In Libby, Montana, insulation that most likely contained asbestos has been found leaking from a hole in an outside wall at an elementary school.

Libby Schools Superintendent Kirby Maki says the hole at Asa Wood Elementary was most likely caused by an excavator removing snow from school grounds this past month. The leak was found by students during recess on Friday and the U.S. Environmental Agency was alerted.

A cleanup crew removed the leaking material and took it a landfill, and they also fixed the hole and make sure there wasn't any more vermiculite.

An EPA spokesman says the rest of the vermiculite at the school is safe because it's encapsulated in the walls.

Montana News Station

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 10:38 AM | Permalink

The Department of Environmental Protection has given the city permission to use asbestos-tainted dirt in certain areas in the construction of Newton North High School.

Recycling the dirt, which contains only trace amounts of asbestos, will help the town save money as it launches the estimated $187 million project, according to spokesman Jeremy Solomon. Crews began pouring concrete for the foundation of the school on Feb. 14.

According to the spokesman, the city pays $123 per ton to remove asbestos-tainted dirt, compared to $82 for nonhazardous soil.

Solomon said the fill would only be used in very specific ways approved by the DEP, including grading, leveling and other foundation work.

The announcement came after a discussion with DEP officials two weeks ago.

Doesn't sound too good to me but I suppose if the asbestos is encased it can't hurt anybody. What do you think?

Wicked Local

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 08:00 AM | Permalink

Cleve Allen George, who owns of the Virgin Islands Asbestos Removal Co., has been convicted of breaking federal environmental laws and making false statements about air monitoring at a St. Thomas housing project that was demolished in 2001.

What makes his crime particularly unsavory is that the contractor knew how to safely remove asbestos but chose to ignore those safe methods in order to boost his profits. George and his partner, Dylan C. Starnes, of Atlanta, were charged with using a power washer to strip thousands of square feet of asbestos-containing materials, which then washed out over the ground and into sewers in St. Thomas.

The men will serve three years in jail and three years probabation.

Herald Tribune

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 07:52 AM | Permalink

or at least, they have another three weeks grace - if you'll pardon the pun!

The following from Montana News:

Lawyers with W.R. Grace are getting more time to file an appeal to the United States Supreme Court, as well as to perhaps settle pre-trial issues in the government's criminal case dealing with Libby asbestos.

If the high court accepts the case, then it would make a final ruling on whether the government can use certain evidence at trial.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the evidence can be used and W.R. Grace is expected to ask the high court to review that decision.

Originally the company had until next week to file its petition, but Justice Anthony Kennedy has granted an extension until April 14th.

It's now been more than three years since the U.S. government filed criminal charges against W.R. Grace.

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 09:05 AM | Permalink

Bonnie Chapman, who lives in Cheyenne, said that when she and her husband discovered debris pushing against their fence line, they had samples tested for asbestos. It tested positive.

Armed with these results, they approached the Laramie County commissioners for a solution - only to find that officials did not have the necessary authority to help. Surrounding landholders then got involved and contacted the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, who arranged for more samples to be tested to see if the asbestos was friable (i.e. would it fragment easily and, therefore, release dust). In mid-2007, samples tested positive for friable asbestos.

Yet, the DEQ says the responsibility for clean up lies with the property holders.

Having made that decision, the DEQ wrote to landholders and asked them to provide a plan for the clean up operation but, even if a plan is submitted and approved, Laramie County Commissioners cannot get involved.

Legislation is up for discussion that will address this problem - it would grant county officials the authority to regulate nuisances - however, a similar piece of legislation failed in the Senate last year over concerns that the language was too broad.

Senate File 27 has now been altered to ensure officials only have the authority to abate health and safety nuisances. Additional amendments exclude ongoing oil and gas development, mining and agriculture practices.

Even if Senate File 27 does gain approval, county governments must hold public hearings and draft regulations for abatement and appeal before passing a nuisance resolution.

Bonnie Chapman is pinning her hope, and her health, on the back of the approval File 27.

As one of her neighbor's says "We've tested for asbestos, but what other health hazards are out there? We won't know until we get in there to clean up."

Wyoming Tribune-Eagle

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 09:21 AM | Permalink

It seems that stories of this nature are becoming increasingly common:

A 48-year-old school official from northern New York has admitting filing false reports about asbestos removal in school buildings. Benny Gladding, Building and Grounds Superintendent for the Massena Central School District, pleaded guilty to telling environmental officers a year ago that he had never removed asbestos illegally; he had.

He also admitted failing to report significant friable asbestos found in 2006 on pipes at Jefferson Elementary School.

Gladding has agreed to resign at his sentencing - scheduled for July 11.

wcax.com

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 10:58 AM | Permalink

With the rising tide of Mesothelioma diagnosis in the UK, there is to be an especially poignant day in Doncaster next week. To increase public awareness, Wednesday February 27 has been declared Action Mesothelioma Day and members of Sheffield and Rotheram Asbestos Group will release balloons in the memory of those who have died from the disease.

This news comes on the same day that the British Lung Foundation reports on the fact that many tradespeople, such as plumbers, carpenters, builders, and electricians, are ignorant of the risks to their health that asbestos poses. When surveyed, nearly a third of tradespeople said their understanding was that asbestos had been removed from all British buildings.

The sad fact is that tradespeople have the highest risk of developing mesothelioma - 20 die from the disease each week and deaths are continuing to rise.

The British Health and Safety Executive says any building built or refurbished before 2000 could contain asbestos.

BBC

Sheffield and Rotheram Asbestos Group

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 03:03 AM | Permalink

Along with Canada and Russia, India has been backward in the banning of asbestos and forward in blocking the addition of asbestos to the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) List, which will require exporting countries to obtain the prior consent of importing countries.

It is not too difficult to understand the position of Canada and Russia, who are both producers of the mineral; they will obviously go all out to protect their industry, whether that is moral or not. India, on the other hand, is only an importer.

As already discussed here, the outcomes of 'scientific research' carried out by India's National Institute of Occupational Health have, quite remarkably, been given a positive spin and the government of the country have now asked for the input of a lobbyist, S Ganesan of the Indian Chemical Council, who championed the cause of the pesticide industry during international negotiations. As a result, the Indian Government is now preparing a report to show the hazard to workers’ health from white asbestos is manageable. This despite the fact that one occupational health group estimates asbestos kills one person every five minutes, more than any other industrial toxin.

Something seems rotten in the state of India.

Down to Earth - Science and the Environment Online

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 09:42 AM | Permalink

A federal appeals court has overturned a $500 million settlement reached two years ago by The Travelers. Cos. Inc., a move that could open the company to potential new lawsuits.

The 2006 settlement, which stemmed from the settlement of asbestos claims arising out of a suit by Denver based Johns-Manville Corp., is subject to final court approval. The company insured Manville, which manufactured and sold asbestos from the 1940's to the 1970's, filed for bankruptcy in 1982.

Travelers said it will decide later whether to pursue further appeals in the settlement. The Saint Paul, Minnesota,based insurer said it will not adjust the level of its asbestos reserves as a result of the Second Circuit's decision, and it does not expect the decision to affect earnings.

If the Second Circuit's decision becomes final, the settlements will become voided and Travelers intends to "litigate the direct action cases vigorously."

Insurance Journal

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 02:34 AM | Permalink

Northshore Mining is to appeal today against the air quality standard imposed by the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy. The standard says that the amount of asbestos fibers in the air around the Silver Bay plant must be equal or less than the amount in St. Paul's air.

Attorney Kevin Reuther says dropping the standard from the company's permit would put residents of Silver Bay at risk of developing diseases such as the deadly form of lung cancer, mesothelioma.

Northland Newscenter

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 02:29 AM | Permalink

Frances Barras has named 10 different industrial companies, including the above two, in a mulitmillion dollar action against those she feels are responsible for her malignant mesothelioma.

She claims that she inhaled great quantities of asbestos fibers when laundering her husbands work clothes and maintaining the washing machine between 1957 to 1985. She also cites traveling in her husband's car as a source of the fibers. He was a refinery worker for DuPont.

The suit claims DuPont should have foreseen that employees, such as Louis Barras, would be exposed to asbestos while performing their work duties and transport the asbestos fibers on work clothing, bodies and hair to their households.

The Barras family is suing for $15 million in compensatory damages and $15 million in punitive damages, plus past and future mental anguish, medical expenses and loss of services.

Southeast Texas Record

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 05:17 PM | Permalink

A fire station in North Bend, Seattle, has been closed following the discovery of asbestos in the building.

Initial tests, carried out last Wednesday, gave no sign that asbestos was present but, in surface tests the following day, evidence of asbestos was found.

As a result, North Bend firefighters are being relocated to the North Bend Public Works facility and paramedics have been reassigned to the Snoqualmie Fire Station headquarters as a precautionary measure.

It will take some time before a decision can be made as to remedial work.

Seattle Times

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 11:07 AM | Permalink

If you live in England, or you are going to be there in July of this year, here's a heads up for you:

From 9th - 12th July 2008, the new Arena and Convention Centre, Liverpool shall see the arrival of some of the world's leading lung cancer experts and will offer an opportunity to develop future strategies for early lung cancer detection, molecular diagnostics and therapeutics.

Although aimed at clinicians and researchers, attendance at this conference will give you the opportunity to hear first hand about the cutting edge advances in clinical trials, early lung cancer detection and CT imaging, developing therapeutics and emerging molecular diagnostics. By understanding a disease, you are better placed to deal with it.

For further information, go to the International Lung Cancer Conference Website

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 01:46 PM | Permalink

The Department of Environmental Quality has fined an Albany woman $8,417 for allowing an unlicensed person to perform an asbestos abatement project.

The home owner, Wanda Fay Scheler, appealed against the fine but it was denied. She now says that she plans to ask for another hearing.

Scheler does not live in the house, she rents it out and, in August last year, she reportedly hired two workers for a renovation project. The workers removed about 293 square feet of siding that was put into trash bags and placed into Dumpsters. They also removed an old stovepipe that included insulation tape. This is at odds with Scheler's claim that the job was to be painting only but the workers pulled off "off a few shingles at the top of the house."

When the property was inspected by DEQ staff, they reported "pieces of siding waste scattered along the sides of the residence and saw that the insulation tape on the old stove pipe was in very poor condition."

On analysis, the side waste was found to contain 10 percent chrysotile asbestos and the insulation tape contained 50 percent. The DEQ regulates handling and disposal of any materials that contain more than 1 percent asbestos. The inspectors also noted that the workers broke the siding when removing it from the home, creating the potential for asbestos particles to be released into the air. The same was noted for the insulation tape.

The DEQ also charged that the workers did not "properly label and package the friable ACWM (asbestos containing waste material) generated by the renovation project in leak-tight containers."

I have to wonder if Scheler would have been so remiss had she actually lived in the property?

Albany Democrat Herald

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 09:31 AM | Permalink

Asbestos from the now defunct Vermont Asbestos Group on Belvedere Mountain has invaded the surrounding wetlands, polluted two brooks and a pond, and has damaged or destroyed eight wetlands. There are two waste piles in the area, one at the ironically named Eden and the other at Lowell.

State analysts have documented high levels of asbestos in stream sediments close to the mine; elevated levels of magnesium, nickel and arsenic in the water; and very few of the aquatic bugs found in healthy brooks. Concern for public health is growing because there is a real fear that a large chunk of the rock could break away from the eroding towers of rock and slide into a waterway. If this were to happen, the breakage and slide-friction could release asbestos dust into the air.

Much of the asbestos washed out of the piles has been trapped, at least temporarily, in the mud on brook bottoms. But it also coats plants and the ground when water levels drop after spring floods, and can be turned into airborne dust when disturbed.

The EPA estimates the Eden quarry waste pile at 12 million tons, and the 80-acre Lowell quarry at 30 million to 60 million tons.

Burlington Free Press

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 10:10 AM | Permalink

Remember the prison where 33 current and previous inmates were concerned that they had been living and working with asbestos and are claiming damages for that exposure? Well, the assertion made by a prison official that the dormitories were cleared of asbestos two years ago was untrue.

A survey of the prison undertaken in May last year showed that pipe insulation, caulking and tile floors in inmate living areas contained asbestos. Small areas of the infirmary and receiving building were also found to contain asbestos, some of it crumbling. These areas were considered to be a "severe hazard."

Even more worrying, perhaps, was the memo of complaint from a pharmacist about the powdered residue that emanated from the tiled floor. He feared that the powder might be contaminating drugs and that it might be asbestos.

Prison spokeswoman JoEllen Lyons said officials have worked to remove hazardous asbestos and to safely encapsulate whatever remains at the Chillicothe prison.

Removal efforts, such as a major program in which specially trained inmates removed asbestos from pipes in tunnels beneath the Chillicothe prison, have not been without problems, and a prison memo states that barriers intended to prevent the spread of airborne asbestos had somehow been breached.

In 2006, a prison official commented, "We have placed our staff and inmates in a situation of possible exposure and may be violating environmental regulations."

JoEllen Lyons is reported to have said that none of the 2,850 inmates or 587 employees is thought to have been harmed by asbestos at Chillicothe or any other prison.

Columbus Dispatch

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 10:32 PM | Permalink

Following on from my recent post about the dangers of old linoleum, I thought I'd try to found out what other asbestos dangers are lurking in the average home - this is what I found:

# Some roofing and siding shingles are made of asbestos cement.

# Houses built between 1930 and 1950 may have asbestos as insulation.

# Asbestos may be present in textured paint and in patching compounds used on wall and ceiling joints. Their use was banned in 1977.

# Artificial ashes and embers sold for use in gas-fired fireplaces may contain asbestos.

# Older products such as stove-top pads may have some asbestos compounds.

# Walls and floors around woodburning stoves may be protected with asbestos paper, millboard, or cement sheets.

# Asbestos is found in some vinyl floor tiles and the backing on vinyl sheet flooring and adhesives.

# Hot water and steam pipes in older houses may be coated with an asbestos material or covered with an asbestos blanket or tape.

# Oil and coal furnaces and door gaskets may have asbestos insulation.

Worrying, isn't it! If you are concerned about asbestos in your home, the first thing to say is that you shouldn't panic. If the asbestos containing product is in good condition, just leave it alone - it is unlikely to release fibers.

Check material that you suspect contains asbestos regularly, looking for signs of wear or damage. Do not touch it. . Damaged material may release asbestos fibers. This is particularly true if it is often disturbed or subject to extreme flows of air.

If asbestos material is more than slightly damaged, or if you are going to make changes in your home that might disturb it, repair or removal by a professional is needed.

For detailed help and information, click on the link the US EPA below.

EPA

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 10:28 AM | Permalink

As a keen gardener who regularly uses products containing vermiculite, I was keen to find out about the asbestos contents of these products. The most recent reputable work I could find was a report from the US EPA that was originally released in the year 2000.

Despite the fact that this report is now eight years old, it does make interesting reading and so I include the link below. In brief, however, the study found that some consumer gardening products do contain a small amount of asbestos, although that content was variable between testing methods. It was also noted that the asbestos contented varied from bag to bag and that sometimes samples from the same vermiculite mine contained differing percentages of asbestos.

What is useful in the document is the risk analysis, which gives a calculation to help you work out your risk level, which is dependent on the amount of vermiculite used, the frequency of use, and the length of time over which you have used it.

It must be pointed out that this study was based purely on general consumer use and not on occupational use.

If you want to take a closer look at the document, which is in PDF format, click here

The risk analysis calculation appears on page 105 and a full explanation of how to use the calculation is given.

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 02:10 PM | Permalink

In New Orleans the recovery process from Hurricane Katrina has been hindered by the problems of demolishing buildings that contain asbestos. In an effort to prevent a recurrence of this problem in any future disaster, the DEA has come up with a cunning plan: they are to incinerate several demolished homes containing asbestos at the parish landfill while monitoring the air to ensure there are no toxic emissions.

The EPA proposed the asbestos burn after Louisiana officials raised concerns about the sheer volume of storm debris and the limited landfill space that can accept asbestos-contaminated material. They plans to burn three asbestos-containing homes in a special incinerator at the parish landfill on Paris Road in Chalmette.

The incinerator is known as an air curtain destructor, which is an open-topped firebox that has a high-speed air current blown across the top to contain the emissions, while also providing oxygen for the fire.

Apparently, when asbestos is burned at high temperature it is converted into a harmless substance but, to ensure safety, dozens of air monitors will be used during the test to identify any harmful emissions.

The tests are scheduled for early April but will only take place if the prevailing wind is blowing away from inhabited areas.

The Times-Picayune

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 02:59 PM | Permalink

According to an article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, physicians, nurses, industrial hygienists, clinical scientists and others who deal with the victims of asbestos exposure are signing a petition that will go to the House of Representatives, asking them to pass legislature that will totally ban the importation and use of asbestos-containing products.

Many of them have been working with Senator Patti Murray of Washington, who has been working for six years to get a total asbestos ban through the legislature. Her fight has not been easy and the current feeling is that Bill SB742 that was proposed by Murray last year will not be enough to stop the problems with asbestos, because of the way it is worded. The problem is that Murray's original wording had to be 'watered down' to get it through, with the result that the new version would still allow asbestos fibers from vermiculite, talc, and taconite .

The House expects to hold a hearing on “a more inclusive” ban in early spring, committee staffers say. Currently, 40 countries around the world have issued a total ban on asbestos, including almost all the European Union members. The U.S. issued strong warnings about asbestos use in the 1970s but never a total ban.

MAAC

Seattle PI to read about Murray's Bill

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 08:54 AM | Permalink

Just a little food for thought today - this report from Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center certainly made me stop and think:

A series of accidents in the summer of 2006, including a Manhattan steam pipe rupture and the tragic bridge collapse in Minneapolis has prompted a report of looming crisis because antiquated fixtures will need to be removed in order to comply with federal guidelines. Not only is there the problem of removing the asbestos from old buildings but as the asbestos in those buildings ages, it slowly breaks down and becomes increasingly more dangerous. The only safe asbestos is that which is encapsulated.

Recent studies show that nearly 80% of buildings constructed prior to 1978 contain asbestos in some capacity. Many of these buildings are architecturally important but the cost of asbestos removal has been prohibitive in renovating or repairing them.

Transworld News

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 03:48 PM | Permalink

In India, environmental groups are claiming that The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers is attempting to tamper with a study on the safety of white asbestos. Despite being banned by 40 countries because of the proven health hazards, this material is still widely used in India.

Based on documents retrieved under the Right to Information Act, asbestos action groups, including the Ban Asbestos Network of India, claim that the ministry is trying to influence the study to support the continued use of asbestos in India, where there are currently around 30 companies involved in its production.

A senior official in the ministry involved in a review of the study declined to respond to the allegations.

The Telegraph

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 01:51 PM | Permalink

In October last year Law Lords in Britain overturned 30 years of case law, which said that pleural plaque victims should receive compensation. Since then a campaign led by Labour MPs, and unions has begun to attempt to get the Law Lords decision overturned.

However, in Scotland, things have moved quickly and earlier this week Justice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill , said, "It is right and proper that we should not turn our backs on those who contributed to our nation's wealth in the past."

Proposed new Scottish legislation includes asymptomatic asbestosis and pleural thickening to avoid a "narrow interpretation of the case." This means that more people in Scotland will be eligible for compensation.

Press Association

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 10:43 AM | Permalink

If this is not news to you - I apologize. It was certainly news to me!

Asbestos was, apparently, used in the manufacture of vinyl floor coverings up until the 1970's and even when its use was banned, the sale of old stock wasn't - this means that vinyl floors laid up until the early1980's could contain asbestos.

So, this means care must be taken not to release dust when lifting old vinyl flooring. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recommends the following:

Remove the material by hand scraping to minimize breakage, then package the debris in puncture-proof containers and dispose at a landfill that is permitted for demolition debris; notification, fees, and the use of a licensed asbestos removal contractor are not typically required.

If you are unsure about the asbestos status of your vinyl flooring, contact your local DEQ for assistance.

Inman Consumer News

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 02:53 PM | Permalink

Greenstone Holdings, Inc. have announced today the introduction of Crystal-Guard, which they claim is a revolutionary new technology for asbestos removal that was developed in Japan. The company press-release says:

Crystal-Guard is used to contain asbestos by spraying and encapsulating the asbestos preventing the asbestos from releasing toxic airborne particles into the air, which endanger people's health. Nonetheless, Crystal-Guard does not have an adverse effect on the original thermal insulation properties of the asbestos.

Greenstone Introduces New Technology for Asbestos Disposal

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 10:43 AM | Permalink

A two-day training event in Everett, Washing, in May was attended by firefighters from all over Snohomish County. The event involved search-and-rescue drills, some of which involved firefighters cutting into walls, but trainees didn't always wear protective masks. This despite the fact that at least one Everett fire official knew that there were asbestos hazards in the training houses. This means that, although the visiting fire teams were unaware of the hazards, the local officials knew full well of the dangers - and still sent their own men in!

Now some firefighters are raising questions about why they haven't been notified that there was potential exposure because nothing appears to have been said even after an investigation by a consultant with the state Department of Labor and Industries revealed that Everett firefighters likely were exposed to asbestos when they trained in the houses in July.

Troy Smith, union president for firefighters in Snohomish County has reported that, "Guys were being dragged on the floor and there was dust all over the place. While our guys didn't tear apart the house like Everett, there were asbestos products inside and there was no decontamination process."

Yet another failing on behalf of those in authority to consider the wellbeing of others.

Everett Washington Herald

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 08:41 AM | Permalink

Following on from my last entry regarding the negligence of a New Zealand council contractor, I've found this story - from the US:

Two individuals associated with a Chili general contracting company have been indicted on charges of illegal asbestos removal and lying to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The contractors, Gordon-Smith Contracting, were working on the old Genesee Hospital in Rochester, which is being redeveloped as a mixed-use urban center. It is claimed that, although the company president and a project manager knew that asbestos was present, they instructed their employees to to remove copper piping and other materials from ceilings.

Gordon-Smith is also charged with violating the Clean Air Act.

The charges against Gordon-Smith and Vega carry a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, or both, said U.S. Attorney Terrance P. Flynn of the Western District of New York. The charge against the company carries a fine up to $500,000.

The possible costs to their employees are incalculable.

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 09:20 AM | Permalink

It's amazing, isn't it, how simple, everyday processes can cause asbestos contamination if they're not thought through properly.

In New Zealand a mother and her four children are waiting to be rehomed after a thoughtless council contractor water-blasted her asbestos containing roof. Following the contamination a council spokesman said it was unfortunate the contractor had not realized the material he was working with was asbestos. That's really not good enough is it? All contractors should be aware of the dangers of asbestos and check things out before starting work.

To make matters worse, the tenant, who is obviously anxious about the wellbeing of her kids is having no luck in speeding up efforts to relocate her to a safer area.

stuff.co.nz

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 04:13 AM | Permalink