According to Environment Minister Lee Maan-ee, the government of South Korea plans to establish asbestos management guidelines that will take into effect as early as next year. All buildings, facilities, and closed asbestos mines in South Korea will be inspected before guidelines are made.

“In the past, we didn’t know how asbestos could affect our health because a management system didn’t exist for asbestos exposure,” Lee said. “So, we will first focus on figuring out where exactly asbestos is distributed in order to draft the measures.”

The government is especially interested in the impact of closed asbestos mines on residents’ health. In the past, a total of 21 asbestos mines were open and fully operating in South Korea.

The concern over the mines stems from several reports that have indicated large impacts on the health of those living and working in nearby areas. Residents in Hongseong and Boryeong counties in South Chungcheong Province are just a few that have been affected by asbestos-related diseases through inhaling the toxic asbestos fibers.

One of these diseases is mesothelioma, which is a rare form of cancer that most commonly develops in the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma). The biggest problem with this disease is the fact that as many as 50 years can pass by before symptoms finally arise.

As a result of this latency period, the majority of mesothelioma patients are diagnosed when there is little a doctor can do to cure the disease. Other areas that have been known to contract the disease include the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma) and heart (pericardial mesothelioma).

Another example of an area that has felt the impacts of a closed asbestos mine is Libby, Montana in the United States. Since the official closing of the mine in 1990, more than 200 Libby residents have passed away from an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma. Currently, over a thousand residents are still suffering from a disease related to asbestos exposure.

The fact that South Korea has finally decided to act on the escalating asbestos issues surrounding their citizens is a giant leap in the right direction. With this recent movement, human rights activists can only hope that other countries experiencing asbestos problems will follow their lead.

For more information on asbestos exposure, please visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

According to information released by the office of the Massachusetts Attorney General, a Grand Jury has finally indicted Mayo Group Development LLC for the improper removal of asbestos in a downtown Worcester building.

The incident goes back as far as February 2007, which was when employees from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) noticed debris being tossed out of a window at Worcester Commons. An inspection test later confirmed the presence of asbestos.

In addition, authorities found out that the disposal of the asbestos-contaminated debris was scheduled to go to a landfill that was not equipped for handling asbestos waste.

The Mayo Group has been indicted on charges of violating the Clean Air Act for failing to file notices for asbestos removal with the Massachusetts DEP. They were also indicted for failing to comply with procedures for asbestos emissions control and improper disposal of asbestos waste.

During the construction project, it is believed that Mayo Group even removed asbestos in parts of the building where people were living, placing both residents and the workers involved at risk.

Exposure to asbestos has been known to cause several forms of asbestos-related disease, including malignant mesothelioma. This particular disease can be extremely dangerous because it can lay dormant for as many as 50 years, which typically results in a person being diagnosed in the latest stages of development.

Once mesothelioma is finally diagnosed, treating the disease can be very discouraging since the majority of treatment options available are palliative rather than curative.

The chance of developing an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma provides great reason for conducting a full asbestos survey before removing materials that might contain asbestos. Those companies that handle demolition and renovation projects should especially make sure that a proper assessment of the site is completed before work begins.

As for the Mayo Group, statements indicate the company will be summonsed for arraignment in Worcester Superior Court at a later date.

For more information on the affects of asbestos exposure, please visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

The Alfacell Corporation recently attended a pre-NDA meeting with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to discuss the final steps needed for the New Drug Application (NDA) of Onconase.

During the meeting, the FDA asked for another clinical trial to be performed on unresectable malignant mesothelioma patients that have previously failed a different chemotherapy method. This clinical trial must be completed before Alfacell can submit a NDA.

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is almost always caused by asbestos exposure. In the majority of cases, the disease affects the lining of the lungs.

However, other areas of the body that can be affected include the lining of the abdomen and heart. Prospective treatments for this disease are crucial for patients because a proven mesothelioma cure is not yet available. 

Onconase offers a therapeutic medication that is based on Alfacell’s proprietary ribonuclease (RNase) technology. It is a natural protein taken from the leopard frog and several studies have shown it can be used to kill mesothelioma cancer cells while sparing normal cells throughout the body.

Unfortunately, Alfacell’s current financial stance will not allow them to conduct a new clinical trial until additional funds are made. In order to make more money, Alfacell has decided to proceed with a cost reduction program that will reduce all other programs and personnel costs not related to Onconase.

This will not only provide enough funds for an additional clinical trial, but it will allow Alfacell to complete and fully invest in the New Drug Application. The company’s cost reduction program is scheduled to begin on January 30, 2009.

According to Alfacell, the current cash reserves should allow the company to continue operating through December 2009.

For more information on mesothelioma treatments, please visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

With the green movement in full force, companies such as GLOBAL Encasement, Inc. have begun making environmentally friendly products that are designed to manage hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead-based paint, mold and mildew.

GLOBAL Encasement, Inc. is a Pro Planet Positive Company that manufactures high quality, fully tested and approved, Class A Fire Rated protective coatings for interior and exterior building surfaces.

Asbestos, which is considered one of the most hazardous substances in occupational environments, has had a significant impact on thousands of American workers in a wide variety of industries. Such industries include the shipyard, automotive, manufacturing and construction industry. In addition, power plants, chemical plants and oil refineries have also been largely impacted by the use of asbestos-containing materials.

The reason why asbestos is so hazardous is because exposure to the substance has been known to cause lung cancer, asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure.

The problem with asbestos-related diseases is the fact that very few patients have ever been fully cured after diagnosis, which is why some of the products made by GLOBAL Encasement, Inc. are so beneficial.

AsbestoSafe® is just one of Global Encasement’s protective coating systems that encases and permanently seals hazards in place. This particular product is ideal for interior and exterior use over steel, pipes, ducts, siding, roofing, acoustical ceilings and plaster that contain asbestos.

PrepLESS Primer™ is another product that has significantly increased safety while performing asbestos-related projects. This product enhances preparation for cracked or peeling asbestos-containing surfaces by preventing dust and fibers from releasing into the air.

The benefits of safely managing asbestos-containing materials in place go beyond the typical high cost that is associated with the removal of toxic substances. These products provide fewer risks of asbestos exposure while helping avoid the hassle of properly disposing hazardous waste.

For more information on the affects of asbestos exposure, please visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs stated that out of the millions of veterans who have served the country, hundreds of thousands have been exposed to asbestos during their service. Regarded as one of many coverups jointly executed by corporations and government, it appears that the asbestos scandal still has not reached its climax.

Widely used by every military branch in the United States, over 300 products containing asbestos were used by the Navy and other military sectors from the 1930s through the 1970s. This has led to asbestos exposure among hundreds of thousands of military personnel.

Although not everyone who is exposed to asbestos will develop an asbestos-related illness, long-term exposure does increase the possibility. Asbestos exposure can cause severe ailments such as asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma, a highly aggressive cancer caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure. Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 new mesothelioma cases are reported every year in the United States alone.

Due to an intense latency period associated with mesothelioma, many soldiers will not experience related symptoms until 20 to 50 years after exposure, when the disease has already progressed to its later stages. Many symptoms of mesothelioma are ones found with other less serious conditions, making early diagnosis a significant challenge for physicians.

Around the turn of the 20th century, asbestos business grew into a major corporate industry with large profits and thousands of employees. By 1922, the Navy issued a medical checklist that placed asbestos in a list of hazardous occupations and recommended the use of respirators.

The U.S. Navy was not ignorant of the dangers of asbestos and evidence shows the hazardous qualities of asbestos was swiftly covered up by asbestos manufacturers. Any asbestos concerns were silenced in the race to build the U.S. Navy fleet prior to World War II.

Working in shipyards during WWII became almost as dangerous as fighting in the war itself. As many as four million service men and women worked in shipyards repairing and building giant vessels. Thousands of tons of asbestos were used as piping and boiler insulation aboard navigation rooms, sleeping quarters and mess halls in ships.

The Navy issued a ban on asbestos-contaminated materials on new ships in 1973, but then violated its own ban for the next five years.

In 1983, the Navy Asbestos Control Program was created to help facilitate compliance with asbestos-related regulations set by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Despite these actions, many veterans continued to be exposed to high levels of asbestos even after the Navy began to replace contaminated ships.

The majority of veteran asbestos exposure continues to occur when veterans work on naval vessels where asbestos-contaminated products were heavily used. Many of these older ships are decommissioned and sent for overhaul to third world countries that have limited regulations or little knowledge of the dangers of asbestos.

This phase of exposure began in the 1990s when the U.S. Navy began to sell obsolete ships for scrap materials where workers have no prior knowledge of the dangers involved in handling asbestos. Usually these workers are not given any protective equipment to prevent potential exposure.

Since March 2003, United States combat troops have been stationed in Iraq where they face many dangers while performing military operations. Many are unaware of the potential threat of asbestos exposure. Documents from 2003 reveal that over $194,000 worth of asbestos was imported into Iraq. This presents a significant hazard for all soldiers stationed in the country because intense winds and desert sands can carry asbestos dust for long distances.

Veterans with asbestos-related disease unfortunately find themselves in a tough situation because they experience difficulty in obtaining assistance and benefits for their illness. Currently, mesothelioma is not readily recognized as a service-related medical ailment. However, veterans can apply for Veteran Affairs (VA) benefits for asbestos-related illness and must provide proof that their exposure occurred at the time of their military service.

Some naval vessels and public facilities may still contain asbestos-laden materials, such as clutches, brakes, gaskets or older construction materials. Thus, the potential remains for yet another generation of veterans and civilians to be exposed to asbestos on a global scale.

For more information on veteran asbestos exposure and mesothelioma, please visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

Montana Senator Max Baucus recently announced that Lisa Jackson, Barack Obama’s nominee to head the Environmental Protection Agency, has already promised to visit Libby, Montana as long as her position is confirmed by Congress.

The town of Libby is the site where W.R. Grace & Company operated a toxic vermiculite mine that was contaminated with asbestos. Outside of the mine, asbestos contaminated nearly every part of the town, including fields, roads and even playgrounds. Asbestos also reached the yards of people’s homes, as W.R. Grace would often provide asbestos-contaminated soil for those that wanted to use it in their gardens.

During Jackson’s visit, Baucus says he plans to ask her to consider declaring a public health emergency in Libby because of the amount of asbestos exposure that still exists.

If a public health emergency is initiated, the EPA will have the authority to completely clean up any remaining asbestos in the area. In addition, federal medical care will be provided for Libby residents who are suffering from malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses.

Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure. Although medical treatment does not provide a cure for the disease, it does help relieve the pain that patients might be experiencing. Those that receive proper medical care are not only more likely to live longer, but live happier as well.

The opportunity to receive additional assistance from the federal government for medical expenses would mean a great deal to Libby residents. Many of the treatment options that are currently available to asbestos victims are very expensive and can be discouraging for a patient who cannot afford them.

Since the official closing of the mine in 1990, more than 200 Libby residents have passed away from an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma. Currently, over a thousand residents are still suffering from a disease related to asbestos and they would greatly benefit if a public health emergency was declared by the EPA.

For more information on asbestos exposure, please visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

The world’s largest asbestos disease and research institute, named in honor of Bernie Banton, has officially been opened in Sydney, Australia. The centre’s actual title is the Bernie Banton Centre at Sydney’s Concord Hospital.

Mr. Banton, who passed away from mesothelioma in 2007, was an outspoken asbestos-related disease campaigner. One of his most noted accomplishments was winning a $4 billion compensation suit against his former employer James Hardie Industries.

The $4 billion case has already provided compensation for other Australian residents who have suffered from an asbestos-related disease.

The purpose of the centre is to study the overall developments of asbestos-related diseases, including malignant mesothelioma. In addition, the centre hopes to improve prognosis and enhance treatment options for those that have been affected by asbestos exposure. 

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says the federal government plans to contribute $5 million to the centre to help get them started on the right track.

Rudd acknowledges that the incidences of mesothelioma in Australia are rising each year and strongly supports the efforts of the new facility. According to him, “Next year, around 750 Australians will be diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases.”

Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that is almost exclusively caused by exposure to asbestos. When the toxic fibers that make up asbestos are inhaled or ingested, they typically become lodged in the lining of the lungs and cause pleural mesothelioma. However, other areas of the body that can be affected by the disease include the heart (pericardial mesothelioma) and abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma).

By 2020, estimates predict Australia will be handling 13,000 cases of mesothelioma in addition to other asbestos-related diseases such as lung cancer and asbestosis.

To date, thousands of Australian residents have already passed away from asbestos exposure, and the establishment of an institute that is completely dedicated to improving the lives of asbestos victims could not come at a better time.

When discussing the lives of those that have been affected by asbestos, Rudd says, “These were just honest Australians. These were just innocent Australians. These were just working Australians supporting their families, supporting themselves, doing no harm to anyone, but a great harm was done to them.”

For more information on mesothelioma treatment, please visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

While many countries around the world have promoted countless bans on asbestos, Canada has yet to stop exporting the toxic substance to several developing countries, including India, Pakistan, and Vietnam.

As a result, the people living in these countries will unfortunately be fighting the same asbestos war that Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom have been fighting for quite some time. Over the last several decades, copious amounts of money have been spent removing asbestos-containing materials from homes, schools and commercial buildings to eliminate asbestos exposure. 

Exposure to asbestos is regarded as extremely dangerous because of the serious diseases that are accompanied with it. One such disease is mesothelioma, which is a rare type of cancer that can affect the lungs, heart, or abdomen.

Although the symptoms of mesothelioma might not be felt for 20 to 50 years after the exposure has occurred, the disease remains a serious threat. In fact, the severe latency period is what makes mesothelioma so devastating. In the majority cases, the disease is not diagnosed until its latest stages of development and the chance for a mesothelioma cure has long passed.

In October 2008, Canada actually had the opportunity to vote and add asbestos to the United Nations Watch List at the Rotterdam Convention, but elected not to do so.

Barry Castleman, the United States consultant at the Rotterdam Convention, says, “It’s indefensible, what Canada has done. Selling asbestos is one thing, but the idea of not being willing to obtain prior informed consent before you export it is another.”

Many representatives that were present at the convention, including Castleman, believe not adding asbestos to the Watch List because a few countries chose not to has damaged the reputation of the Rotterdam Convention and has placed thousands of people importing asbestos at risk. According to current regulations, a consensus must be met to include a new chemical on the Watch List.

During the meetings, the Swiss put forth a proposal to change the ratification process to require only a 75 percent majority, but Canada was among those countries that vetoed the proposal.

To date, approximately two to three thousand cases of mesothelioma are still being diagnosed each year in the United States. If India, Pakistan, and Vietnam continue to receive asbestos from Canada, they too will face the same challenges associated with asbestos exposure and asbestos-related disease.

For more information on mesothelioma, please visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

In an attempt to develop treatment for mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, researchers at Ohio State University are studying the molecular relationship between asbestos fibers and human cells.

The researchers are using atomic force microscopy to observe how a single asbestos fiber reacts with specific receptor proteins on cell surfaces. When the study is completed, they hope to have a better understanding of how asbestos exposure causes inflammation and eventually leads to severe illness.

Malignant mesothelioma, which is a rare type of cancer that is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure, can take as many as 50 years to show signs of disease. This often results in a late diagnosis and ultimately has a large impact on the effectiveness of mesothelioma treatment.

Eric Taylor, who is coauthor of the study, says, “We’re looking at what molecules are involved in the chain of events when the fiber touches the cell. Does the binding occur over minutes, or hours? And what processes are triggered?”

As of now, the researchers are primarily focusing on the crocidolite form of asbestos, but they also intend to analyze other variations of asbestos in the future.

The first protein to be examined in the study is epidermal growth factor receptor, which is located on the surface of all human cells. Researchers hope that understanding the biological activity between this protein and crocidolite asbestos will reveal how to prevent and possibly undo that initial interaction.

In addition, Steven Lower, who is another coauthor of the study, says the findings “will give us data on biological activity that should help policymakers determine which forms of asbestos are the most dangerous.”

If the study is successful, the possibility of finding a way to intervene and prevent mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases would be revolutionary. To date, mesothelioma prognosis has typically been poor since there is no effective cure for the disease.

For more information on asbestos exposure, please visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

As a result of the 2006 asbestos violations that occurred on campus, Arizona State University (ASU) has recently carried out the second of five seminars pertaining to an extensive asbestos education program. The meetings are specifically designed to cover the proper techniques of handling asbestos-containing materials.

In addition to being ordered to conduct the seminars, ASU was fined $96,000 for the improper removal of asbestos-containing floor tiles. Of the $96,000, a total of $52,000 is meant to cover the costs of conducting the seminars.

ASU was fined because the contractor failed to take precautions before ripping out 5,000 square feet of asbestos flooring in the Memorial Union basement.

Air quality tests later showed that medium levels of asbestos dust did in fact release into the air. To make matters worse, the contractors carted the contaminated floor tiles through the food court during the disposal process, placing everyone there at risk of asbestos exposure.

Exposure to asbestos occurs when someone inhales or ingests asbestos fibers. If inhaled, the fibers typically attach themselves to the lining of the lungs, which can cause pleural mesothelioma. Other areas of the body that can be affected include the lining of the heart (pericardial mesothelioma) and abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma).

Though the effects of mesothelioma will not be felt right away, the disease remains a serious threat to those who may have been exposed to asbestos at the Memorial Union building. ASU environmental safety officials said several hours had passed before they even knew what was taking place.

According to the county’s asbestos inspections supervisor, Scott I. MacDonald, the exposure that occurred was not enough to cause health problems. However, some have found that even a small amount of asbestos exposure can result in the development of mesothelioma several decades later.

To date, ASU officials deny any wrongdoing and blame the contractors for removing the flooring without permission. Since the incident occurred, the university has hired three more environmental safety officials to prevent similar hazards from happening in the future.

For additional information on asbestos exposure, please visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.