Mesothelioma Blog

A French aircraft carrier containing more than 700 tons of asbestos could be dismantled in England after more than four years of legal controversy.
Once the pride of the French Navy, Clemenceau is set to be scrapped by Able UK an English firm that specializes in ship and offshore structure recycling.
The 33,000 ton carrier sailed more [...]

Quebec’s environment ministry says people living in the asbestos mining regions are not in danger from airborne fibers. Tests were conducted three years ago, but the results were just announced. The ministry used Ontario’s standards for outside air asbestos concentrations. Earlier a study in the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health had said the [...]

The Associated Press reports that Chapter 11 embattled Dana Corp has filed papers in bankruptcy court. They are setting aside $2 million for asbestos claims resolution without litigation. Dana has received 150,000 claims of which 7 percent allege mesothelioma or another form of cancer.

Quaker Chemical settled with an insurance company and agreed to pay part of the costs “in connection with asbestos bodily injury claims” according to the Associated Press. Part of the long shake-out of the tragic asbestos legacy.

More on that French cruise liner, the Blue Lady. A high court in India finally gave permission for the ship to be dismantled. This ship has been roaming the seas looking for a resting place. The hazards posed by asbestos and other toxic materials have caused much concern. Bangladeshi authorities turned the ship away, and [...]

Almost 6 years after the terrorist attacks, lower Manhattan has recovered somewhat; Building 7 of the WTC was rebuilt, plans are underway for more buildings, and over 15,000 people have moved into the area in recent years. However, the legacy of asbestos remains. The Deutsche Bank was damaged back in Sept 2001 and has never [...]

The Pump Handle reports that Senator Murray’s hearings included testimony from a worker in the U.S. Capitol tunnels. We reported last year on the asbestos found underneath the Capitol building and the risks it poses to people working down there.

The Senate Health Committee’s employment and workplace safety subcommittee held a hearing yesterday and the widow of Bruce Vento testified. Vento was a congressman who died several years ago from mesothelioma. Senator Patty Murray is continuing her crusade to ban asbestos, and reintroduced her bill to ban the material. Murray has tried to get this [...]

General Electric is charging $115 million after-tax charge on its accounting books to cover asbestos cases. The company has already paid $500 million to settle asbestos cases, and has 509,000 claims pending. Like many large industrial companies, GE used asbestos in its products, even though it was not a primary asbestos maker. [...]

The British Press Association is reporting about 47-year-old woman with mesothelioma who was exposed to asbestos dust as a child. Her father died last year from cancer, and the woman Debra Brewer remembers asbestos on his work clothing when she was young. There are unfortunately many such cases of children being exposed through [...]