II clinical trial offers hope to mesothelioma victims

The Italian biotechnology company MolMed has announced positive results for their Phase II trial of NGR-hTNF for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma.

The trial, which consisted of 57 malignant pleural mesothelioma patients that were previously treated with chemotherapy, found NGR-hTNF useful as both a theraputic option and as part of a combination therapy with most chemotherapy methods.

During the trial, one group of patients received the drug every three weeks and the other received it each week. Both groups received low doses of the drug intravenously. The results of the trial showed a median overall survival rate of one year. The disease control rate during the trial was 46 percent, which was maintained for a median total duration of 4.7 months.

MolMed plans to start another Phase II trial of NGR-hTNF in combination with cisplatin for lung cancer. Cisplatin, a chemotherapy drug that is often combined with newer medications ton increase the effectiveness of treatment, is one of the most effective treatment options available for pleural mesothelioma when combined with another chemotherapy drug called Alimta.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is linked to asbestos exposure. Workplace exposure to asbestos in places like aluminum smelters, oil refineries, shipyards and the construction industry puts workers at risk of developing asbestos-related diseases like asbestosis, lung cancer, gastrointestinal cancer and mesothelioma.

Kucinich working to reduce asbestos exposure in developing nations

Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) sent an inquiry to the World Bank about the tardy release of a report on the use of asbestos in construction.

Kucinich’s letter addressed several key points regarding asbestos exposure, prompting the World Bank to finalize and publish its Construction Guidance regarding asbestos. The guidance states, “Health hazards from breathing asbestos dust include asbestosis, a lung scarring disease, and various forms of cancer [including] mesothelioma [which] occurs among workers’ family members,” as well as among those exposed directly to asbestos.

The report was initially commissioned in 2006 and was technically reviewed in 2008, but it has stalled awaiting final administrative approval.

UN Staff Exposed to Asbestos

Asbestos removal has begun in the library of the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. While asbestos removal is a good thing, it is being conducted in manner that could be risking the health of officials working in the building.

Currently, there is asbestos removal taking place on the first and second floor of the library. UN staff members continue to work on the third floor. The doors separating the construction from the rest of the building are unsealed, and there is now a layer of possibly asbestos-laden dust covering surfaces on which officials work.

Inhalation of asbestos dust is extremely dangerous, and is known to cause asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma years after being inhaled. These working conditions would not be legal anywhere in the United States—unfortunately, the United Nations building is international property, and is therefore not subject to the protections of United States asbestos litigation. What’s more, the company that has been contracted to remove the asbestos (ATC Associates) and their general contractor (Skanska) have both been prosecuted for asbestos-related charges. Roney Rivero, an ATC Associates representative, has gone so far as to publicly assert that there is no link between asbestos and cancer (which, of course, is false).

Unfortunately, anyone injured by asbestos in the UN Headquarters would be unable to sue in U.S. court. They could only arbitrate, which significantly reduces compensation.

Human cells link with asbestos fiber

The U.S. Department of Labor estimates about 1.3 million people contracting either asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma in the coming years.

Asbestosis, a chronic respiratory disease, attacks the respiratory track and is fatal. Mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure, attacks the lungs, chest, or the heart and has a death rate of about six to twelve months after the symptoms appear.

There is no cure for either disease.

In nature, asbestos occurs in six different forms, and was widely used in many industries until the last half of the 20th century. By the year 1940, it was totally banned in about 40 countries of Europe and the United States. However, asbestos is still present in manufactured goods and is considered dangerous to human life.

To ease the suffering of this large number of people, scientists from Ohio University are trying to establish individual bondage of the asbestos fiber and the human cell. They are using ‘Atomic Force Microscopy’ to study how a single asbestos fiber attaches itself with the cell surface in the lining of the organs.

According to the research, this study has been a type of Braille work between the two ends of the physical bond between the fiber and the cell. The scientists are feeling and observing how the asbestos links with the human cells.

Canadian politician trying to shut down Asbestos Institute

A newly elected democrat MP is trying to shut down the Montreal-based Asbestos Institute (AI). Pat Martin is asking the conservative government to end its financial support of the AI since it is nothing more than what he calls “a group of charlatans and frauds.”

“Asbestos is the greatest industrial killer ever known,” Martin said in front of the House of Commons Natural Resources Committee (NRC). He later added, “More Canadians now die from asbestos than all other industrial diseases combined.”

Asbestos is a very desirable mineral because of a wide variety of attributes that it possesses. A few of those qualities include that it is fireproof, has superior electrical and thermal insulating qualities, and can withstand almost any harsh chemical.

However, asbestos exposure has been known to dangerous in the late 1800s, but researchers confirmed that it is a serious threat in the early mid 1960s. Exposure to asbestos has been linked to serious — often fatal — diseases like asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma, an aggressive form of cancer.

There have been many demands to ban the use of asbestos worldwide, but Canada continues to produce about 500,000 metric tons of asbestos each year. Most of this is shipped to some of the world’s poorest and undeveloped nations. Canada has been labeled “shameful” for this action and receives much scorn from the international toxic substance regulation community.

Martin claims that a Canwest News Service report hid the findings of experts who concluded that the asbestos was dangerous. “There is a strong relationship between lung cancer and chrysotile asbestos mined in Canada,” the experts stated.

Lisa Raiit, a Natural Resource Minister, said, “Canada’s policies are based on internationally-recognized, peer-reviewed scientific evidence.”

Martin said that it is nonsense and stated, “It’s an embarrassment and a disgrace. I have no qualms calling the Asbestos Institute a bunch of frauds and charlatans.” It is highly unlikely that Martin will receive enough support to remove the funding.

Asbestos found NBC Wash., D.C. headquarters

Employees at NBC’s Washington, D.C. headquarters have been warned of the presence of asbestos on the first floor of the building.

“Please be advised that we have discovered that glue on the back of baseboard material in the first floor across the back of the buildings has been found to contain asbestos,” an email sent to the staff said.

The email also noted that there are plans to remove the contaminated baseboards as a safety precaution and a contractor has been hired to handle the abatement process. The area has been sealed and negative air pressure created to “reduce the risk of any material becoming airborne,” and the air quality outside the contaminated location is being monitored “to insure that there are no airborne fibers.”

The NBC Washington D.C. headquarters is home to NBC News, MSNBC and WRC-TV. The asbestos was found in the are where a new WRC newsroom is to be located.

The contaminated area was formerly used by Chuck Todd, political director and chief White House correspondent for NBC News, Lisa Myers, senior investigative correspondent for NBC Nightly News, and the WRC sports crew. The location also served as the central newsroom, where thousands of interviews were conducted.

Exposure to asbestos has been linked to several diseases including asbestosis, lung cancer, gastrointestinal cancer and mesothelioma.There is no safe level of asbestos exposure.

New Surgery offers hope to mesothelioma victims

A new surgical treatment for malignant mesothelioma has been declared a success. The procedure is called a pleurectomy/decortication and involves removing the outermost lining of the lung. A pleurectomy/decortication is performed before a course of chemotherapy and radiation, creating a threefold treatment option.

Mesothelioma is a cancer caused primarily by exposure to asbestos. Asbestos exposure can have several profoundly negative side effects. Among them are asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a particularly aggressive cancer. Symptoms can often take 20-50 years to manifest, which is why a diagnosis of mesothelioma is often a death sentence.

However, the patients who participated in this 5-year study showed an average survival rate of nearly 3 years. Seventy-five percent of participants survived the first year, sixty-one percent survived the second, and forty-three percent survived the third.

If additional research proves as positive as this study, a pleurectomy/decortication could provide for patients a better alternative than the standard pneumonectomy, which is the removal of the entire lung.

Libby asbestos contamination worse than originally thought

The W.R Grace & Co. trial continues to push legal barriers. An 82-page report detailing a medical study assessing the scope of asbestos-related disease and mortality in the town of Libby, Montana has been released.

This study is the first of its kind to attribute scores of deaths to non-occupational asbestos exposure. It found that 77 non-miners have died of asbestos disease in Libby since 1998.

Prosecutors have been attempting to show that normal human activity in Libby has continued to disturb the vermiculite that Grace left behind, causing asbestos to be released into the air and continually sickening Libby residents.

Of 227 patients who died, only 41 were excluded as having no diagnosis of asbestos-related disease, no death certificate, or as having had no exposure prior to 1990. Of the 186 people who died, 116 died of asbestos-related disease: seven from mesothelioma, 19 from asbestos-related lung cancer, 11 from other asbestos-related cancer, and 79 from ‘asbestosis.’

Only 39 of those 116 who died were mineworkers. 77 out of the 116, 66 percent of those died were community members and family members of mineworkers.

Illnesses like mesothelioma and asbestosis are generally linked to asbestos exposure.

Garlic may help curb asbestos exposure

Several studies that have been performed in India show that garlic may reduce the carcinogenic effects of asbestos.

While asbestos fibers are a well-known carcinogen that causes mesothelioma and other diseases, the underlying cause of why they cause cancer has still not been clearly identified. According to these Indian studies, asbestos can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS, such as oxygen ions, free radicals, and peroxides, are ions or very small molecules that have unpaired electrons and may lead to biological damage.

Asbestos-released ROS release can be reduced by antioxidants, according to the studies. Garlic contains numerous sulfur compounds and glutathione precursors which act as antioxidants; it also contains at least 33 sulfur compounds, several enzymes, 17 amino acids, and several minerals.

The studies also found that many of the sulfur rich compounds in garlic increased the activity of various enzymes that consequently reduced the carcinogenicity of asbestos.

Asbestos exposure can have several profoundly negative side effects. Among them are asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a particularily aggressive cancer. Symptoms can often take 20-50 years to manifest which is why a diagnosis of mesothelioma is often a death sentence.

Highest death rates from mesothelioma are in Maine

A new report shows that the highest death rate from mesothelioma per capita in the United States is in the state of Maine.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found that the death rate in Maine is 27.5 per million population, and says that some people may have gotten sick from living and working in old Maine buildings that have not undergone asbestos abatement, but most people have been exposed through paper companies, chemical companies, and the shipyard industry in the area—all of which are some of Maine’s biggest employers.

By the time patients are diagnosed with mesothelioma, they are usually given five to 16 months to live. The cancer is usually not apparent until decades after initial asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma Linked by Different Locations

Mesothelioma affects different geographic locations differently. Industrial development is a good indicator of the disease because of high asbestos exposure rates.

There are certain regions of the U.S. that have high mesothelioma rates. One example is along the coasts where ship-building industries were active during World War II. Another example is in North Carolina where there are high mesothelioma rates thanks to asbestosin the textile industry.

Finally, smelters, oil refineries and chemical plants tend to use a lot of asbestos as a heat shield. When the asbestos breaks down and asbestos fibers become airborne, workers are exposed to asbestos in the asbestos dust.

Mesothelioma has also been very common near Libby, Montana where asbestos contamination was found around the W.R. Grace vermiculite mine. Many people have died from the disease since it began to appear in the community.

Asbestos exposure is the main cause of mesothelioma. It also can lead to lung cancer and lung diseases like asbestosis. So, if many mesothelioma cases are reported from one area, there is a very good chance that there is asbestos exposure nearby.

Other cancers linked to asbestos exposure

While exposure to asbestos has been linked to a variety of illnesses (including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma), new research has linked asbestos exposure with even more forms of deadly cancer, making the toxic substance even more dangerous than originally thought.

Commercial asbestos is now linked to ovarian cancer, according to the World Health Organization. Also, the WHO re-confirmed that asbestos causes lung cancer and mesothelioma, and also linked asbestos exposure to the development of cancer of the larynx.

Typically, asbestos fibers enter the body through inhalation, and in rare instances, when they are swallowed. The three “recognized” forms of mesothelioma are pleural mesothelioma (occurs in the lungs), peritoneal mesothelioma (occurs in the abdomen), and pericardial mesothelioma (occurs in the lining of the heart). A very small number of mesothelioma cases have been reported in other parts of the body, such as with testicular mesothelioma.

Asbestos Health Study released after 10 Months

Two problems have arisen out of an asbestos health study conducted in Ottawa, Ontario.

The first problem was that the study linked chrysolite asbestos to lung cancer. The second and more important problem was that it has taken the agency about a year to release the report.

It took the agency 10 months to receive a copy of the report under the Access to Information law because of the long period of processing it requested according to CanWest News Service.

The Health Canada website had a fact sheet that warned about the dangers posed by asbestos. In the sheet, Health Canada stated that all forms of asbestos are deemed carcinogenic and links have been discovered between asbestos, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.

CanWest pointed out that the members on the Health Canada panel had opposing views from findings in past reports. The panel delayed the release of the report. David Bernstein, formerly connected with asbestos firms, was named as a panelist with strong opposing views.

Leslie Stayner, a University of Illinois School of Public Health director, was quoted that panel members could not agree on the degree of difference between exposure to amphibole asbestos and chrysolite asbestos with mesothelioma. She also stated, “The bottom line here is that all forms of asbestos cause both mesothelioma and lung cancer.”

Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. It can take a long time for symptoms to appear, often as long as 30 years. For this reason, a mesothelioma diagnosis is often fatal.

Experienced mesothelioma attoneys can help you find the resources that can help maintain a good quality of life after diagnosis. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may be entitled to compensation. Seek the advice of an asbestos attorney about a mesothelioma lawsuit.

Asbestos exposure puts textile workers at risk of lung cancer

A study published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine has found that those who worked in asbestos textile plants between the 1950s and 1970s face a significantly higher risk of lung cancer and death due to chrysotile asbestos exposure.

While asbestos has previously been linked to an increased risk of lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis, this study specifically looked at four North Carolina plants that produced textile products with chrysotile asbestos. Chrysotile asbestos is the most commonly used form of the industrial fiber, and amosite and crocidolite are two lesser-used forms of the material.

The current study compared the asbestos exposure and medical histories of 5,770 workers who had been employed at the four North Carolina plants between 1950 and 1973. Of this group, more than 2,500 died during the study period; 277 of these deaths were from lung cancer. The plant workers rate of lung cancer was 95 percent higher than that of the general population, and their rate of death from all causes was 45 percent higher.

The findings of the study could drastically change policy decisions currently being made about the deregulation of chryostile asbestos.

Asbestos exposure can lead to many adverse side effects including lung cancer and gastrointestinal cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma.Workers exposed to asbestos and who have been diagnosed with one of these maladies could be entitled to financial compaensation and should contact an asbestos attorney about a mesothelioma lawsuit.

Mesothelioma Deaths to peak in 2010

Deaths from mesothelioma are expected to peak around 2010 according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

The number of deaths has been on the increase lately, going from 2,482 in 1999 to 2,704 in 2005. However, the annual mortality rate stayed the same at 14 deaths per 1 million people. The authors of the study wrote, “Because mesothelioma manifests 20 to 40 years after first exposure, the number of mesothelioma deaths will likely peak by 2010.”

They also say that asbestos is legally being imported for use in certain construction and transportation products.

The Environmental Protection Agency banned the use of asbestos in types of residential and commercial insulation materials in 1975. Then in 1989, they tried to put a total ban on asbestos but it was overturned on appeal in federal court in 1991.

“An estimated 1.3 million construction and general industry workers potentially are being exposed to asbestos,” the authors wrote. They have determined that 18,068 people died from mesothelioma from 1999 to 2005 with men accounting for 81% and whites for 95 percent. They also learned that the death rate rose with age. People under 45 accounted for 311 deaths whereas people older than 75 accounted for 8,858 deaths.

As recently as 2003, 20 percent of air samples in the construction industry exceeded the permissible exposure limit set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in 1971. “Ensuring a future decrease in mesothelioma morality requires meticulous control of exposures to asbestos and other materials that might cause mesothelioma,” the authors concluded.

Like some lung cancer and asbestosis, mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer linked to asbestos exposure. Because of its long latency, a mesothelioma diagnosis is usually fatal within 18 months.

Texas Senate passes mesothelioma bill

The Texas Senate has passed a bill that could make it easier for mesothelioma victims to win in court.

Senate Bill 1123, by state Sen. Robert Duncan of Lubbock, TX, reverses a Texas Supreme Court ruling that many believes made it nearly impossible for a mesothelioma victim to win in court.

The decision, known as Borg-Warner, said that a plaintiff in a mesothelioma lawsuit must show that he or she had enough asbestos exposure to to cause mesothelioma.

Researchers have said for years that there is no safe level of asbestos exposure, that any amount of asbestos fibers could lead to several asbestos-related diseases.

The Senate bill would reverse that burden of proof. Instead of the plaintiff bearing the burden of proof, the defendant must show that the plaintiff was not exposed to enough asbestos to cause his or her mesothelioma.

The bill applies only to victims of mesothelioma, not to the victims of other asbestos-related diseases like asbestosis or lung, throat or gastrointestinal cancer.

The bill faces an uphill battle in the Texas House of Representatives.

Michigan governor proposes cut to asbestos department

The governor of Michigan has proposed to cut the Department of Environmental Quality program. The program was designed to make sure that buildings followed the federal asbestos rules.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm said that Michigan can no longer afford to inspect buildings scheduled for demolition or renovation to prevent asbestos contamination.

If the Legislature passes the proposal, the U.S. Environment Protection Agency will take over responsibility for conducting inspections and punishing violators. The agency, which is located in Chicago, lacks the resources to do an adequate job according to critics.

The total budget is $341 million and the program only costs $350,000. The state only pays $250,000 of that. So the program is not a very big expense.

Robert McCann, a spokesman for Michigan, said that the department has no choice. He said that the state has been making many cuts recently and has orders to make even more to help reduce the projected $1.4 billion deficit in 2010. “You can discuss scaling back, but at a certain point you can’t do that any more and you have to cut entire programs,” McCann said.

Stopping the inspections would put workers who tear down and renovate buildings as well as people living and working nearby in great danger to asbestos exposure, said Dr. Michael Harbut. Dr. Harbut, a Wayne State University asbestos specialist, said, “There is no such thing as a safe level of exposure to asbestos,” and, “Asbestos is a killer.”

The department receives about 3,400 notifications a year from contractors doing demolition or renovation work. The division conducted 411 unannounced inspections in 2008.

Violators have paid about $800,000 in the past six years. Even though first offenders pay only a small fine, repeat offenders can get lawsuits.

The possibility of inspections makes contractors be more careful said Harbut. “There’s not a policeman on every expressway, but still you might not speed because you know they could show up at the next corner,” he added.

Asbestos exposure is the only know cause of an aggressive form of cancer, mesothelioma. Mesothelioma has a very long latency, often taking 40 years or longer for symptoms to show. Because it is very hard to diagnose, a mesothelioma diagnosis is usually fatal within 18 months.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis or lung cancer and you have worked around asbestos, it is important to get professional advice from an experienced mesothelioma attorney.