The children of a deceased Exxon Mobil employee allege the company exposed their father to asbestos, which caused his death from lung cancer.

Despite being aware of the dangers of asbestos in their Louisiana riverboats, chemical plants and oil refineries as early as 1937, Exxon Mobil Corporation (XON) failed to implement any type of safety measures to protect their workers. This was the recent ruling of the Louisiana First Court of Appeal, and an affirmation of a trial court's 2006 judgment awarding substantial damages to the family of Omar Phillips, a former Exxon employee who died of mesothelioma.

In their original original complaint, the plaintiffs claimed that Omar was employed by Mobil Oil as a pipe-fitter and welder and was exposed to toxic materials including asbestos dust and fibers

Astoundingly, the company's own records show despite outlining a strategy for minimizing asbestos exposure in its facilities they never bothered to follow through on the 1937 plan to protect workers like Omar Phillips.

South East Texas Record

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 05:34 AM | Permalink

There is so much dire financial news lately, that it probably all goes in one ear and out of the other, just leaving a general feeling of disbelief mixed with dismay.

However, one piece of market news that will be of interest to sufferers of mesothelioma and their carers is the fact that Alfacell has approved the engagement of Oppenheimer Co. as a financial adviser. The sale of the company is also under consideration.

Why should this be of interest?

Because Alfacell is the manufacturing company behind Onconase, a drug for the treatment of malignant mesothelioma. the Company has completed Phase III clinical trials of ONCONASE in unresectable malignant mesothelioma and is now involved in ongoing efforts to complete the related rolling New Drug Application.

ONCONASE has been granted fast track status and orphan-drug designation for the treatment of malignant mesothelioma by the FDA. Additionally, ONCONASE has been granted orphan-drug designation in the European Union and Australia.

Let's hope the process continues unhindered.

Market Watch

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 09:06 AM | Permalink

People who worked at the Flintkote Company, in Fremont, California, between 1967 and 1979 were unknowingly exposed to low levels of asbestos, says a report from the Federal Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry.

Public health officials in the area, in the Bay area of California, have asked former employees of the company to inform them about any health problems they have that could be the result of asbestos exposure.

The same officials also want to speak to those who lived with Flintkote workers during those 12 years, because it is not uncommon for employees to carry asbestos fibers home in their hair or clothing.

If you worked at the manufacturing plant during the relevant period, or lived with somebody who did, you should contact Maria Teran-MacIver, the agency's communication specialist, at 770-488-0720.

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 07:55 AM | Permalink

In a suit filed last year, the EPA accused John Roche, former city manager of Winslow, Arizona, of tearing down four of nine apartment buildings without inspecting them for asbestos. The apartment owner was also accused.

As if that wasn't bad enough, when tests ordered by state authorities (who had got wind of what was going on) revealed the presence of asbestos, Roche continued with the demolition, and then transported the debris to a city dump for incineration.

As a result of Roche's blatant disregard for the public safety, the city of Winslow must now pay $240,000 in fines for tearing down apartments contaminated with asbestos and then burning the debris.

AZ Central

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 04:37 AM | Permalink

When the city of St Louis and Lambert-St Louis International Airport, which is owned by the city, demolished asbestos-laden buildings in Bridgeton, a community in the path of a new runway. a federal court ruled that federal asbestos safety standards had been violated. Public Justice Environmental Enforcement Director, Jim Hecker, said "This is the first time a federal court has held a city liable for violating federal asbestos safety standards,."

The asbestos removal method used in the demolition was the so-called 'wet method,' which involves using water hoses to blast the contaminant from pipes, walls, ceilings and attics. When this method of asbestos removal is used, regulations requiring the removal, bagging and safe disposal of the cancer-causing asbestos are, in effect, flouted.

Contractors working on behalf of the city of St Louis used the untested wet method to clear asbestos from 260 homes and had plans for hundreds more. They used high pressure streams that sent asbestos laden water down streets in still occupied residential areas. What happens to the asbestos after the water has evaporated has not been assessed.

Some EPA scientists decried this method of asbestos removal, saying that it should be fully evaluated before being used. Other EPA scientists hailed the method as a major money-saver, and insisted that it should be used.

The irony here is that the bagging and safe disposal regulations of asbestos waste that were flouted are the regulations formulated by the EPA itself.

It's strange then, that the EPA are intent on using this untested wet method of asbestos removal nation-wide.

Seattle Pi

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 08:32 PM | Permalink

In Syracuse, NY, asbestos assessor, Mark Desnoyers, faces 25 years in prison, plus restitution to victims, after he was convicted of falsifying air sample results at asbestos cleanup sites.

The prosecution claim that Desnoyers, owner of Adirondack Environmental Associates, secretly agreed with asbestos contractors to falsify the results, which were taken from numerous commercial buildings and private homes.

As a result of the fraud, cleanup sites were left massively contaminated.

Earlier on, John Wood and Curtis Collins, both asbestos-removal contractors, pleaded guilty to charges related to the scheme. They each face up to five years in prison.

Newsday

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 08:03 AM | Permalink

Rhio O’Conner, a 7-year survivor of mesothelioma cancer, has written a book called "They Said Months, I Chose Years: A Mesothelioma Survivor’s Story."

O’Conner, who was given less than a year to live when he was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in 2001, felt discouraged, to say the least, by his doctor's advice to take a final vacation with his wife and then prepare to live his last months at home with Hospice care,

O’Conner had his own, radically different ideas. His treatment plan included taking in excess of 100 supplements a day and meditating.

As long as you take stories like O'Conner's with a drop or two of wisdom and a large pinch of salt, it can't hurt to read of other mesothelioma sufferers overcoming the odds. And, as the book is published by Cancer Monthly, at least you know its not coming from some quack profit-making institution.

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 09:49 AM | Permalink

About Asbestos
• The name "Asbestos" was given by the Ancient Greeks, describing its "inextinguishable" properties
• Asbestos is resistant to heat, acid, friction, and is virtually indestructible
• Asbestos consists of microscopic, needle-shaped fibers that are too small to be seen with the naked eye

Exposure Statistics
• An estimated 30 million tons of asbestos products were used during the 1900s in the US
• Over 110,000 US schools still contain some form of asbestos.
• An English doctor made the first diagnosis of asbestosis in 1906

Asbestos Statistics

• 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year
• About 4,000 people pass away each year from malignant mesothelioma
• The median age for experiencing mesothelioma symptoms is between 65 and 70
• The latency period of symptoms associated with asbestos is between 15 and 50 years
• 250,000 cases of mesothelioma are estimated to occur before 2020

Transworld News

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 07:10 AM | Permalink

The House of Representatives, along with the Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials, has passed a landmark bill called the Bruce Vento Ban Asbestos and Prevent Mesothelioma Act of 2008.

The bill, introduced by Chairman Gene Green of Texas, will work towards a complete ban on asbestos use and is an amendment to the Toxic Substances Control Act

Gene Green is the chairman of the subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials. He said that the ban is needed to "protect the health of all Americans from this deadly toxic material."

Bruce Vento, for whom the bill is named, was a former member of the House of Representatives from Minnesota. A indefatigable environmental advocate, and former teacher, Mr Vento died of mesothelioma in 2000.

Seattle Pi

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 03:17 AM | Permalink

I was astounded to read an article, entitled 'Attractive Roof,' authored by guest columnist Mudar Patherya in Business Standard.

It's difficult to make out exactly what the guy is talking about, but I think he's advocating purchase of shares in a company called Visaka Industries, which is involved in the manufacture of asbestos sheeting. The company is apparently doing well and I suspect that's on the back of asbestos bans in the western world.

Nowhere in the article is mention made of asbestos health hazards and, having been immersed in writing about those for the past year, the whole tone of the article seemed wrong to me. The truth of the matter is that India is expanding the asbestos sector and constructing factories where asbestos material is produced 24 hours a day.

I don't suppose I should have been surprised to read that the Indian National Cancer Register does not document cases of mesothelioma, neither does the Indian Governmentrecord the incidence of occupational disease.

Or that on two occasions, the Indian Government has, with a handful of other national asbestos stakeholders, blocked United Nations efforts to add chrysotile to the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) list of the Rotterdam Convention.

Scandalous - but what is the solution?

World Asbestos Report

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 11:36 AM | Permalink

The Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research is currently conducting a trial to find out whether mesothelioma symptoms can be better controlled with or without the use of a newly developed electronic device.

The Electronic Tool for Monitoring Symptoms and Syndromes Associated With Advanced Cancer, shortened to E-MOSAIC and it's not difficult to understand why, is a hand held tool used to record and monitor symptoms and assess the quality of life for patients with advanced cancer.

Researchers hope the device will improve communication between patients and their doctors and improve their ability to plan treatments

The trial is being conducted as a palliative treatment, which means the treatment is not designed to eradicate cancer cells. Palliative treatments are those that will relieve pain and discomfort, thus improving the quality of the patient's life.

Mesothelioma patients who participate in the trial will include persons with advanced incurable cancer looking to ease their pain and suffering rather than improve their prognosis.

For more information about the trial, click here.

Individuals interested in participating in this trial, which is estimated to reach completion in July 2010, should contact Dr Florian Strasser, MD at the Kantonsspital in St Gallen, Switzerland.

The link will lead you to a Google translation of the hospital's website.

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 06:33 AM | Permalink

Earlier this week W.R. Grace offered a $6.5 million settlement to Canadians whose homes contain Zonolite insulation. But Winnipeg MP, Pat Martin, has labeled the offer as "an absolutely paltry amount of money" that is almost useless in terms of the costs remedial work that has to be undertaken. One critic of the proposed settlement, who has lost six family members to asbestos related disease, says that she probably can't even get an asbestos assessment for the amount on offer.

The breakdown of the proposed Canadian settlement monies is:

Up to $2.25 million to Canadian lawyers for current and future legal fees, which could include a US$350,000 payment to American legal counsel;

Up to $850,000 to a claims administrator;

Up to $150,000 to a 'qualified expert' for consultation and procedure development.

The remainder of the money in the fund, as well as interest and any leftover cash, will be available to claim holders.

he settlement has yet to be approved in Canadian or American courts.

Winnipeg Free Press

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 06:22 AM | Permalink

As an initial step in the construction of the 2016 Olympic Village, Mayor Daley had planned to borrow $85 million to buy the campus of Michael Reese Hospital. However, the fact that 27 buildings on campus contain asbestos and lead based paint, and as there are several subterranean abandoned storage tanks, clean up costs will be far higher than originally estimated.

In fact, some sources say that quotes for the clean up have come in 60% higher than expected, at $32 million rather than $20 million.

The Chicago 2016 organizing committee is reportedly trying to salvage the deal by renegotiating the purchase price.

This is probably the beginning of what is going to be a long, drawn-out process. No doubt we'll hear more.

Chicago Sun Times

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 04:17 AM | Permalink

Victims of a benign asbestos related condition should be entitled to seek compensation despite objections from the medical and insurance professions, a government minister said.

Minister for community safety Fergus Ewing insisted the Scottish Government was right to draft legislation to overturn a decision by the House of Lords which stopped people with pleural plaques - scarring on the lungs - from making claims.

He also took a swipe at insurers for raising "alarmist" concerns over vastly increased payouts and costs.

The Press Association

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 04:11 AM | Permalink

It might sound like a sixties pop band but, of course, they're the names of the three hurricanes to hit our area of the world in the last couple of weeks.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency, in conjunction with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, has today issued a warning to residents returning home after Hurricane Gustav to be aware of possible exposure to harmful toxins such as asbestos. It stands to reason that these will soon be followed by warnings for Hannah and Ike.

The EPA advise the following precautions to Gustav-victims, and they are the precautions that all hurricane-victims will need to take. So here they are in advance:

1. Be on the lookout for leaking containers, and household chemicals which might be dangerous. Examples include chlorine bleach and caustic drain cleaners. These items should be clearly marked as hazardous chemicals, and set aside in a safe place until they can be safely disposed of. If chemical containers are unlabeled or broken they should be left undisturbed if possible.

2. Be sure to keep children and pets well away from any chemicals, whether spilled, leaking from containers, or safely stored away.

3. Do not combine any chemicals, such as those in containers which are damaged or leaking. Dangerous or violent chemical reactions may result if two different types of chemicals are mixed.

4. Do not dispose of chemicals down household trainers, toilets, or storm sewers, and do not attempt to burn chemicals to dispose of them.

Finally, residents should also be aware that homes, commercial and industrial sites, and public buildings that have sustained damage may contain asbestos and other potentially hazardous construction materials.

I suppose it is very unlikely that displaced persons will be reading a blog, of all things! However, just in case, thought it would be good to have these precautions in advance.

EPA PDF

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 03:31 AM | Permalink

Steve McQueen and Warren Zevon (Werewolves of London) both died from mesothelioma? I didn't. And that got me thinking - I tried to find out which famous people had died of mesothelioma. I came across a list of folk who had died of unspecified lung cancer, but very with few instances of specificity about the cause. Then I thought about the fact that frequently the general public usually lay the blame for lung cancer at the door of cigarette smoking (as I did with Steve McQueen). I found the following famous mesothelioma victims (apart from Steve and Warren), pure statistics says there have to be more.

Paul Gleason - actor
Stephen Jay Gould - Scientist
Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. - US Chief Naval Officer

It all serves to make me wonder just how much prejudice there is against those suffering from mesothelioma or other lung conditions caused by asbestos. It's so easy, isn't it, to think 'ah, he brought it on himself, he should have stopped smoking.'

Damned lies and statistics.

Send Lawyers, Guns and Money: Warren Zevon Remembered

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 09:18 AM | Permalink

According to The Daily Green, global warming isn't the only reason to stop using fossil fuels.

They say that among the more common hazards workers in the fossil fuel industry encounter is asbestos. They remind us that, although asbestos was banned back in the late 1970's by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, it still exists in nearly all industry across the world.

Asbestos was used as an insulator and a fire retardant in piping, boilers, and other fixtures. As these products age or become damaged the asbestos can easily be released into the air and can be inhaled by those in the vicinity.

There is currently a rise in the incidence of mesothelioma, a cancer caused only by exposure to asbestos, among people who used to work in the coal and oil industries.

Posted by Dianne Sandland at 08:00 AM | Permalink