Dutch Company Claims Asbestos Removal from Building Materials
Asbester, a company in the Netherlands, claims it can convert asbestos-containing products into non-hazardous construction materials. Located in Rotterdam, Asbester aims to permanently eliminate the harmful global waste problem of asbestos from ending up in landfills.
Using a unique denaturing process, large sheets of asbestos cement are drenched in water, heated, shredded and then turned into a slurry. Asbester says these steps dissolve dangerous asbestos fibers, removing the toxic mineral and allowing the material to be repurposed as calcium silicate hydrate for use in concrete mixtures for construction projects or in...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - April 15, 2024 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Travis Rodgers Tags: Asbestos (general) Asbestos Exposure Clinical Trials/Research/Emerging Treatments Mesothelioma Source Type: news
Trial Underway Against Warren Buffett ’s Railway Company
A trial has begun over BNSF Railway’s transporting of asbestos-contaminated vermiculite from mines in Libby, Montana that closed in 1990. Investor and businessman Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. purchased the railway in 2010. BNSF is accused of negligence and wrongful death.
The suit claims the railway is responsible for failing to control asbestos-contaminated dust from Libby vermiculite stored in a downtown railyard and then transported through the town to manufacturing plants across the country. BNSF denies any responsibility for asbestos contamination of Libby, according to court filings.
The e...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - April 12, 2024 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Travis Rodgers Tags: Asbestos (general) Asbestos Exposure Asbestosis Companies Lawsuit Legal Mesothelioma Source Type: news
J & J Begins Another Trial Over Claims Its Talc Causes Cancer
Phil and Bernard Matthey’s wrongful death lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson has headed to trial. The suit claims the company is responsible for selling asbestos-contaminated baby powder that caused the death of the plaintiffs’ mother. Patricia Matthey died from ovarian cancer at the age of 72 In 2019. The Mattheys’ lawsuit notes their mother had used J&J’s talc-based product for most of her life.
Attorney for the plaintiffs, Lance Oliver, told the jury that Patricia Matthey applied baby powder to her body 41,000 times over the course of 50 years. He also told the jury that J&J continued sel...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - April 5, 2024 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Travis Rodgers Tags: Asbestos (general) Asbestos Exposure Companies johnson Legal Mesothelioma talc Talcum Powder Source Type: news
Philadelphia Teacher Sues District Over Asbestos-Related Cancer
Juan Namnun, an award-winning health and physical education teacher at Frankford High School in Philadelphia, was diagnosed with papillary carcinoma in 2022. His diagnosis led him to file a lawsuit against The School District of Philadelphia.
Papillary carcinoma is a rare type of breast cancer. Following his diagnosis, Namnum underwent a double mastectomy, reconstructive surgery and chemotherapy.
Namnum’s lawsuit claims his diagnosis is “a direct and proximate result of [his] repeated exposure to and inhalation of excessive amounts of asbestos fibers and dust at Frankford High school over a period of mu...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - April 1, 2024 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Travis Rodgers Tags: Asbestos (general) Asbestos Exposure Cancer (Non-Meso) Source Type: news
Photos Expose Hazardous Visits to Asbestos Town Continue
Recent photos document what appears to be an unauthorized visit to a former asbestos mining town. The Facebook photos show Dale Hawkins exploring old mine shafts in Wittenoom, Australia where toxic blue asbestos was mined several decades ago. Hawkins claims the pictures were from a trip in 2021, before it was officially illegal to enter the town.
Hawkins’ first-person perspective images show ghost-town remains of the western Australia town about 880 miles north of Perth. The contamination was so severe, Wittenoom was removed from maps and road signs in an attempt to keep people away.
The Western Austral...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - March 19, 2024 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Travis Rodgers Tags: Asbestos (general) Asbestos Exposure International Mesothelioma Source Type: news
The U.S. bans most common form of asbestos, after decades of pushback from industry
More than 50 other countries have already banned the substance, which has been known to lead to lung and ovarian cancer, mesothelioma and other deadly illnesses.(Image credit: Jenny Evans) (Source: NPR Health and Science)
Source: NPR Health and Science - March 18, 2024 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Joe Hernandez Source Type: news
Biden Administration Finalizes Chrysotile Asbestos Ban
Joining 50 other countries that have already banned asbestos, the United States is now banning chrysotile asbestos. The Biden administration has officially finalized the ban that follows decades of calls from survivors of asbestos-related diseases, medical professionals, veterans and first responders.
Chrysotile asbestos, also known as white asbestos, continues to be imported into the U.S., particularly for use in the chloralkali industry. Anticipating a ban, imports of asbestos rose dramatically in 2022 from 100 metric tons in all of 2021 to 114 metric tons in just the first 3 months of 2022, according to the U.S. Inte...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - March 18, 2024 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Travis Rodgers Tags: Asbestos (general) Asbestos Exposure Companies Legal Support/Support Groups/Organizations Source Type: news
EPA Bans Asbestos, a Deadly Carcinogen Still in Use Decades After a Partial Ban Was Enacted
WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday announced a comprehensive ban on asbestos, a carcinogen that is still used in some chlorine bleach, brake pads and other products and that kills tens of thousands of Americans every year.
The final rule marks a major expansion of EPA regulation under a landmark 2016 law that overhauled regulations governing tens of thousands of toxic chemicals in everyday products, from household cleaners to clothing and furniture.
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The new rule would ban chrysotile asbestos, the only ongoing use of asbestos in the United Sta...
Source: TIME: Health - March 18, 2024 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Matthew Daly/AP Tags: Uncategorized wire Source Type: news
Companies Fined $825K for Improper Asbestos Handling
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell is imposing fines totaling $825,000 against several companies for improper handling, disposal and removal of materials containing asbestos. Since 2016, the AG’s Office has imposed more than $7.7 million in civil penalties.
Among those included in recent consent judgments are the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth, a redevelopment site in Lowell and a residential development project in the Mission Hill neighborhood of the City of Boston. The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office also found itself the subject of an AGO case over requiring employees to demolish asbe...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - March 15, 2024 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Travis Rodgers Tags: Asbestos (general) Asbestos Exposure Companies Legal Mesothelioma Product Source Type: news
VA Benefits Now Available to Millions of Veterans
VA health care benefits are now available to millions more veterans in one of the largest expansions of coverage in the U.S. The inclusion of significantly more veterans compared to past bills comes at the direction of President Joe Biden.
Veterans Who Now Qualify
Veterans of the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Global War on Terror or any other combat zone after 9/11.
Service members who were exposed to any toxins or other hazards during service at home or abroad.
Those who were never deployed but were exposed while training or on active duty in the U.S.
Benefits cover exposure to asbesto...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - March 13, 2024 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Travis Rodgers Tags: Asbestos (general) Asbestos Exposure Cancer Center Doctors/Specialists Treatment Veterans Source Type: news
FL Jury Fails to Agree on J & J Talc Verdict
Bob Sugarman sued Johnson & Johnson, claiming the company’s talc products caused the death of his wife, Marilyn Seskin, MD. The case has ended in a mistrial after the jury was unable to agree on a verdict.
The jury note the judge read aloud in court stated: “We are hopelessly deadlocked with absolutely, positively no way to resolve it.”
The closely watched trial was held in Florida’s Circuit Court for the 11th Judicial Circuit in Miami-Dade County. It was the first talc powder trial against J&J in 3 years after litigation had been paused during the company’s failed bankruptcy proceedings...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - March 11, 2024 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Travis Rodgers Tags: Asbestos Exposure Companies johnson Lawsuit Legal talc Talcum Powder Verdict Source Type: news
FL Senate Approves Bill Requiring Form for Asbestos Lawsuits
The Florida Senate voted to approve Republican Senator Travis Hutson’s proposed SB 720 requiring courts to dismiss asbestos claims without a completed information form. The bill’s next stop is the Florida House of Representatives.
If the House approves the measure, it would then go before the governor. If signed into law, those with asbestos-related diseases will have to provide more extensive information when filing a lawsuit.
SB 720 has the backing of businesses. Lobbying groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Florida Insurance Council also support the measure.
However, veterans groups a...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - March 11, 2024 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Travis Rodgers Tags: Asbestos (general) Asbestos Exposure Asbestosis Cancer (Non-Meso) Florida Legal Lawsuit Mesothelioma Source Type: news
Report: Majority of Federal Buildings Miss Asbestos Inspections
The Government Accountability Office reports 66.7% of all U.S. federal buildings miss their routine 5-year asbestos inspections and 52% haven’t been inspected in more than 10 years. The General Services Administration requires all federal buildings built before 1998 be inspected for asbestos at least once every 5 years.
GSA blames a lack of funding, staff shortages, database limitations and incomplete records for the lack of recent asbestos checks. The agency is requesting $500,000 for the fiscal year 2024 to fund inspections. It’s also considering changing the inspection rule from every 5 years to every 10 ye...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - March 10, 2024 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Amy Edel Tags: Asbestos (general) Source Type: news
School District Fined Over Staff Working Amid Asbestos
An Iowa school district is facing thousands of dollars in fines for having employees work inside an asbestos-contaminated building. Newly released state records show the Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined the North Linn Community School District $70,000. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources also fined the district an additional $6,000.
The records show the incident happened during renovations at a middle and high school complex in August 2022 near Coggon Iowa, about 30 miles north of Cedar Rapids. A worker found asbestos under the floor tile when preparing to install new carpeting. Instead of h...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - March 4, 2024 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Travis Rodgers Tags: Asbestos (general) Asbestos Exposure Companies Mesothelioma Source Type: news
Cyprus Mines and Ex-J & J Talc Supplier Imerys Create $862M Trust
Imerys Talc America, Inc. and the company’s former owner, Cyprus Mines Corporation, will create a collective $862 million dollar trust. The goal is for the trust to settle personal injury claims alleging their asbestos-contaminated talc caused plaintiffs’ cancer.
This comes after both groups filed reorganization plans and disclosure statements on January 31, 2024 in The U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. Both companies filed for bankruptcy protection in hopes of continuing business through a reorganization plan.
Facing more than 14,600 lawsuits, Imerys filed for bankruptcy in 2019. The majori...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - February 28, 2024 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Travis Rodgers Tags: Legal Litigation talc Talcum Powder Source Type: news
