By Julie Turkewitz
Baltimore Sun
June 07, 2007
The recreation center in Violetville Elementary School was shut down Tuesday after workers discovered asbestos floor tiles in the 3,300 square-foot area near the school's cafeteria.
The center was sealed off after the discovery of the asbestos tiles and it will remain closed until the tiles are replaced and other maintenance work is done, said Kurt Kocher, spokesman for the city's Department of Public Works.
The school remains open and the tiles did not pose a health risk, Kocher said.
Asbestos was widely used as a fireproofing agent in building insulation and other products until it was linked to respiratory diseases. The inhalation of tiny asbestos fibers causes lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. But asbestos poses a health risk only when its fibers are released into the air.
Kocher said the tiles were old and 'cracked' -- not crushed to the point where fibers could be inhaled by someone. The city made replacement a priority before they could create a problem, he said.
'A lot of old homes and buildings have asbestos in them,' Kocher said. 'It's when they essentially get in a pulverized, almost powder form, that's when they are dangerous. But we don't believe there was any kind of trouble along those lines.'
There are 35 children enrolled in the after-school program at the center, which is also used for activities, said Kia McLeod, director of marketing and media relations at the Department of Recreation and Parks, which operates the center.
Although the recreation center is in the school, the replacement of the floor tiles is the responsibility of the Department of Recreation and Parks, not the school system, said Edie House, a city school spokeswoman.
Principal Catherine Reinholdt sent a letter to parents Tuesday notifying them of the asbestos floor tiles.
It's been a rough week for Violetville students. Last week administrators canceled school because of mite infestation.
Keith Scroggins, the chief operating officer of the city school system, said Violetville Elementary reopened Friday, and he hasn't heard any complaints of mites since. 'There are no more that we are aware of,' he said.
However, the school's letter home -- and the discovery of the asbestos just as the school rid itself of the bugs -- has left some parents with questions.
Bonnie Vogel's four children attend school at Violetville, which has students from kindergarten through eighth grade. Her daughter took dance at the recreation center, Vogel said, but she won't be sending her back.
'I don't really trust her going back in there,' she said. 'I'm a little leery sending her to school now because of all the problems they've been having.'
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Coroner's warning after asbestos death
A CORONER has warned of the dangers of modern chemicals after a pensioner died of asbestos poisoning, 40 years after being in contact with the chemical at a Bradford on Avon company.
Former wages manager Anita Ford, 70, of Barr's Lane, Charmouth, died on January 16 at Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester as a result of malignant mesothelioma.
The inquest was told that Mrs Ford came into contact with asbestos powder - the dangerous form of the chemical, 40 years before when she worked for Avon Rubber plc in Bradford on Avon, which was originally called Spencer Moultons, then Avon Industrial Polymers Ltd.
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West Dorset Coroner Michael Johnston said it was a rare type of cancer that in 85 per cent or more cases is caused by exposure to asbestos.
He said: "Asbestos was regarded as a wonderful material and it is, but it carries these dangers. What worries me is what we're using now which no one's discovered yet.
"I'm a keen gardener and use sprays and I read the other day that spray chemicals can increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
"There's all this chemical stuff in supermarkets, is it any wonder kids are getting asthma?"
Mr Johnston said she was taken into hospital on January 13 after becoming dangerously short of breath and died three days later. Consultant pathologist, Mark Deverell, in a written statement, said the cause of death was a massive blood clot in her lung due to the cancer.
Her husband Derek Thomas Quade Ford also worked for Avon Rubber on the factory floor, as did her parents and their son John and the inquest was told Mrs Ford may also have come into contact with asbestos washing their clothes.
Mr Ford said the factory had since been demolished and he was told that 80 tonnes of asbestos was removed from the factory in pulling it down.
Mr Johnston recorded a verdict of death as a result of industrial disease.
Former wages manager Anita Ford, 70, of Barr's Lane, Charmouth, died on January 16 at Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester as a result of malignant mesothelioma.
The inquest was told that Mrs Ford came into contact with asbestos powder - the dangerous form of the chemical, 40 years before when she worked for Avon Rubber plc in Bradford on Avon, which was originally called Spencer Moultons, then Avon Industrial Polymers Ltd.
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West Dorset Coroner Michael Johnston said it was a rare type of cancer that in 85 per cent or more cases is caused by exposure to asbestos.
He said: "Asbestos was regarded as a wonderful material and it is, but it carries these dangers. What worries me is what we're using now which no one's discovered yet.
"I'm a keen gardener and use sprays and I read the other day that spray chemicals can increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
"There's all this chemical stuff in supermarkets, is it any wonder kids are getting asthma?"
Mr Johnston said she was taken into hospital on January 13 after becoming dangerously short of breath and died three days later. Consultant pathologist, Mark Deverell, in a written statement, said the cause of death was a massive blood clot in her lung due to the cancer.
Her husband Derek Thomas Quade Ford also worked for Avon Rubber on the factory floor, as did her parents and their son John and the inquest was told Mrs Ford may also have come into contact with asbestos washing their clothes.
Mr Ford said the factory had since been demolished and he was told that 80 tonnes of asbestos was removed from the factory in pulling it down.
Mr Johnston recorded a verdict of death as a result of industrial disease.
Pleural Mesothelioma - The Facts
Pleural Mesothelioma is one of the most intense forms of cancer. It generally attacks the chest’s membrane lining. About three thousand new occurrences each year occur in the US alone. It is now known, as you may also appreciate, that it is caused by coming into contact with Asbestos particles.
Mesothelioma may not necessarily break out immediately. It is not uncommon for it to take 15 years to rear its ugly head, and up to 40 year waits have been recorded. Therefore, most patients diagnosed with this disease are in their sixties or seventies. Because of this long latency period the disease can be in an advanced stage before it is diagnosed correctly. Unfortunately, this leads to the following treatment being less effective.
It is very hard to diagnose pleural mesothelioma because this disease has few distinguishing features at first glance. The alarming indicators are difficulty in swallowing (dysphasia), shortness of breath (dyspnoea), persistent coughing and a tight chest pain. A sore or swollen neck, alongside other indications such as fevers, sweating, hoarseness or over fatigue could (I repeat could) show that the cancer has spread. The movement of blood from the lungs could also show that the disease has spread. In this case those symptoms are mainly caused by a fluid collection in the thoracic area (effusion). It is also possible that the weak pellicle, which is covering the lungs, may fatten and decrease expansion and contraction, therefore making it harder to breathe. Shockingly, in certain circumstances no noticeable signs may show that the cancer has spread until it is out of hand.
To give you some indication of the regularity of the symptoms, 84% of patients have pleural effusions (fluid collection). The major symptoms of the pleural mesothelioma are shortness of breath (88%) and weight loss (28%).
Please visit http://www.asbestosadvice.blogspot.com for more information on Asbestos and Mesothelioma related illness.
Mesothelioma may not necessarily break out immediately. It is not uncommon for it to take 15 years to rear its ugly head, and up to 40 year waits have been recorded. Therefore, most patients diagnosed with this disease are in their sixties or seventies. Because of this long latency period the disease can be in an advanced stage before it is diagnosed correctly. Unfortunately, this leads to the following treatment being less effective.
It is very hard to diagnose pleural mesothelioma because this disease has few distinguishing features at first glance. The alarming indicators are difficulty in swallowing (dysphasia), shortness of breath (dyspnoea), persistent coughing and a tight chest pain. A sore or swollen neck, alongside other indications such as fevers, sweating, hoarseness or over fatigue could (I repeat could) show that the cancer has spread. The movement of blood from the lungs could also show that the disease has spread. In this case those symptoms are mainly caused by a fluid collection in the thoracic area (effusion). It is also possible that the weak pellicle, which is covering the lungs, may fatten and decrease expansion and contraction, therefore making it harder to breathe. Shockingly, in certain circumstances no noticeable signs may show that the cancer has spread until it is out of hand.
To give you some indication of the regularity of the symptoms, 84% of patients have pleural effusions (fluid collection). The major symptoms of the pleural mesothelioma are shortness of breath (88%) and weight loss (28%).
Please visit http://www.asbestosadvice.blogspot.com for more information on Asbestos and Mesothelioma related illness.
A Quick Guide to Mesothelioma
When you talk about the health risks caused by asbestos, mesothelioma is at the top of the list. It is a sad story with a very unhappy ending.
A Quick Guide to Mesothelioma
Beginning in 1926, various studies started revealing that the wide spread use of asbestos for its fire resistant properties might not be such a good thing. The problem? Dust from asbestos materials was easily ingested into the lungs, but was nearly impossible for the body to expel. This resulted in a host of health problems of which Mesothelioma undoubtedly is the worst.
Mesothelioma is a nasty form of cancer. It is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos dust. This primarily occurs when a person has worked directly with or around asbestos materials. For example, a person who works on older buildings with asbestos materials or a person in the ship building industry to mention only a few. The disease can also impact secondary individuals who come in contact with such people, particular said peoples clothes.
On the medical side of things, Mesothelioma is a cancer that attacks the mesothelium. This anatomical term refers to the lining found around most organs of the body including the lungs and chest cavity. The cancer can also attack the sack encompassing the heart as well as other areas of the body. In short, it is a devastating form of cancer.
The truly horrific thing about Mesothelioma is the fact it takes a long time to appear. Gestation periods can be from twenty to fifty years. Even when it begins to show symptoms, it is very difficult to diagnose because it shares many symptoms common to aging and other health issues. These can include chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing and blood clotting.
Unfortunately, Mesothelioma is deadly once it fully presents. A variety of treatment methods have been tried, but nothing has worked. The average person presenting with the cancer has a life span of less than a year. Radiation, surgery and pharmaceutical approaches have failed to significantly extend this time.
Mesothelioma is terminal cancer caused by exposure to asbestos dust that takes a long time to manifest, but a short time to kill.
Gerard Simington is with FindAnAttorneyForMe.com - offering asbestos and mesothelioma legal information.
A Quick Guide to Mesothelioma
Beginning in 1926, various studies started revealing that the wide spread use of asbestos for its fire resistant properties might not be such a good thing. The problem? Dust from asbestos materials was easily ingested into the lungs, but was nearly impossible for the body to expel. This resulted in a host of health problems of which Mesothelioma undoubtedly is the worst.
Mesothelioma is a nasty form of cancer. It is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos dust. This primarily occurs when a person has worked directly with or around asbestos materials. For example, a person who works on older buildings with asbestos materials or a person in the ship building industry to mention only a few. The disease can also impact secondary individuals who come in contact with such people, particular said peoples clothes.
On the medical side of things, Mesothelioma is a cancer that attacks the mesothelium. This anatomical term refers to the lining found around most organs of the body including the lungs and chest cavity. The cancer can also attack the sack encompassing the heart as well as other areas of the body. In short, it is a devastating form of cancer.
The truly horrific thing about Mesothelioma is the fact it takes a long time to appear. Gestation periods can be from twenty to fifty years. Even when it begins to show symptoms, it is very difficult to diagnose because it shares many symptoms common to aging and other health issues. These can include chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing and blood clotting.
Unfortunately, Mesothelioma is deadly once it fully presents. A variety of treatment methods have been tried, but nothing has worked. The average person presenting with the cancer has a life span of less than a year. Radiation, surgery and pharmaceutical approaches have failed to significantly extend this time.
Mesothelioma is terminal cancer caused by exposure to asbestos dust that takes a long time to manifest, but a short time to kill.
Gerard Simington is with FindAnAttorneyForMe.com - offering asbestos and mesothelioma legal information.
Iron Mine Workers at Higher Risk to Develop Mesothelioma Than Previously Thought
Since 1988, 52 Iron miners have died in Minnesota whose mesothelioma cancers have led the state Health Department to conclude that the rare cancer is killing iron ore miners in significantly greater numbers than previously thought.
The state said last week it will try to determine whether the deaths are caused by asbestos or asbestos-like fibers in iron ore dust. They will also examine whether they think limits should be placed on exposure. According to a 2003 study, commercial asbestos used in taconite-plant furnaces and other mining equipment was the probable cause.
When federal air tests found elevated levels of asbestos last September at the Northshore Mining Co. in Silver Bay, Minn., mine safety officials couldn’t issue fines or order safety improvements.
New, stricter rules on asbestos in mines remain stalled, 20 months after being proposed. And under the current airborne asbestos limit, which is 20 times higher than the limit for other industries, Northshore’s processing plant is not in violation.
Now, regulators find themselves under renewed pressure to deal with dusty conditions in iron mining. This week, the state Health Department reported that 52 male Iron Range miners died of mesothelioma, a rare cancer caused by inhaling asbestos, from 1988 to 2005.
Over 200 miners have filed workers’ compensation claims stating that working in the taconite mines caused their asbestos-related diseases and other lung ailments.
“Hopefully it never blossoms,” Karl Oberstar Jr., 55, said of his asbestosis, which was detected in a screening arranged by his union in the late 1990s. He worked 31 years as a millwright and mechanic for LTV Steel Mining Co. in Hoyt Lakes.
Oberstar, who lives in Gilbert, remembers dumping bags of dusty asbestos into “a big mixing bowl” while making a fire-resistant paste to seal furnaces. “You could just see the particles everywhere,” he said. “The air never seemed clear.”
According to workers at the Eveleth Mines and Inland Steel Mining Co. in Virginia, dirt and dust came with the job.
They complained to the company at one point and were eventually given some respirators but they got clogged right away. After that, the company told them it was just harmless dust.
The brake linings of the trucks were asbestos, the ceiling tiles in his office had it, it was in the insulation of the wires that were stripped and it was in this paste that they smeared onto the pipes when they built the taconite plant.
The best course of action it seems for workers at these plants is to get their lungs scanned for signs of disease early to detect tumors as early as possible when treatment might be more effective.
The state said last week it will try to determine whether the deaths are caused by asbestos or asbestos-like fibers in iron ore dust. They will also examine whether they think limits should be placed on exposure. According to a 2003 study, commercial asbestos used in taconite-plant furnaces and other mining equipment was the probable cause.
When federal air tests found elevated levels of asbestos last September at the Northshore Mining Co. in Silver Bay, Minn., mine safety officials couldn’t issue fines or order safety improvements.
New, stricter rules on asbestos in mines remain stalled, 20 months after being proposed. And under the current airborne asbestos limit, which is 20 times higher than the limit for other industries, Northshore’s processing plant is not in violation.
Now, regulators find themselves under renewed pressure to deal with dusty conditions in iron mining. This week, the state Health Department reported that 52 male Iron Range miners died of mesothelioma, a rare cancer caused by inhaling asbestos, from 1988 to 2005.
Over 200 miners have filed workers’ compensation claims stating that working in the taconite mines caused their asbestos-related diseases and other lung ailments.
“Hopefully it never blossoms,” Karl Oberstar Jr., 55, said of his asbestosis, which was detected in a screening arranged by his union in the late 1990s. He worked 31 years as a millwright and mechanic for LTV Steel Mining Co. in Hoyt Lakes.
Oberstar, who lives in Gilbert, remembers dumping bags of dusty asbestos into “a big mixing bowl” while making a fire-resistant paste to seal furnaces. “You could just see the particles everywhere,” he said. “The air never seemed clear.”
According to workers at the Eveleth Mines and Inland Steel Mining Co. in Virginia, dirt and dust came with the job.
They complained to the company at one point and were eventually given some respirators but they got clogged right away. After that, the company told them it was just harmless dust.
The brake linings of the trucks were asbestos, the ceiling tiles in his office had it, it was in the insulation of the wires that were stripped and it was in this paste that they smeared onto the pipes when they built the taconite plant.
The best course of action it seems for workers at these plants is to get their lungs scanned for signs of disease early to detect tumors as early as possible when treatment might be more effective.
Asbestos Mesothelioma Lawsuit filed by New Jersey Mesothelioma Attorneys Levy Phillips & Konigsberg, LPP, Moves to Trial
The suit is on behalf of a woman who developed Mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos from brake repairs performed by her family members.
New York, NY (PRWEB) June 6, 2007 -- The New Jersey mesothelioma attorneys Levy Phillips & Konigsberg, LLP, with offices also in New York, filed an asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit on behalf of a woman who was exposed to asbestos as a result of her husband and children performing brake work. The woman was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2002 and died from her illness shortly after mesothelioma treatments were attempted at Virtua West Jersey Hospital. The asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit, case number 03-0007, was filed in Middlesex County in central New Jersey and is set to proceed to trial this summer.
Brake dust, containing asbestos, can be released when a brake disk or drum is removed from a vehicle. The dust is frequently invisible to the naked eye, but if the brakes contain asbestos, then the dust released from the brakes will contain asbestos. The brake work, which will be at issue in this trial, was performed by the woman's husband and children on the family's cars in the garage and driveway of their New Jersey home from the 1960s through the 1980s. During the trial, it will be argued that the brand predominately used for the brake work was asbestos-containing Bendix brakes. The victim was unknowingly exposed to asbestos as a result of her laundering the dusty clothes and the used rags that were used by her husband and children after they performed the brake work. The victim would shake out the dirty clothes and dusty rags and then launder them. She performed the clean-up and laundry without any realization that she was neither in any danger nor that she was being exposed to asbestos-laden dust.
This asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit is coming on the heels of a new set of recommendations from the Environmental Protection Agency regarding automobile repairs and the importance of reducing or eliminating asbestos exposure from such work. The EPA in March 2007 released the guideline brochure entitled, "Current Best Practices for Preventing Asbestos Exposure Among Brake and Clutch Repair Workers" which is similar to guidance that EPA has been distributing since 1986. The EPA states in this publication that by using the recommended practices, home mechanics can minimize potential exposure to asbestos and reduce their potential risk of developing asbestos-related disease. For example, the EPA recommends not using compressed air or dry rags for cleaning. To visit the EPA website to learn more about how to lower the risks of asbestos exposure from asbestos dust while doing brake and auto repairs, please click on the following link: http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/brakesbrochure.html.
Symptoms of mesothelioma usually don't appear until at least 15 years after the victim's first contact or exposure to asbestos whether it is in workplace, the home environment or elsewhere. Exposure, even for a short duration, can cause mesothelioma. Asbestos fibers are microscopic and exposure can occur without one ever being aware of it. Asbestos mesothelioma lawsuits, may be brought when mesothelioma occurs not only in the people working directly with asbestos products but also in bystanders and family members who were exposed to the asbestos dust, as is the case here. Asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma, a cancer that occurs primarily in the lining of the lungs and the abdomen. Mesothelioma treatments can help prolong life, and provide palliative care benefits, but unfortunately there is no mesothelioma cure.
The New Jersey Mesothelioma Attorneys at Levy Phillips & Konigsberg, LLP have filed asbestos mesothelioma lawsuits on behalf of mesothelioma victims in the New York and New Jersey area for more than 25 years. The law firm has worked with some of the top mesothelioma doctors in the world including doctors whose practice focuses on the research of new mesothelioma treatments. Learn more about Levy Phillips & Konigsberg, LLP.
New York, NY (PRWEB) June 6, 2007 -- The New Jersey mesothelioma attorneys Levy Phillips & Konigsberg, LLP, with offices also in New York, filed an asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit on behalf of a woman who was exposed to asbestos as a result of her husband and children performing brake work. The woman was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2002 and died from her illness shortly after mesothelioma treatments were attempted at Virtua West Jersey Hospital. The asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit, case number 03-0007, was filed in Middlesex County in central New Jersey and is set to proceed to trial this summer.
Brake dust, containing asbestos, can be released when a brake disk or drum is removed from a vehicle. The dust is frequently invisible to the naked eye, but if the brakes contain asbestos, then the dust released from the brakes will contain asbestos. The brake work, which will be at issue in this trial, was performed by the woman's husband and children on the family's cars in the garage and driveway of their New Jersey home from the 1960s through the 1980s. During the trial, it will be argued that the brand predominately used for the brake work was asbestos-containing Bendix brakes. The victim was unknowingly exposed to asbestos as a result of her laundering the dusty clothes and the used rags that were used by her husband and children after they performed the brake work. The victim would shake out the dirty clothes and dusty rags and then launder them. She performed the clean-up and laundry without any realization that she was neither in any danger nor that she was being exposed to asbestos-laden dust.
This asbestos mesothelioma lawsuit is coming on the heels of a new set of recommendations from the Environmental Protection Agency regarding automobile repairs and the importance of reducing or eliminating asbestos exposure from such work. The EPA in March 2007 released the guideline brochure entitled, "Current Best Practices for Preventing Asbestos Exposure Among Brake and Clutch Repair Workers" which is similar to guidance that EPA has been distributing since 1986. The EPA states in this publication that by using the recommended practices, home mechanics can minimize potential exposure to asbestos and reduce their potential risk of developing asbestos-related disease. For example, the EPA recommends not using compressed air or dry rags for cleaning. To visit the EPA website to learn more about how to lower the risks of asbestos exposure from asbestos dust while doing brake and auto repairs, please click on the following link: http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/brakesbrochure.html.
Symptoms of mesothelioma usually don't appear until at least 15 years after the victim's first contact or exposure to asbestos whether it is in workplace, the home environment or elsewhere. Exposure, even for a short duration, can cause mesothelioma. Asbestos fibers are microscopic and exposure can occur without one ever being aware of it. Asbestos mesothelioma lawsuits, may be brought when mesothelioma occurs not only in the people working directly with asbestos products but also in bystanders and family members who were exposed to the asbestos dust, as is the case here. Asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma, a cancer that occurs primarily in the lining of the lungs and the abdomen. Mesothelioma treatments can help prolong life, and provide palliative care benefits, but unfortunately there is no mesothelioma cure.
The New Jersey Mesothelioma Attorneys at Levy Phillips & Konigsberg, LLP have filed asbestos mesothelioma lawsuits on behalf of mesothelioma victims in the New York and New Jersey area for more than 25 years. The law firm has worked with some of the top mesothelioma doctors in the world including doctors whose practice focuses on the research of new mesothelioma treatments. Learn more about Levy Phillips & Konigsberg, LLP.
Friday, June 8, 2007
Pemetrexed combined with cisplatin or carboplatin shows promise as a treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma
The results of a recent medical study confirmed results from earlier studies demonstrating that the chemotherapy drug pemetrexed combined with either cisplatin or carboplatin showed promise as a treatment for previously untreated, inoperable pleural mesothelioma. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a form of cancer associated with exposure to asbestos.The study, which was reported at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting being held in Chicago, was derived from data on 1,704 mesothelioma patients who were among the more than 3,000 patients worldwide who received pemetrexed alone or in combination with a platinum agent such as cisplatin or carboplatin. Pemetrexed is known by the brand name Alimta in the U.S. and other countries.
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