Mesothelioma Asbestos

To all but the most hardcore retro fans, asbestos vinyl floor tiles almost laughably ugly. But they’re no joke – vinyl asbestos floor tiles are one of the top products responsible for mesothelioma, the rare but aggressive cancer caused by exposure to asbestos.

From the 1940s through the 1970s, anyone who manufactured or installed these floor tiles was likely exposed to asbestos and is at risk of developing asbestos lung cancer, mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases. Kentile and Flintkote are two of the top brands, but there were many other small, lesser-known asbestos floor tile products.

(A big thank you to Asbestorama for these photos. Check out his libary of asbestos products on Flickr)

1. Congoleum Vinylstone

2. Armstong Montina

3. Aristoflex

4. Congoleum Dominique

5. Kentile Floors

6. Johns-Manville Terraflex

7. Flintkote

8. Armstrong Excelon

9. Mystery flooring with asbestos backing

Asbestos

Because the use of asbestos is still not banned in the United States, there is always a risk that the building you are in may still contain some products that contain the deadly fiber in its walls. However, a British company has developed a new device that could be used in American buildings to reduce the risk of asbestos exposure until the fiber’s use is one day banned.

Datatecnics, a Birmingham, England-based company, has developed a special type of wall covering that is designed to detect small asbestos particles and prevent them from getting through to an area where people are located. The ADAAS (Asbestos Disturbance Automated Alert System) polymer film is also designed to trigger an alarm if it is breached in any way.

“Asbestos is in a lot of public buildings. The Government estimates that 70 percent of UK schools contain it and the guidance from the Health and Safety Executive is to manage most of it, not remove it,” Mohammad Zulfiquar, Datatecnics’ CEO, recently told Electronics Weekly.

While the company is still looking for investors before any widespread launch of the product, its mere existence could be a sign of good things to come in regard to the prevention of asbestos exposure in the years to come.

For those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer that can be linked to asbestos exposure caused by a product or former employer, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Contact an experienced mesothelioma attorney to learn more about your rights, and to see if pursuing a mesothelioma settlement is in your best interest.

Asbestos

A Colorado man has been sentenced to a four-year community corrections term and must pay more than $300,000 in restitution after releasing loose asbestos into the air when he improperly demolished his house.

According to a press release from Colorado Attorney General John W. Suthers, Thomas K. Tienda improperly demolished his Pueblo home by not hiring properly licensed personnel, or getting any of the proper demolition permits – including ones that ensure any asbestos products are safely removed and appropriately disposed of – before moving forward with the process.

Instead, Tienda hired homeless individuals to perform demolition work on the house, which resulted in the airborne release of dangerous asbestos fibers. Instead of safely disposing of the asbestos products, Tienda was also suspected of reusing some asbestos-contaminated materials following the demolition as well.

“There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos,” said Lori Hanson, special agent in charge of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Colorado. “The defendant not only employed unsafe asbestos removal practices but tried to cover up his illegal actions. Today’s sentence should send a clear message that the EPA will continue working closely with our state enforcement partners to prosecute those who violate the law and place their private gains over the public’s well being.”

The asbestos exposure case that followed wsa prosecuted by the Office of the Attorney General in cooperation with the Pueblo District Attorney’s Office. The Colorado Environmental Crime Task Force, the Air Quality Unit of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigations Division also assisted in the case.

If you or a loved one have been harmed by asbestos exposure, contact Sokolove Law today to learn more about pursuing an asbestos lawsuit.

Asbestos

The Co-Founder, President & CEO of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization is urging the government to take action and ban the importation of asbestos following the release of a report that documents a spike in U.S. asbestos consumption during the first half of 2011.

Linda Reinstein, who founded the ADAO after her husband became sick with mesothelioma and passed away, wrote in a statement that she was “appalled and shocked” by recent data in the 2012 United States Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries that showed asbestos consumption listed at 1,100 metric tons from January through July of 2011.

The figure represented a substantial increase from the consumption figure of 820 metric tons documented over the same seven month period in the same report one year earlier. The 280 metric ton difference represents a 34 percent increase in consumption.

Reinstein continued that the figures in the report run against the information that the asbestos industry has been arguing for years; that both the importation of asbestos from other countries and the levels of asbestos exposure that the public faces have been in decline.

In the wake of the report, she called on Congress and the President to “immediately prohibit the importation of raw asbestos and asbestos-containing products from crossing our borders to protect public health.”

“Nothing can bring [my husband] or the hundreds of thousands of other victims back to life, but we can begin by aggressively preventing exposure thus eliminating deadly diseases,” she said.

If you or a loved one have been exposed to asbestos fibers and later been diagnosed with mesothelioma, there may be legal options worth pursuing. Call Sokolove Law today to learn more about possibly pursuing a mesothelioma lawsuit.

Asbestos

Asbestos

Several areas of a nursing home in Pennsylvania have tested positive for asbestos fibers.

According to WFMZ, the Gracedale Nursing Home facility in Northampton County recently tested positive for asbestos after the deadly fibers were detected in certain areas of the building.

Harp said that certain areas of the nursing home have been shut down and none of the asbestos fibers became airborne and inhaleable. He noted that the cleanup may costs tens of thousands of dollars.

If you or a loved one has been exposed to asbestos, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact Sokolove Law for a free legal consultation.

Asbestos

An employee of the underground train system in the UK has reported that there is a significant amount of asbestos throughout portions of the London Underground.

According to International Business Times UK, Allen Jenkins said that asbestos was “all over the place” and worse on some train lines than others. He further said that while the areas had been painted with encapsulating paint, there was still concern that the paint could easily chip off to expose the asbestos fibers.

Jenkins also said that nothing will be done about it because it would cost too much money and take too long. Although safety measures have been attempted, departments do not have the proper procedures to deal with the hazard.

Asbestos was largely used as insulation in London’s train system until the 1980s and 1990s when laws stopped its use.

If you or a loved one have been harmed by asbestos exposure, contact Sokolove Law for a free legal consultation.

Asbestos

An employee of the underground train system in the UK has reported that there is a significant amount of asbestos throughout portions of the London Underground.

According to International Business Times UK, Allen Jenkins said that asbestos was “all over the place” and worse on some train lines than others. He further said that while the areas had been painted with encapsulating paint, there was still concern that the paint could easily chip off to expose the asbestos fibers.

Jenkins also said that nothing will be done about it because it would cost too much money and take too long. Although safety measures have been attempted, departments do not have the proper procedures to deal with the hazard.

Asbestos was largely used as insulation in London’s train system until the 1980s and 1990s when laws stopped its use.

If you or a loved one have been harmed by asbestos exposure, contact Sokolove Law for a free legal consultation.

Asbestos

A historic New York City hotel has been found to contains asbestos products, and its new owner has been ordered to remove the dangerous substance from the building.

According to NY Daily News, Joseph Chetrit has been ordered to clear any asbestos out of the shaft space in the historic Chelsea Hotel. The new owner was sued in December 2011 by 34 permanent tenants who claimed airborne debris and dangerous dust containing asbestos was being caused by extensive nearby repairs.

Chetrit was ordered to comply with strict building-code regulations for the ongoing demolition.

If you or a loved one have been exposed to asbestos, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact Sokolove Law for a free legal consultation and learn about your options.

Asbestos