The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) is already on its fifth year of promoting mesothelioma consciousness through its International Asbestos Awareness Conference which will happen on March 28, 2009 at Manhattan Beach Marriott, California.
ADAO communicates knowledge about the ill effects of asbestos, its prohibition as well as providing inspiration and support for medical professionals to advance research and treatment choices for people affected with diseases brought by it.
The event will be attended by experienced physicians and scientists in the field of asbestos coming from the United States, India, Germany and South Africa. Mesothelioma prevention, asbestos facts and its repercussions not only in the US but also globally will be discussed there.
There will be five people who will be acknowledged for their continuous commitment and contribution for asbestos awareness. They are U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, Margaret Seminario, Stephen Levin, Pralhad Malvadkar and Raghunath Manwar.
The conference costs $250 for professionals and $125 for students, patients and caregivers. For reservations and more information visit www.adao.us
Source: Mesothelioma Awareness Through ADAO’s Fifth Annual Asbestos Conference
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South Korea aims to organize asbestos management directives to be implemented by early 2010. Little was known about asbestos and its ill effects until people who were working and living near the asbestos mines in South Chungcheong Province had health problems due to their contact with asbestos.
There were 21 completely running asbestos mines in their country before and even now that they were all closed down, a sense of urgency has taken its toll when reports of mesothelioma cases increased along with other asbestos related diseases within affected communities and neighboring areas.
South Korea’s critical choice to act upon the rising asbestos related concerns of its people has proven to be a worthy undertaking. Countries burdened with asbestos issues will hopefully take after them.
Source: Steps to Prevent Mesothelioma Will Begin Next Year in South Korea
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A total of $200,000 in funds was given to the city of Gary, Indiana by the Environmental Protection Agency which will be utilized for the instruction of individuals about proper removal of asbestos laden materials and other activities that supports environmental awareness. There are already 74 people who have signed up for the training and the city will be able to assist and instruct at the most 75 people which will start by either summer or fall of this year.
Asbestos has been popular in the early twentieth century as a material used in the construction of buildings. As the years passed and these buildings wore out, asbestos became brittle and so asbestos removal should be conducted in order to safeguard the well being of the people who are residing and working in these buildings.
Source: EPA Awards Gary, Indiana With Environmental Grant
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A New York businessman that was previously convicted of illegal removal of asbestos has been prosecuted for the second time on similar charges. Paul Mancuso is facing up to 55 years in federal prison for violating the Clean Air Law. Paul’s father and brother have also been involved in irregular removal of asbestos at many different areas around upstate New York.
Paul’s previous convictions banned him from doing any future asbestos removal projects but he managed to set up separate companies under the names of his family and associates to cover up his continued involvement in asbestos removal. During this time, Paul and his father did countless asbestos-related projects that plagued businesses and residents. They also failed to properly dispose of asbestos materials by dumping them on the sides of roads. Steven Mancuso, a lawyer, is being charged with helping his family by coming up with false documents that made their work appear to be legal.
Aside from facing 55 years in prison, Paul has also been fined $2.7 million. His father could get 23 years with a $1.25 million fine. Steven and Ronald gets 5 and 3 years respectively, each of them having a fine of $250,000.
Source: Asbestos Abatement Contractors Beware
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ACM & Environmental Services has supposedly violated the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Act which brings them to pay a fine of up to $1,500. The company is being blamed for inappropriately getting rid of asbestos materials from Central High School back in 2007 as a consultant for the Muncie Community School District.
Asbestos removal contractors should provide safety guidelines, training and proper gear for their employees. The company has reportedly admitted to have failed eight standard procedures, one of which is not having properly equipped their employees with work suits and safety glasses during asbestos removal. Failure to comply with the guidelines stated by the law may bring about heavy consequences and costly penalties.
Source: Indiana Asbestos Consultant Fined
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A Special Education School in Rockaway, NY has threatening levels of asbestos as reported by the Department of Education. Public school 265 caters to students with emotional and learning disorders such as autism.
The school has already been examined back in July and results showed hazardous conditions but teachers and over 100 students still continued to have summer school which only ended last week. Parents had just recently discovered the degree of damage in their children’s school through evidences of rooms with peeling paint, crumbling walls, floors and ceiling tiles that were posted on the Daily News website.
A meeting will be held on August 19th by the Department of Education officials to evaluate the situation and plan for their next course of action. They were also concerned not only with the presence of asbestos which causes pleural Mesothelioma but also of lead in the school premises.
Source: Parents Upset By Asbestos in Special Education School
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The EPA disregarded its own guidelines according to the BoRit Citizens Advisory group by starting a clean up in a nearby community at Amber, Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the clearing actions of Environmental Protection Agency in a 38-acre BoRit site got angry responses from residents living close to the location which was first owned by a company that made milk of magnesia. It was recorded that in the middle of 1933 and late 1960’s industrial slurry and asbestos contaminated materials were thrown into the site and has been therefore deemed as a public health hazard.
BoRit on-site coordinator Eduardo Rovira Jr. affirmed that a notification email was sent to the chairs of the advisory group who should inform the community about the clean up project but then no email was received as declared by Co-chair Robert Adams. The EPA further says that the air testing operations resulted to only one asbestos fiber that drifted and all else were non-detect for asbestos. It was also observed that the workmen were not properly suited for the clearing project and the EPA had a change of position and required their workers to wear appropriate suits and protective gears while on the job.
Source: Group claims that EPA violated its own guidelines
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A film that tells the story of a small Montana town burdened by the ill effects that asbestos has brought their community was recently nominated for an Emmy award under the category of “Outstanding Continuing Coverage of a News Story Long Form”. The film documentary “Libby, Montana” has been praised since last August for featuring the situation that has befallen the residents caused by the existence of W.R. Grace and Company asbestos contaminated vermiculite mine in their town for more than 30 years.
It is believed that whether or not people will be held liable for what had happened in the lives of these people affected by asbestos, the film will hopefully advance knowledge and concern for the community and everyone who will be able to watch it.
Source: Asbestos Documentary Nominated for Emmy
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A new task force that will see through violations of environmental laws in western Pennsylvania was organized. The Western Pennsylvania Environmental Enforcement Task Force will guarantee that area businesses as well as individuals will strictly follow laws with regards to air and water. Those who pollute the air and the region’s navigable waterways as well as violators practicing improper asbestos removal will be held liable. Federal, state and local law enforcement and regulatory agencies have all united to organize this task force that will fight against violations of different environmental laws in the western Pennsylvania area.
The formation of the unit was proclaimed a day after the Earth Day celebration where people all around the country declared a renewed obligation for looking after the environment.
Source: Pennsylvania Goes After Asbestos Offenders
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An online training program is being given by the University of Washington which will educate employees on how to detect asbestos and prevent it from becoming a threat to people’s health. Since the University’s buildings have been assumed to have asbestos especially those which were constructed earlier than the 1980’s, the program then aims to inform its trainees of where asbestos can be found and how to handle the situation if ever they do find it existing within their building. It is only when materials containing asbestos are damaged and its fibers are released into the air that it poses as a health hazard to the people exposed to it.
The employees taking the online course are told to inform their supervisors whenever parts of buildings need repair especially those which are believed to contain asbestos so as to initiate immediate action. Many employees have already taken the course and their number adding up to more than 2,000 in only 2 months.
Source: University Offers Online Asbestos Training
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