Tens of thousands of people die each year around the globe because of asbestos-related diseases such as malignant mesothelioma and asbestosis, according to the World Health Organization. And because of the extremely hazardous nature of asbestos, which was once widely used in construction as an insulator and flame-retardant, its handling needs to be undertaken with the utmost care.

Despite the risks, on occasion careless or unethical individuals do not take the proper precautions when dealing with buildings that contain the naturally occurring mineral, which can have grave consequences for workers or those in the area of the work.

Such was the case of Russell Coco, who supervised a renovation project at the Equitable Building, a Des Moines, Iowa landmark. According to the Des Moines Register, Coco recently agreed to plead guilty to allowing asbestos to be mishandled during the refurbishment work. Continue reading →

The IBAS has just published an interesting rebuttal to the personal attacks against it and its executive director, Laurie Kazan-Allen, by the Russian Merchants of Asbestos Death which began several years ago and accelerated in the last week or two, along with a scholarly article by Drs. G. Tweedale and J. McCulloch, Fighting Back: A History of Victims’ Action Groups and the Ban Asbestos Movement, describing the real history of the grass-roots origin and evolution of the world-wide movement to ban asbestos and protect its current victims.

Since I am Laurie Kazan-Allen’s older brother, I take attacks on her quite personally, and am always ready to spring to her defense. However, in this case, she clearly doesn’t need my help; it is clear that she is engaged in a battle of wits with a group of unarmed men whose ignorance and incompetence is outweighed only by their lack of integrity and common decency, and she has already won the fight. Continue reading →

A former New York City safety inspector who faked hundreds of asbestos reports was recently sentenced to five years in prison by a federal judge.

Saverio F. Todaro had pleaded guilty in March to a number of fraud charges and environmental crimes in connection with his duties as a safety inspector, according to the New York Times. It was revealed that the ailing 68-year-old had not performed hundreds of asbestos and lead inspections that he claimed to have completed.

In addition, Todaro did not submit the proper laboratory work in a number of cases.

It is vital that asbestos be properly accounted for by inspectors as renovation and demolition work can disturb the dangerous mineral fibers. If these fibers become airborne and are inhaled, it can lead to the development of a number of serious illnesses such as lung cancer, asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma, a rare and deadly cancer that attacks the thin membrane that lines the chest, abdomen and many of the body’s internal organs. Continue reading →

The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) and British medical journal The Lancet have decided to join the campaign against Canadian government plans that would potentially expand one of its asbestos mines, the Vancouver Sun reports.

In a recently published article, The Lancet says that the Canadian and Quebec governments are hypocrites because they support the widespread export of asbestos to developing countries while still limiting its domestic use, according to the news source.

Dr. Jeff Turnbull, president of the CMA, has reportedly urged Quebec Premier Jean Charest to cancel a $58 million loan guarantee to a consortium that is seeking to expand the Jeffrey Mine, which is in the town of Asbestos. Continue reading →

Clément Godbout, president of the Chrysotile Institute is quoted by a journalist saying that Turkey’s asbestos ban will have little effect.

From Le Soleil, le 08 janvier 2011 (full article in French):

Turkey has not bought chrysotile (asbestos) for at least six years, so it has not been a client of Quebec enterprises for several years,” explains Clément Godbout, president of the Chrysotile Institute.

Turkey had already partially banned asbestos and the total ban means that the use of asbestos will now be forbidden in all products and that the sale of products containing asbestos will also be forbidden.

“Don’t forget that Turkey is seeking to enter the European Union and that the banning of asbestos is one of the first conditions required to enter. At bottom, it is Europe which is pursuing its anti-asbestos crusade,” deplores Mr Godbout.

…”For us, 2010 was hell. The anti-asbestos lobby went at it with a campaign never seen before in user countries. Everything was put in place to challenge chrysotile. In these circumstances, we were incapable of getting our message out,” stressed the president of the Chrysotile Institute.

The Montreal Gazette adds its voice to the growing call to end Quebec’s continued trade in asbestos. In the face of global demands to ban asbestos use entirely, Quebec’s Premier Jean Charest seeks to justify arguments that “safely used” asbestos will not pose a threat to workers or their families, despite an ever-growing death toll around the world.

Read The continued sale of Quebec’s asbestos is indefensible

An important article epublished today in Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) reports that for every four to five reported cases of mesothelioma worldwide, at least one case goes unreported. This is the first study to provide an estimate of unreported cases of mesothelioma, and to show the true cost of asbestos use in the global enviornment.

Authors Eun-Kee Park, Ken Takahashi Tsutomu Hoshuyama,Tsun-Jen Cheng, Vanya Delgermaa, Giang Vinh Le and Tom Sorahan examined the relationship between asbestos use by country from 1920 through 1970 and mesothelioma deaths reported between 1994 and 2008. Cumulative asbestos use in 89 countries, which accounted for more than 82 percent of the global population in the year 2000, totaled more than 65 million metric tons during 1920–1970. The United States, Russia, United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan led the group in asbestos use. For the 56 countries also reporting mesothelioma data, there were approximately 174,300 such deaths during 1994–2008. Continue reading →

On January 6, 2011 an Alameda County jury returned a $13.5 million dollar second phase verdict assessing punitive damages against Phuemo Abex LLC (9 million dollars) and Arvin Meritor/Rockwell (4.5 million dollars). In the first phase of the trial, completed on December 22, the jury awarded 3.9 million dollars in compensatory damages, and found that the defendants, Pneumo Abex, Arvin Meritor, and co-defendant Carlisle Corporation (which resolved before Phase 2), acted with malice, fraud and oppression, warranting the second phase determination.

Read more about the Bankhead Verdict.

Ex-staffers of Hindustan Composites who were fighting for claims since 2004 will receive over Rs 1 lakh each

Publication: Mumbai Mirror ; Date: Dec 24, 2010; Section: City; Page: 6; Lata.Mishra @timesgroup.com

In a payout that could set a precedent, a defunct UK company that made asbestos sheets at its Ghatkopar plant has compensated 95 former workers – and in two cases their spouses – accepting their claims that the nature of their work was responsible for them suffering from asbestosis, a dangerous lung infection that could lead to cancer (see box).

These 97 people have raised hopes of millions of Indian workers who are fighting for healthrelated compensation from foreign companies. The workers, formerly employed with Hindustan Composites Ltd, have won compensation of over Rs 3 crore, and each of them will receive between Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 8 lakh, depending on the severity of the disease. Continue reading →

Turkey’s Environment Management Directorate General announced regulation banning the use of asbestos goes into effect this Friday, in full compliance with EU regulations.

As more nations around the world join in the effort to ban the use of asbestos-related products, the fight to protect workers and their families from diseases and illness caused by asbestos exposure is furthered.

Read the full story on Turkey’s asbestos ban here.