Articles Posted in Mesothelioma in New England

A former boiler room worker died of an “all too familiar” way — mesothelioma, a coroner in England said recently.

Mesothelioma in Massachusetts and elsewhere is a fatal illness, and it’s not just a problem in New England. Other countries, England included, also has had many reports of mesothelioma that have lead to deaths.

Our Boston mesothelioma lawyers have seen many relatives of clients die. We have also met many people who have suffered because of mesothelioma and die as a result of it.

Asbestos in Massachusetts has put many people at risk of its harmful effects. That’s because many homes throughout New England, as well as factories, boiler rooms, mills auto parts companies and other locations were built using asbestos in parts of the buildings. Because it was affordable and fire-resistant, it was the material of choice in many common products and industries.

Exposure to asbestos can lead to mesothelioma, a fatal form of cancer that is rarer than other cancers such as breast, colon, mouth, lung and prostate. Sadly there is no known cure.

According to the Reading Post in England, a 71-year-old man, who worked in boiler rooms, died recently after having been exposed to asbestos as a member of the Merchant Navy and while working at a power station.

His son called him a “devoted family man.” The area coroner concluded that it was exposure to asbestos during his working years that led to his death. He said he had rarely seen mesothelioma spread as far and as quickly as it had in this man’s case.

Many people who spent decades dedicating their lives to a company to make a living wage found out later in life that their health was at risk because of the asbestos in the parts or equipment they worked with or around. It is a form of cancer that has been researched for decades, but not with the same vigor as the more popular and common forms of illnesses.

In many cases, their companies, or companies that manufactured products used in their field of work, knew that asbestos was dangerous and did nothing to stop using it. And despite learning that workers were getting sick as a result, many bosses chose profits over health and didn’t tell their employees. Years and decades later, the dedicated employees found out that they were now closer to death because that knowledge wasn’t spread.

Research has shown that the median life span after a person is diagnosed with mesothelioma is about 12 months. That’s a short time to live after finding out you are set to die. That’s what makes the cancer so devastating — it takes decades to develop and then kills within months of discovering it. Let’s hope the cancer can get more exposure to help people in the future.
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The Connecticut Post is reporting that a legislative panel is working on changes to the state’s disclosure form used in residential real estate transactions that would inform people whether asbestos is or has been inside the house.

Boston mesothelioma lawyers believe this is a good step in helping to prevent more people from being exposed to asbestos in New England.

Asbestos is a dangerous mineral that was used for most of the 20th century as insulation in buildings, in coating pipes to keep them warm and stave off fire, and in common consumer products such as ceiling tiles and brake pads. Construction crews have used it mixed with other materials in road projects.

It wasn’t until around 1990 that mining and shipment of the product stopped, though it was never formally banned in the United States. Other countries, including Canada and Russia, still export asbestos to third-world countries.

Because of its pervasive use, you can see how many older buildings, especially in a region of the United States as old as New England, may still contain asbestos. Sadly, researchers have found asbestos to be extremely hazardous and can not only cause illness, but death.

Mesothelioma in Massachusetts is a rare form of cancer and there is no cure. Despite decades of research concluding that asbestos exposure causes mesothelioma, medical professionals haven’t been able to figure out how to cure it.

That’s why the efforts being made in Connecticut are important for everyone. According to the newspaper, the panel didn’t recommend making homeowners list hazardous waste on the property because many household items are deemed hazardous. But the panel instead recommends that sellers must say whether there have been any citations filed on the property.

That question aims to answer whether any clean-up agencies have been to the property to do work. The panel’s work may benefit the town of Stratford, where more than 100 homes have been declared toxic dump sites. They weren’t told of the toxicity of the property before buying.

The panel of lawmakers is also considering adding a question that requires sellers to list the age of the structure and tell potential buyers whether an older home may need repairs and could contain asbestos or lead paint.

This is an important step because education is one thing that has been lacking regarding asbestos exposure. Because it can take years or decades to turn into mesothelioma, many people simply didn’t know they were being put at danger when they worked in shipyards, in factories or in other places that contained the hazardous material.

That’s why many people are stuck in such a bad situation. Their companies didn’t tell them they were dealing with asbestos even after they knew it was hazardous. This caused many people to get sick even though they didn’t realize it until later in life.
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As our Massachusetts mesothelioma lawyers blogged about in September, our neighbors to the north in Canada have come under fire in the international community because it makes hundreds of millions of dollars from exporting asbestos to other countries.

An article in September reported that investors came up with $25 million to continue the asbestos industry in Canada after it was beginning to die out. Despite backlash from the public because asbestos is known to be a deadly mineral, investors hope to ship the dangerous material to third-world countries, where there are fewer regulations and where people have less of a voice to stop it.

It has been reported that more than 50 percent of deaths in one village in Turkey are because of asbestos-like exposure in materials used to build houses. Canada’s efforts, along with Russia as the two largest exporters of asbestos, could very well lead to many diagnoses of mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is incurable. It is caused by exposure to asbestos. Strangely, the exposure can happen years and even decades before a person is diagnosed. That’s one reason many military veterans, especially those who served in the U.S. Navy, are now being diagnosed with and dying from mesothelioma. The Navy used asbestos to coat its warships and submarines for decades.

Canadian officials, who were virtually alone last year to block a United Nations treaty that would have added asbestos to a list of restricted hazardous materials, have faced criticism both inside the country and worldwide. Critics say exporting the material to less-developed country is akin to profiting off death.

Supporters say that the new, modern asbestos is more tightly bonded and won’t flake apart and cause damage. The man leading the charge to export Canada’s asbestos is Indian and has said he doesn’t feel that this new asbestos is damaging like the asbestos of days gone by.

A recent article out of Toronto looked at Canada’s asbestos situation, including the fact that 125 million people are exposed to asbestos in their workplace, and more than 100,000 people die every year from cancers related to asbestos exposure.

The most shocking issue reported by the article is that asbestos is banned in Canada and yet it is a large exporter. In the United States, asbestos isn’t actually banned, but it hasn’t been used for decades.

Officials in towns where asbestos is a major industry seem oblivious to the harmful effects of asbestos, the article states. The towns have used asbestos to salt roads during snow storms and have used piles of it at ATV parks primarily used by teenagers.

They point out that smog, highway accidents and tobacco use are far more dangerous than the asbestos that is keeping their towns afloat and their people working. Sadly, money has overrun common sense.

And the article goes on to report that money — and politics — is the reason Canada’s dangerous asbestos industry is coming around, even in 2011. It’s because India’s government has far fewer regulations on asbestos and other dangerous materials and its people — poor and with little voice — can’t resist. Apparently making money with little to no regard for human life has driven the rebirth of Canada’s asbestos industry.

Thankfully, American companies aren’t attempting this. But residents still are at risk because many buildings and products were created with asbestos, which remains there to this day. That’s why mesothelioma will continue to be a risk until all asbestos is removed from our schools, houses and buildings.
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As our Massachusetts mesothelioma lawyers have reported recently on the Mesothelioma Lawyers Blog, parents and state officials have become more active in their efforts to eliminate asbestos from hindering our children.

Schools in Medford, Haverhill and North Reading have been in the news in recent months either for improperly removing asbestos from a school or because asbestos was just discovered. It’s unbelievable that 40 years after asbestos was first being investigated and after scores of people have been diagnosed with mesothelioma in Boston and nationwide, schools are just now looking into this deadly mineral.

Remember, schools that were built in New England were built 100 years ago, in some cases. At that time, the ill-effects of asbestos weren’t known and the material was fire-resistant, which gave it great value. But over the years, its negative effects have been well documented and yet officials apparently haven’t taken notice.

Even a little bit of exposure to asbestos can lead to a lifelong illness that kills. Mesothelioma has no cure and it is fatal 100 percent of the time. Once diagnosed, a person will die within 12 months, on average.

Our school-aged children must have all the educational opportunities in the world if they are to succeed. And that includes being healthy at school. They shouldn’t be put at risk simply to have the right to learn and improve their future.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, officials there have also just discovered asbestos in an elementary school. Officials planned on using the Thanksgiving holiday break to dig in and remove asbestos from the school, WSOC TV reports.

Officials have found 3,600 square feet of ceiling tiles that have asbestos. The school district called it a “preventative measure.” Asbestos not only was used to coat pipes and brake pads and insulate buildings, but it was also used in the creation of floor and ceiling tiles. It’s less of a “preventative measure” and more of a necessity.

Officials are saying the ceiling tiles aren’t a hazard, but could be a future hazard. Yet, any asbestos is a hazard. If it flakes apart, it can be ingested and could lead to a mesothelioma diagnosis years down the road. Children, who may have a less-developed immune system, could be affected more rapidly than adults.

Schools mustn’t delay removing asbestos from the premises. Asbestos was used in gym floors, cafeterias, classrooms, boiler rooms and everywhere else during construction decades ago. That means children can be exposed every day. If a school was built with asbestos, it must be removed and removed safely to ensure that it isn’t stirred up and left in place.

School officials must be more proactive and parents should be, too. Ask questions and make sure the pressure is on authorities to keep our children safe at school.
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In recent months, officials have been looking into the fact that wood chips distributed from the Libby, Montana, area may have been tainted with the same asbestos that has caused illness and death across the country.

As our Mesothelioma Lawyers Blog highlighted for several months during the summer, environment officials spent months investigating and testing soil at more than dozen sites nationwide that received asbestos-tainted vermiculite for processing.

Vermiculite, like asbestos, is a natural mineral that was used for insulation and in the production of many consumer goods. In the United States, it was primarily shipped from Libby, Montana, which produced a large percentage of the asbestos shipped across the country. The mine there was the region’s main employer, as reports stated that a mist of asbestos covered the town at times.

It was used in buildings all over New England from the early 1900s until 1991. It has been a leading cause of asbestos exposure in Massachusetts and nationwide. Exposure to asbestos, even a little, can lead to a diagnosis of mesothelioma, a rare and incurable form of cancer.

Massachusetts mesothelioma lawyers have seen the devastation caused by mesothelioma. People who are diagnosed typically were exposed to asbestos years ago, sometimes 30 to 40 years ago, and are just now feeling the symptoms — coughing, chest pain, fluid build-up — to get checked out. After diagnosis, the median lifespan is only 12 months, which makes this form of cancer that much more frustrating.

In July, The Associated Press reported that more than 15,000 tons of wood chips and bark were distributed nationwide, possibly including New England, despite knowledge that it was tainted with an unknown level of asbestos. Even two decades after the mine in Libby closed due to health hazards — thousands fell ill and hundreds have died — the town still is dealing with the backlash.

Major retailers sold the bark, which was used for decorative purposes or for erosion control. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tested samples of the wood chips in 2007, but didn’t quantify how much asbestos was present, the news service reported.

In March, sales of the wood chips were halted by the agency after concerns were raised and The Associated Press began investigating. Recently, initial tests of the wood chips show low levels of asbestos, but that means it’s still present.

It’s unclear where the bark was shipped or whether it was recalled. But it isn’t a typical consumer product like a child’s toy that can just be returned. If these wood chips cause a health risk, more must come out to protect consumers. Officials are still examining samples of the wood chips to determine if the level asbestos on the chips is considered “dangerous.”

Our Massachusetts mesothelioma lawyers would say any level of asbestos is dangerous because even a small amount of exposure can last a lifetime and end tragically.
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The Eagle-Tribune is reporting that parents are putting the pressure on school officials in Haverhill to build a new middle school after it was revealed that there are issues with asbestos at the school.

Asbestos exposure in Massachusetts, even for a short period of time, can lead to lifelong consequences. Boston mesothelioma lawyers have come across many clients who were exposed to asbestos for a short period — maybe weeks, months or a year — and that was enough exposure to lead to a mesothelioma diagnosis later in life.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is incurable. Research has shown that only a short period of exposure to asbestos — a commonly used mineral from the early 20th Century until the 1990s — can lead to a diagnosis 30 and 40 years later. That’s the scary thing about this illness; that a person can have no symptoms for decades and then it hits hard. After being diagnosed, the average lifespan is 12 months.

There have been other examples of schools throughout Massachusetts where officials have recently discovered asbestos on site. This shouldn’t come as a shock and considering many schools throughout New England were built decades ago, it should be obvious that asbestos was used. The mineral was chiefly used in insulation of buildings as well as in boiler rooms, piping and other commonly used construction materials.

That officials are still dealing with the fact that schools have asbestos means that scores of children have likely been exposed to asbestos and could be at risk.

In this northern Massachusetts town, one parent told the Eagle-Tribune that her eighth grade daughter tried to close a window recently because it was cold and her teacher told her to leave it open because of asbestos. The parent is a licensed asbestos remover who is now an auto mechanic because of the dangers of the job.

School officials told the parent that it doesn’t have a “dangerous” asbestos level, but has ventilation problems. Officials said recently that students were moved to a different school because the middle school’s structural problems risked that the floors would cave in.

Parents at a meeting recently urged school officials to build a new school and stop wasting time. Officials are working with engineers to see if they can fix the school structurally. The most recent story didn’t address the asbestos issues.

Let’s hope that Haverhill school officials do the right thing and find a grant, state money, federal money or fundraising to put together a new school that is structurally sound, but also built without asbestos. Simply restructuring the school to save money isn’t going to get rid of the asbestos issue. While there are removal services, that doesn’t guarantee all asbestos will be removed. It can linger and who knows the extent of the asbestos in that building. In order to ensure our children have a future, officials must eliminate asbestos from their lives.
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The Maine Campus, student newspaper of the University of Maine, is reporting that a heated public debate erupted recently over a proposal to triple the amount of waste a landfill there would be authorized to accept.

Residents were understandably upset that officials were considering accepting up to 32 million cubic yards of waste, up from the 10 million cubic yards it currently holds. Orono residents argued that they don’t want the waste in their backyard.

These concerns are no different than when cases of asbestos in Boston and other areas of the state arise. Take for instance the story of one the people to speak out at the landfill-expansion meeting. A woman related how her daughter recently moved to Massachusetts to attend college. She also bought a home whose basement was covered in asbestos, costing her some $16,000 clean up. The news article said daughter asked the driver where he would be taking the asbestos.

“You don’t have to worry about this,” the driver told her. “It’s going to Maine.”

Every state has guidelines for safe removal of asbestos and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection is no different. It has a 72-page guide for asbestos cleanup and removal.

There are several facts in this story that have caused some Massachusetts mesothelioma lawyers to stand up and take notice. Primarily, it is striking that asbestos could be dumped at landfill sites that are close to homes. While it must be removed from buildings, it may be just as dangerous to be sent to a dump where it gets pounded and mashed, allowing asbestos toxins to get into the air and atmosphere.

Secondly, home-buyers must do their due diligence when purchasing a home in New England. Most homes are older and many have asbestos in their basements, in insulation, in piping and in other parts of their house, which can pose health risks. Inspectors, appraisers and homeowners must do their research before possibly putting themselves at risk if the house contains asbestos.

About 100 miles away from Orono in Wilton, the department of environmental protection is planning to fine private companies that broke asbestos removal laws at a demolition site that was contaminated with the mineral, the Morning Sentinel reports.

According to the newspaper report, asbestos cleanup started at a demolition site in August and asbestos-laden material was removed from the century-old buildings. Because of sloppy state rules about asbestos cleanup and removal, many workers may have been exposed to high levels of the hazardous material.

Construction workers were removing the asbestos without the proper gear or equipment. While the state’s DEP looks at possible fines, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is investigating for possible criminal charges.

If companies violate rules, they not only open themselves up to fines and possible criminal charges, but they put their workers at risk. That’s not right and it’s not fair Continue reading

Medford officials may want to start taking asbestos exposure more seriously.

As The Medford Transcript recently reported, the Medford Police Department has ignored for years the health risks associated with exposed asbestos, which was found in its building years ago. Boston mesothelioma lawyers have noticed the department’s safety issues and how city officials are finally looking to take action to correct the situation. But the police department is not alone when it comes to concerns about asbestos.

As Boston mesothelioma lawyers reported in October, the Medford School Department was fined $30,000 for improperly disposing asbestos at Curtis Tufts Alternative High School.

According to The Boston Globe, officials in 2009 were supposed to properly remove asbestos-laden tiles based on guidelines and standards determined by the state. But instead, they took the tiles and dumped them in a trash container behind the school. The container was then moved to Columbus Elementary School before being brought back to the high school and decontaminated.

Now, the police department has come under fire because state officials mandated that problems such as exposed asbestos in the building’s boiler room be addressed five years ago, but nothing has been done.

City council members recently toured the building, which is fraught with other problems as well. Among the concerns are that jail cells are unusable, the firing range has been condemned, equipment and evidence rooms are cramped, and there are no gyms or showers for female officers in the building, which was built in 1962.

A photo from the newspaper shows council members walking in the boiler room, unmasked, to inspect it. Knowing that the pipes are coated with asbestos, people shouldn’t be walking around it without protection.

Aside from it being old and not up-to-date, it also poses other health concerns. According to council members, there is widespread mold because of water leaks, especially on the roof.

There are examples of people who worked in the trenches of asbestos dust or in factories or mines where they breathed it in all day who get mesothelioma later in life. But there are also many cases of people who were exposed over a short period of time. And they find out decades later that they, too, have formed mesothelioma.

Researchers don’t know enough about mesothelioma to figure out how much exposure is needed to cause it. The disease varies based on the victim, duration of exposure and conditions. But it is clear that even a small amount of exposure can kill.

Medford officials must take this seriously and take action on the asbestos situation in the police department and other buildings in the city that likely were built with asbestos. Its schools have put children at risk and now its police officers have been at risk for decades. Let’s hope officials do the right thing, and do it now.
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