Recent Mesothelioma News

Corruption in Brazil Concerning Asbestos Use

May 15,2012

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was once commonly used in constructing buildings and other forms of industry across the world. Unfortunately, what was once considered a “miracle mineral” was actually found to be a deadly carcinogen that is directly responsible for causing various illness and disease, including a terminal type of cancer called mesothelioma. The negative health effects have caused asbestos to be regulated or banned in much of the developed world. However, countries such as Brazil continue to use asbestos as a viable construction material largely because powerful Brazilian mining corporations and corrupt politicians continue to ignore health concerns in the name of profit.

Many homes in Brazil are made from “A/C sheets”, short for asbestos-cement roofing sheets. Commonly called chrysotile, but perhaps better known as white asbestos, this natural mineral is mined at the SAMA-owned Cana Brava Mine in Brazil. SAMA sells chrysotile to Eternit Group, who is the largest producer of chrysotile and “A/C sheets”. These two companies were the driving force behind the Brazilian Chrysotile Institute (IBC), whose purpose was to market chrysotile as a safely controlled form of asbestos.

When it became apparent in 2008 that Brazil's Supreme Court would move to ban asbestos, these lobbying groups sprang into action by calling on Congressmen and Senators to whom they had donated large amounts of money. Congressman Carlos Alberto Lereia alone received more than $300,000 Brazilian reais in campaign funds from SAMA. Congressman Lereia along with then-Senators Marconi Perillo and Demosthanes Torres agreed to a meeting with both the President of Eternit and the Director of SAMA

Following that meeting, Senator Perillo, along with the President of Eternit, met with the President of the Supreme Court. The Senator claimed to have scientific reports that showed asbestos use is not at all harmful to health, despite the conflict that all of the research within the report was sponsored by Eternit, SAMA and the IBC. Conveniently, Eternit's President was not officially mentioned as having been at the meeting.

There are signs that Brazil's rampant corruption is coming to an end. The Chrysotile Institute of Canada, who sponsored the IBC, has closed and Eternit's formers owners are currently serving time for exposing workers and the public to the toxic substance. Bringing these “backroom deals” to public light is hopefully one of the first steps to ending the Brazilian Government's cozy relationship with chrysotile.

Reference:

Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization

Ship Blocked from Entering Scrap Yard by Indian Court

May 10,2012

Her reputation tarnished in life, the Exxon Valdez remains unpopular as death approaches. The Indian Supreme Court has ruled that before she enters that country for dismantling, the oil tanker must submit to a thorough decontamination.

The Valdez has undergone several incarnations since March 24, 1989, when she crashed into rocks along the Alaskan coast, spilling crude oil by the millions of gallons into Prince William Sound. The petroleum sludge that subsequently blanketed the shoreline caused immeasurable damage to the environment, killing over 40,000 birds and devastating Alaska's fishing industry.

Following this disaster, the Valdez changed hands repeatedly, receiving a different name each time. A Chinese subsidiary of an Indian ship-breaking firm made the final purchase, intending to break her up for scrap.

At 26 years of age, the Valdez is relatively young to be scrapped; however, over her lifetime she has suffered considerable damage. In addition to having her hull split open in the Alaska catastrophe, the hapless Valdez experienced further insult in November 2010 when, sailing under the name Dong Fang Ocean, she collided with the Maltese cargo ship Aali in the South China Sea.

The coastal town of Alang, located in the western Indian state of Gujarat, is home to one of the world's major ship-breaking industries, and it is adept at dismantling old and unwanted vessels. During the first week of May 2012, the doomed tanker, now known as the Oriental Nicety, entered Indian waters and proceeded to make her way toward Alang.

The tanker's owners did not know that Indian environmental activist Gopal Krishna had already filed an application with the Supreme Court, requesting that it instruct the government and ministry of shipping to obtain information about what would be done with the ship. Before the tanker could reach Alang, the Indian Supreme Court issued its decree. Gujarat's maritime and pollution control authorities immediately withdrew permission for the Oriental Nicety to anchor by the beach in Alang.

In making its decision, the Indian Supreme Court cited 1989's Basel Convention concerning the need to decontaminate a ship in its country of export. Such noxious wastes as asbestos, arsenic, mercury and residual oil can contaminate other vessels.

Harshadbhai Padia, a partner in the Gujarat ship-dismantling company in charge of deconstructing the Valdez, has announced plans to fight the decision. "We will abide with the Supreme Court order," he said. "We are studying the order, and we will appeal."

Reference:

Memmott, Mark. (May 9, 2012). “Indian Court Blocks Exxon Valdez From Entering Scrap Yard.” Retrieved on May 9, 2012, from NPR.

Engineering Company Fined For Importing Asbestos

May 9,2012

A Sydney-based engineering company has recently plead guilty to two counts of importing asbestos into Australia, resulting in the Perth Magistrates Court ordering $64,000 in fees and costs be paid.

Clyde Bergemann Senior Thermal (CBST), a German engineering company with international arms, stood accused of illegally importing products containing asbestos into Australia.

This month, Clyde Bergemann Senior Thermal plead guilty to two counts of importing goods into Australia which were not prohibited by law. As a result, the Sydney-based Australian arm of the international company was fined $ 64,000 in costs and fees by a Perth Magistrates court.

Clyde Bergemann Australia Pty Limited was originally established in 1962 as Senior Economizers, with a primary focus on boiler economizers. Since that time, Clyde Bergemann Senior Thermal began specialized in engineering activities related to thermal engineering, heat treatment, and mining. The company’s website states that Clyde Bergemann Senior Thermal is recognized as “an innovator of waste heat recovery” as well as “clean energy solutions” for power generators and Australian industries.

Clyde Bergemann Australia Pty Limited imported 62 machinery parts from China to Fremantle in 2009 related to the development of an Australian power plant. These parts were found to contain chrysotile asbestos, also called white asbestos, by Customs and Border Protection.

Chrysotile asbestos is the most commonly seen form of asbestos today. It’s considered by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a human carcinogen and has been associated with a number of serious medical conditions, including pleural abnormalities related to asbestos exposure, mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer. This form of asbestos is also one of the hazardous materials currently being recommended for inclusion in an international treaty, known as the Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed consent. This treaty is designed to restrict hazardous materials from global trade.

Under Australian’s Customs Regulations of 1956, Prohibited Imports; importation of goods containing white asbestos is already prohibited due to adverse health effects associated with it.

Again, in June 2010, Clyde Bergemann Australia Pty Limited imported 60 more machinery parts for the development of the same power plant. These parts traveling from China to Fremantle were also found to contain chrysotile asbestos.

References:

AAP Staff Writer. (May 7, 2012). “Engineers fined for importing asbestos.” Retrieved on May 7, 2012, from 9 News.

Orr, Aleisha. (May 7, 2012). “Asbestos importer slapped with $64,000 fine.” Retrieved on May 7, 2012, from The Sydney Morning Herald.

James Hardie Asbestos Fund Scandals

May 8,2012

The High Court of Australia recently ruled that seven directors of James Hardie Industries SE breached their duty to their shareholders. That ruling overturned an appeal court opinion that the failure to call James Hardie’s solicitor as a witness at trial did not create an unfairness to James Hardie.

James Hardie Industries SE is an industrial building materials company. Beginning in the 1920s, they were deeply involved in asbestos mining and the manufacturing of asbestos-related building products. Many of those products caused people to develop asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma, a rare but terminal form of cancer. James Hardie Industries SE has since phased out all use of asbestos in their products, which was completed in 1986.

In 2001, James Hardie Industries SE decided to move their business location to the Netherlands, a move designed to remove itself from its subsidiaries associated with the manufacturing of asbestos products. The move was important to the company because they felt that investors and debt providers were reluctant to invest in them if they continued to have asbestos liabilities on the company’s balance sheets.

Prior to making the move, James Hardie Industries SE had to assure the Australian courts that it could meet their future liabilities for asbestos claims. In order to do that, James Hardie Industries SE created a unit called Medical Research and Compensation to manage payments of present and future asbestos related claims against the company in Australia. The directors that comprised the board released a statement that it was “fully funded” to handle all future claims.

However, in 2009, James Hardie indicated that the Medical Research and Compensation unit was running out of money and might be unable to pay claims within two years. This admission resulted in the directors being charged with breaches of the Corporation Act 2001 by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission. They charged that the directors made fraudulent statements designed to mislead the stock exchange, shareholders, and the public concerning their ability to meet asbestos-related claims filed against them.

In a separate ruling, the High Court held that James Hardie Industries SE secretary and general counsel at that time, Peter Shafron, failed to advise the directors that an asbestos-related liabilities study he had ordered was not complete. This ruling is important because it dictates that all executive directors and officers of a company have a duty to inform and advise a board regarding relevant matters.

Reference:

Schneider, Joe. (May 2, 2012). “James Hardie Misled Investors on Asbestos Fund, Court Rules.” Retrieved on May 7, 2012, from Bloomberg Business Week.

Former Rugby Player’s Death Linked to Asbestos Exposure

May 4,2012

An inquest into the death of 89-year-old Melampus Street, Barrow resident Alan Scott was held Tuesday at Barrow Town Hall. Scott died on February 8, 2012 at Furness General Hospital. Scott was a former rugby player who played for Vickers before he started playing at Furness Golf Club for over 40 years.

Scott's widow, Sheila Elise, told the members of the inquest that he worked for most of his life at a shipyard. According to Mrs. Scott, her husband claimed to have been exposed to asbestos. Over the years, Scott began working as a shop floor fitter before moving up to the drawing office and, finally, to the position of mock-up superintendent. Mrs. Scott claimed that her husband was relatively healthy and smoked only "very, very slightly," largely because he played rugby and spent a lot of his time training.

The pathologist listed the official cause of death as bronchopneumonia, which he claimed resulted from pulmonary fibrosis. According to the pathologist, this condition was almost certainly caused by Scott's prolonged exposure to asbestos. Ian Smith, the South and East Cumbria serving coroner, supported these claims and said that Scott's asbestos exposure was proven to have occurred and could be almost certainly linked to his work.

Smith did concede that most of those who have worked at the shipyard do not, and will not, die from asbestos exposure, but still claimed that "a significant number will." Smith estimated that about 100,000 individuals have worked in the shipyard since the war, and most have died from relatively common ailments like heart disease and stroke. Still, Smith officially stated that Scott's death was caused by an industrial disease.

Scott, who many knew as "Chick", attended Oxford Street Juniors before he advanced to Barrow Grammar School. He was 15 when he started playing for the Vickers Sports Club, and he spent many years playing for the team before he joined the Royal Navy. During the period that he performed National Service, he was based in Portsmouth and played rugby for the Combined Services.

After completing his term of service, Scott moved back to Barrow and began working at the shipyard. During that time, he spent many years playing for Vickers RU. He played at wing forward and also served as Captain for a large part of his time with the team.

Reference:

North-West Evening Mail Staff Writer. (May 3, 2012). “Asbestos Played Part in Barrow man’s Death.” Retrieved on May 3, 2012, from the North-West Evening Mail.

Asbestos Found in Florida Building

April 30,2012

When the owner of a store, known as Evans Grocery located in Melbourne, Florida, left the building to fall into despair, the community rose up and fought back to reclaim their beloved neighborhood cornerstone.

When the citizens of Palm Bay saw that a building at 1361 Florida Ave was beginning to attract drugs and crime they, with the help of the city, made plans to raze the building. Instead of the haven of criminal activity and contraband a new nonprofit grocery store, youth job-training center, clinic, and community center would be built. The project is expected to cost $830,000, and upon completion will be renamed the Evans Center. Unfortunately, construction was scheduled to begin this past December, but has yet to begin.

James Bartell, the president of the Evans Center board of directors, explained in a Florida Today article why the demolition is running late. According to Bartell, when the building was first inspected “asbestos and lead was found on the second floor apartments”. Demolishing the building without following the proper guidelines could prove to be dangerous, as asbestos fibers could become airborne, potentially risking the health of anyone within the vicinity of the demolition and construction. Proper asbestos abatement is critical in order to avoid these health hazards; therefore, until the city gives the go-ahead and proper abatement guidelines are met the demolition will have to wait. That doesn’t mean that the community and James have given up hope. “One way or another, we are going to do this.” Once construction starts James says that it should only take about one year to finish the Evans Center.

In an attempt to expedite the process, fundraising for the Evans Center has begun. Bartell estimates that approximately $300,000 of the necessary $830,000 has been raised. Since Evans Center is in an “enterprise zone,” a district created under Florida law to encourage private investment in distressed areas, the community may donate money to the cause. Bartell notes that this “makes our organization eligible to receive monies” and adds to the Evans Center project.

Bartell also states that Evans Center LLC is “putting in applications for grants right now” but the grant still has to go through the city attorney and go to the city council. Strong community involvement and the desire to see the project through in a proper manner make it likely that the correct funds will be raised and the Evans Center will eventually be completed.

Reference:

Cervenka, Susanne. (April 25, 2012). “On the issues: Asbestos find stalls South Melbourne project.” Retrieved on April 27, 2012, from Florida Today.

Asbestos Threatens Swazi Orphanage

April 25,2012

The threat of mesothelioma caused by exposure to asbestos is ever present, especially in the financially threatened country of Swaziland, Africa. Currently, one Canadian entrepreneur is trying to render aid to the impoverished people of this country where the rate of HIV infections continues to skyrocket and where there are more than a total of 120,000 orphaned children. The Canadian man brought several hundred children to the abandoned town of Bulembu where mining operations used to take place in an effort to give them proper homes.

The entrepreneur's work has already done good things. Children that have been abandoned and those that would have otherwise died have found a refuge in the town's orphanage. One child care manager said that he found a child lying in a refuse bag with an umbilical still attached. Today Bulembu's orphanage is where he lives.

There are also plans to make use of the once-abandoned town's hectares of surrounding forestry. The timber mill that resides in Bulembu is currently being run five days a week in a plan to make the town more self-reliant and increase the number of orphaned residents living here from 1,200 to 2,000 in the near future.

The one thing that isn't being talked about is the potential threat that the town's former industry could pose to the children living here.

The mining operations that used to take place in Bulembu were centered on obtaining asbestos tailings from the nearby mountain. The man who bought the hectares of land surrounding Bulembu says that he isn't worried about the silent killer looming in the town's nearby former mines and mountains. The type of asbestos that poses a threat to the nearby people is chrysotile, which is a green variety that typically has stiffer fibers, making them more difficult to become airborne.

The worry is caused by the fact that the World Health Organization has no set “safe” exposure levels for asbestos and even small amounts of exposure can lead to related diseases and illnesses such as asbestosis and mesothelioma. The residents are not terribly concerned because they believe that this type of asbestos is less dangerous for them.

Other individuals, such as those that run asbestos relief programs, find the fact that the asbestos dump is placed in the center of the town as shocking. They claim that while the residents may be aware of the dangers of asbestos, they do not fully understand what health conditions it can bring.

Reference:

Ginny Stein. (April 23, 2012). “Swazi orphanage threatened by asbestos.” Retrieved on April 23, 2012, from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Michigan Man Charged with Asbestos Violations

April 24,2012

A 100 year old school was an eyesore to one Michigan community and needed to be completely demolished. A local wrecking company in the vicinity got the job. However, it was reported from the court documents that the owner of the wrecking company knew there were indications of asbestos within the building. He was cited for failing to comply with safety guidelines during the demolition and disposal process. Improper demolition and disposal procedures can possibly endanger the lives of a surrounding community.

In Federal court proceedings, the owner of the company pled guilty to the “Clean Air Act” violation. He told a reporter that he did not intend to spread asbestos and was not trying to save money in the demolition process. The company’s owner did not blame the “Clean Air Act” violation on his employees. Instead, he stated during an interview, that he made a mistake and takes full responsibility for the actions of his company. He also stated that no danger was inflicted upon the community because it was unpopulated at the time of the demolition.

The wrecking company owner also claimed that families within that particular school district live many miles away and would not be affected by the demolition. A local reporter spoke to a neighbor who lives less than 100 yards away from the old school with her grandchildren. She said that she observed the demolition process from her property and described the workers as being worried and appeared to moving very quickly.

The grandmother stated she was never notified prior to the demolition and there was not an indication of any cautionary measures taken. The neighbor thought the company avoided proper disposal of the asbestos to save money. She also said that if the owner of the company had complied with proper regulations, it would have cost him money out of pocket. Since there are many homes in the neighborhood that are occupied by families with children, she is worried about the impact the dangerous chemicals will have on the children who continued to play outside during the demolition process.

Court documents revealed that the owner was not present during the demolition. The court documents also indicated that the demolition crew was not experienced in proper asbestos removal. The demolition crew loaded up the busted debris on the back of a truck and then transported the debris to a landfill. The landfill would not accept hazardous materials. An inspector from the “Department of Environmental Quality” was at the landfill at the time. He became suspicious of the truck and decided to investigate the vehicle. Tests revealed that the truck contained asbestos.

On May 3rd, 2012 a federal judge will be making the decision whether the company owner should receive fines, imprisonment, or both.

Reference:

MSNBC Staff Writer. (April 22, 2012). “Bloomfield Hills man charged with asbestos violations.” Retrieved on April 23, 2012, from Detroit MSNBC.

Eternit Asbestos Conviction Update

April 6,2012

February’s historic verdict of guilty pertaining to billionaires Stephen Schmidheiny and Baron Jean-Louis de Cartier de Marchienne “reaffirms a century of scientific evidence that asbestos exposure is deadly,” states the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO). This trial was a landmark in that “for the first time ever, those who manufacture or produce asbestos were criminally charged,” setting a precedence for holding such people accountable for human, social, and environmental rights violations.

After being found guilty of the asbestos-related crimes de Marchienne and Schmidheiny were both sentenced to 16 years in prison and ordered to pay millions of euros in damages. While in the past it has been extremely difficult to prove personal responsibility in asbestos cases, an Italian court in Turin, after a ten-year process, ruled in favor of those harmed by Eternit. According to the ADAO, Bruno Pesce and fellow members of AFeVA were recently awarded with the Tribute of Unity Award at the Eigth Annual Asbestos Awareness Conference. When quoted by the ADAO Pesce, coordinator of AFeVA, stated, “This is a big change. Even a very powerful person, or a very important person, can cause thousands of deaths. Should we ignore it?”

The ADAO noted that following the reading of the verdict “the court read the names of every person represented in the trial-6,000 workers from four Italian plants, including the deceased and their family members.” The guilty verdict is expected to impact those countries that continue to mine asbestos, including Russia, the top producer of asbestos in the world.

The ADAO’s article quoted United States environmental scientist, Dr. Barry Castleman who testified as an expert witness during the case. Castleman stated that the importance of the sentence is that “it establishes a personal criminal responsibility of the production firm’s executives, who will now learn the lesson.” On the opposing side, Mr. Schmidheiny issued a statement calling the verdict “incomprehensible,” along with plans to appeal the decision.
The ADAO has continued to remain involved with this case, including a screening of the film Dust: The Great Asbestos Trial on April 4, 2012 at the USC School of Cinematic Arts as part of activities in connection with the Global Asbestos Awareness Week. The film was directed by Niccolo Bruna and Andrea Prandstraller.

Asbestos Awareness Week 2012 is April 1 through the 7th as an attempt to spread worldwide awareness of the dangerous substance asbestos, including environmental and health risks. As part of the effort the ADAO hosted their Eighth Annual International Asbestos Awareness Conference March 30 through April 1st in Los Angeles, California, which included a variety of advocates, victims, researchers, medical experts, and journalists.

Reference:

Reinstein, Linda. (April 6, 2012). “Convicted! Eternit Asbestos Criminal Update.” Retrieved on April 6, 2012, from The ADAO.

ADAO's 8th Annual International Asbestos Awareness Conference Presents Keynote Speaker Matt Peacock

March 27,2012

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was once widely used in a variety of products and applications. Professions likely to incorporate asbestos in their manufacturing and construction were the ship building industry, power and chemical plants, all types of construction sites including private and public buildings and homes, and the automotive industry. Asbestos was once considered a “miracle mineral” because of the substance’s tensile strength and ability to withstand extreme temperatures. In the United States, asbestos use was not regulated until the late 1970s and 80s, and despite public misconception, has yet to be banned completely. Homes and buildings built prior to the 1980s may still contain asbestos, and some products still contain this hazardous substance as well.

All over the world, over a hundred thousand people die each year after being exposed to asbestos. As asbestos is not yet banned in the United States, as well as some other countries, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, or ADAO, has titled their 2012 spring conference “Asbestos: An International Public Health Crisis.”

This will be the ADAO's eighth International Asbestos Awareness Conference that occurs annually, bringing together experts from around the world who are concerned with the associated risks of exposure to asbestos. Their conferences regularly include well known scientists, doctors, researchers and public health experts, as well as asbestos victims and their loved ones and caregivers.

The ADAO was founded in 2004 with the intent of educating and advocating for asbestos victims, as well as building a community of those concerned with asbestos issues. Originally founded by friends and family members of asbestos victims, today the organization operates on an international level and has expanded to include health and science experts as well.

This year's event will take place in Los Angeles from March 30 to April 1. One of the main components of this year’s conference is the keynote speech to be given by famous Australian journalist Matt Peacock. Working with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Peacock has been at the forefront of asbestos awareness media coverage for more than three decades. His latest project, a half hour movie entitled “India: the Toxic Trade”, documents and brings to light the use of this toxin throughout India and the permanent and continuing damage it has done.

Along with Peacock's television work, he has also written a book about asbestos in Australia. The book specifically follows the story of James Hardie, the largest manufacturer of asbestos in Australian history, and is even being made into a TV series entitled “Devil's Dust”.

Attendees of the conference are already excited to have a high profile asbestos awareness advocate like Peacock speaking at the event. The founder and current CEO of ADAO, Linda Reinstein, called it an honor to have Peacock as a guest and heralded his undying commitment to creating an asbestos free world. One of the ADAO's central missions is to secure a universal ban on the use of asbestos. Awareness and education are key in creating a safer world when it comes to this globally present toxin that continues to take so many lives each year. Illnesses and diseases linked to asbestos exposure include asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma; the latter, is a cancer that develops in the lining of the lungs, heart, or abdomen. Mesothelioma is a terminal cancer with typically low two and five-year survival rates.

This year's conference is intended to bring together the best minds and current information in order to make great leaps forward for asbestos awareness around the world. By bringing together the people who encounter and have to deal with asbestos and asbestos disease in hospitals, work places, research labs and families hope remains for a universal ban.

Reference:

ADAO

Monthly archive

Recent Mesothelioma News

Corruption in Brazil Concerning Asbestos Use

Ship Blocked from Entering Scrap Yard by Indian Court

Engineering Company Fined For Importing Asbestos

James Hardie Asbestos Fund Scandals

Former Rugby Player’s Death Linked to Asbestos Exposure

Asbestos Found in Florida Building

Asbestos Threatens Swazi Orphanage

Michigan Man Charged with Asbestos Violations

Eternit Asbestos Conviction Update

ADAO's 8th Annual International Asbestos Awareness Conference Presents Keynote Speaker Matt Peacock

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