Posts Tagged ‘asbestos’

Merlin Olsen family settles asbestos lawsuit

29 Sep 2011 by Wendi Lewis under Legal, News, People

merlin olsen 100x100 Merlin Olsen family settles asbestos lawsuitThe Associated Press reported last week that the family of famed football and television star Merlin Olsen had settled the lawsuit it had filed against several companies. The family was seeking to hold 10 companies responsible for asbestos exposure that they say caused Mr. Olsen to contract mesothelioma, from which he died in March 2010 at age 69. The lawsuit alleged Mr. Olsen was exposed to in his youth, when working on construction sites. Mesothelioma is a deadly form of cancer that usually affects the lining of the lungs and/or the abdomen. It typically takes mesothelioma a long time to develop after exposure. (more…)

Tags: , , , , , ,

Listen to an interview with lead author of NYFD cancer study

11 Sep 2011 by Wendi Lewis under News, Research/Treatment

fdny logo Listen to an interview with lead author of NYFD cancer studyEarlier this month, in anticipation of the 10th anniversary of 9/11, The Lancet published a study of cancer risk in New York City firefighters who were first responders to Ground Zero at the World Trade Center (WTC). The study, conducted seven years after the attacks, was both the “first firefighter study on the effects of 9/11 and cancer, but it is also the largest firefighter cancer study ever done,” according to Dr. David J. Prezant, Chief Medical Officer at the NYFD and the lead author of the study. (more…)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

People exposed to toxins at WTC site during 9/11 call for cancer coverage

10 Sep 2011 by Wendi Lewis under Legal, News

firefighters at WTC site 100x100 People exposed to toxins at WTC site during 9/11 call for cancer coverageIn the wake of several new studies that indicate an increased risk of cancer among firefighters and others exposed to toxins at the World Trade Center site during 9/11, there is an outcry to include cancer among the conditions eligible for coverage by the James Zagroda 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. (more…)

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

The Daily Show shines a light on Canadian asbestos mining, exporting

13 May 2011 by Wendi Lewis under News

An amazing original report by The Daily Show, the popular news commentary and comedy show hosted by Jon Stewart on Comedy Central, shines a spotlight on Canada’s continued mining and exporting of . Reporter Aasif Mandvi visited a small Quebec town called – believe it or not – . There, he talked to town officials, industry leaders and a health expert about . A local business leader says when the mine is up to full production, they intend to produce 200,000 tons of chrysotile fibers per year. They export this to India, which does not have any laws against its use and does not monitor its use. (more…)

Tags: ,

Detroit demolition plan halted due to asbestos concerns

12 Apr 2010 by Wendi Lewis under Legal, News, Organizations

Representatives from the City of , Michigan, meant well, but nearly put lives in danger recently with plans to demolish around 3,000 dilapidated homes and other buildings in a blighted area. The project, whose ultimate goal was to remove 10,000 dangerous abandoned buildings over the next four years and eliminate risks like collapse, fire and disease, was featured in the local newspaper, the Detroit Free Press. As it turned out, someone from the state Department of Natural Resources and Environment was reading, and the story raised a red flag.

After a quick investigation, DNRE spokesman Robert McCann told the Free Press the agency discovered the City had not completed required inspections on the properties scheduled for demolition. The City also had not notified the state – which is required by law – of the planned demolition. The planned project was halted April 5, and City officials met with DNRE representatives to learn what they should do.

According to the Free Press, representatives from the City said they were unaware they were violating any federal regulations, and said the City has not had a history of inspecting buildings for the presence of before demolition under past administrations. The current Mayor is Dave Bing.

Some demolition occurred before DNRE officials were able to call a halt; however, subsequent testing did not find any present. The project is under the direction of the City’s Buildings and Safety Engineering Department. The houses planned for demolition are located in southwest . The City still plans to demolish 3,000 structures by the end of this year, and 10,000 structures during the next four years.

Federal regulations require that businesses or individuals planning demolition first test the structure for the presence of , remove any that is found using approved abatement procedures to ensure the safety of workers and the public, and provide a 10-day notice to the DNRE before beginning demolition. Violations could incur fines of up to $27,500 per day, and jail time. It was not noted in the Free Press story if the City is in danger of being prosecuted for its violations.

However, public interest in the story did raise awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure, which can result in mesothelioma, a deadly cancer that affects the lining of the chest and lungs, the lining of the abdomen, or the lining of the heart. As a result of reader interest, the newspaper published a helpful Q&A about asbestos exposure the following day.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Study reveals persistent, significant reduction in lung function for 9/11 responders, workers

8 Apr 2010 by Wendi Lewis under Events, Legal, News, Research/Treatment

firefighters at WTC site 100x100 Study reveals persistent, significant reduction in lung function for 9/11 responders, workersA study published today in The New England Journal of Medicine reveals that Fire Department of New York (FDNY) firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) workers who responded to the 9/11 attacks at the World Trade Center have suffered significant, persistent declines in lung functions. According to the report, exposure to World Trade Center dust created when the towers collapsed led to “large declines” in lung functions for FDNY rescue workers during the first year, and that “the declines were persistent, without recovery over the next 6 years, leaving a substantial proportion of workers with abnormal lung function.”

The study included 12,781 workers who were present at the WTC site between Sept. 11, 2001 and Sept. 24, 2001, which is 91.6 percent of the workers that were present. The report notes that the event exposed the workers – as well as those living and working in the surrounding area – to a dense cloud of pulverized building materials and chemical byproducts, including pulverized glass and cement, insulation fibers including , and toxic chemicals.

According to a report in The New York Times that summarizes the study findings, this is the first study to document long-term harm in a large group of firefighters and emergency medical workers who worked at Ground Zero. All of the subjects of the study had had previous lung function tests, providing a baseline for the study.

The study was authored by Dr. David J. Prezant, chief medical officer in the Office of Medical Affairs at the New York City Fire Department. The study was approved by the institutional review board at Montefiore Medical Center.

Results of the study revealed that firefighters, who had heavier exposure to dust by the nature of their work had greater first-year declines than EMS personnel, especially for firefighters who were present in the morning on 9/11, when the dust cloud was most intense after the buildings fell. However, researchers noted they were surprised to see “little or no recovery of average lung function during the 6-year follow-up period.” In fact, they noted continued decline in lung function among the study groups.

Normally, the study notes, “smoke inhalation during firefighting causes relatively mild and reversible respiratory impairment.” Additionally, according to the report, long-term effects of firefighting on pulmonary function also are normally mild.

The average loss of lung function for 9/11 rescue workers is about 10 percent. Most of the loss occurred within the first year after 9/11 exposure, with little or no subsequent recovery.

Thousands of workers injured at Ground Zero have been fighting for compensation from the City of New York. Last month about 10,000 plaintiffs reached a settlement agreement totaling $657.5 million, but a judge rejected the settlement shortly afterward, saying it did not provide enough compensation for the plaintiffs. The matter is now back in negotiations, and a new hearing is set for Monday, according to the Times.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Mayor Todd Strange declares Asbestos Awareness Week in Montgomery, AL

6 Apr 2010 by Wendi Lewis under Events, News, Organizations, People

for web Mayor Todd Strange declares Asbestos Awareness Week in Montgomery, ALMontgomery Mayor Todd Strange presented a proclamation today declaring April 1-7 as Awareness Week in the city of Montgomery, Alabama. The proclamation supports National Awareness Week, as established by Senate Resolution 427.

It is the purpose of Awareness Week to raise public awareness about the prevalence of and the dangers of asbestos exposure in the United States and around the world. Microscopic fibers can be inhaled or ingested, and imbed themselves in the body where they can cause diseases such as asbestosis, a severe scarring of the lungs, and mesothelioma, a deadly cancer that can affect the chest and lungs, the abdomen or the heart.

The U.S. Congress has recognized a National Awareness Day or Week for the past six years. The awareness effort is a project of the Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), which is the largest organization in the United States serving as the voice of victims. The ADAO lobbies for the complete ban of and -containing products in the U.S. It is estimated that within the next decade 100,000 workers around the world will die of an -related disease. That equals 30 deaths each day.

For more information, visit ADAO online.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Iron Range study finds four new cases of mesothelioma

2 Apr 2010 by Wendi Lewis under Events, News, Research/Treatment

This week the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (Meso Foundation) alerted me through a link on their web site to an update in the ongoing mesothelioma study in Minnesota. We have been following this study, which is investigating the high incidence of mesothelioma among Iron Range miners in that state. According to a report in the Duluth News Tribune, the study has identified four new cases of mesothelioma.

The five-year study is being directed by the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Health, and funded by a $4.9 million grant from the Minnestoa state legislature. The new cases bring the total number of former miners diagnosed with mesothelioma to 63.

Mesothelioma has traditionally been linked exclusively to . However, an investigation into the link between taconite mining – which takes place in what is known as Minnesota’s Iron Range, – began when state health officials noted an unusually high incidence of mesothelioma occurring in taconite mine workers. Mesothelioma occurs at twice the expected rate in the Iron Range.

As part of the study, researchers are screening workers and their immediate families. To date, they have interviewed about 1,000 people, and would like to double that number.

Taconite is an iron-bearing, flint-like rock. Processed taconite pellets are used in the steel making industry.  To process taconite, the ore is ground into a fine powder, the iron is separated from the waste rock using strong magnets and the powdered iron concentrate is combined with bentonite clay and limestone and rolled into pellets. The Mesabi Iron Range region of Minnesota is a major taconite production area.

More information is available at the project’s official web site for Minnesota Taconite Workers Health Study.

Pictured above are processed taconite pellets. Source: Wikipedia

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Asbestos is no joke – Asbestos Awareness Week begins today

1 Apr 2010 by Wendi Lewis under Events, News, Organizations, People

Traditionally, April 1 has been designated by the Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) as Awareness Day. The day has been officially recognized by U.S. Congress proclamation for the past six years. In recent years, the awareness effort has expanded, and now the first week of April is officially designated as . The theme for the awareness week is “Knowledge is stronger than .”

On March 26, the ADAO praised the U.S. Senate for passage of the sixth annual resolution establishing National . Senate Resolution 427 also urges the Surgeon General to warn and educate Americans about the severe hazards of asbestos exposure.

The ADAO is the largest organization in the United States serving as the voice of victims, and lobbies for the complete ban of and -containing products in the U.S. exposure is linked to the development of a number of diseases, including asbestosis, a severe scarring of the lungs; and mesothelioma, a deadly cancer that affects the lining of the lungs and chest, abdomen or the heart. According to statistics compiled by ADAO, in the next decade it is estimated that 100,000 workers around the world will die of an -related disease. This equals 30 deaths each day.

ADAO co-founder and CEO said, “We are grateful to the U.S. Senate for unanimously passing S. Res. 427 that will increase public awareness about , a known human carcinogen. For the past six years, ADAO has seen that a week of awareness enables agencies, institutions and organizations to promote regulatory compliance and enforcement. Americans deserve and want to know how to prevent in their homes or in the workplace.”

2010 will be held April 1-7. Visit ADAO online for more information about and its commercial use; how to prevent exposure in homes, schools and workplaces; early warning symptoms and medical treatment options; and to find out more about why is still not a banned product in the U.S. and how it is used in common household products.

Tags: , , , , , ,

Meso Foundation commends U.K. efforts on mesothelioma, urges U.S. to follow suit

17 Mar 2010 by Wendi Lewis under Legal, News, Organizations, Research/Treatment
straw Meso Foundation commends U.K. efforts on mesothelioma, urges U.S. to follow suit

UK Justice Secretary Jack Straw

Earlier this month, Chris Hahn, executive director of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (Meso Foundation) expressed his support for the recent announcement from the UK that it plans to not only endorse compensation for mesothelioma victims, but to promote research and treatment. In a news release, Hahn praised the U.K. for its recognition “that society’s obligation and moral responsibility to remedy the tragic legacy of decades of use requires funding research to develop effective medical treatments.” Then, he asked the all-important question: “Will the United States follow?”

Hahn’s praise and plea followed remarks by the U.K.’s Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Jack Straw, who has been outspoken about the government’s role in caring for workers harmed by on the job.  Straw issued a statement Feb. 25, 2010, in response to an ongoing debate over the government’s decision on the question of compensation for pleural plaques.

Although pleural plaques, which are small areas of fibrosis in the pleura of the lung caused by asbestos exposure, indicate that a person has been exposed to , they generally do not cause any significant change in lung function. As a result, the Law Lords on Oct. 17, 2007 determined that people who have pleural plaques, but no other -caused illness, are not eligible for any compensation for medical treatment or other financial claims. The debate over pleural plaques sparked a national debate about disease.

Although subsequent research did not provide enough evidence to overturn the Law Lords’ ruling, it has provided significant information about disease, including mesothelioma and lung cancer. The government also is establishing a number of policies to make it easier for those who are diagnosed with mesothelioma or serious disease to receive compensation more quickly. Additionally, the research has encouraged the UK government to take a stronger stand on mesothelioma research and treatment.

According to Straw’s statement, “The fact that the UK has one of the highest rates of death from mesothelioma in the world is a legacy of our industrial heritage and the part that played in it. Just as the UK was a global leader in the industry, we must now become a global leader in research into -related disease.”

The government of the UK is calling for the creation of a National Centre for -Related Disease, which will be a “collaborative network of funded researchers whose core purpose would be to advance medical research into the prevention, cure and alleviation of -related disease – primarily mesothelioma,” according to Straw. He said the insurance industry has pledged £3 million toward this research effort.

Benefits of such a concentrated and cooperative research and treatment program would not only benefit mesothelioma patients, but also would significantly reduce the costs of litigation, death and disability benefits, and health care costs, Hahn points out.

“This is exactly what the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation has been urging in the United States the past ten years,” Hahn says. “Mesothelioma and other -related diseases are a fundamental problem of social justice. And a just solution to that problem requires medical research to develop effective treatments to end the suffering and save lives. It is encouraging to see that the U.K. is getting it; we hope the U.S. will catch up soon.”

Read Hahn’s statement.

For more information, visit the Meso Foundation online at www.curemeso.org.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »