In preparation for the demolition of the Davis hospital located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas asbestos-containing materials will soon be completely removed. The building dates back to a time in which asbestos was in wide use in building materials.

It wasn’t until later in the twentieth century that use of asbestos began to become regulated upon the discovery of its dangerous nature. Congress formed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the 1970’s and regulations were set out in order to protect workers from asbestos exposure. Today those that work around the dangerous substance are required to wear regulated protective gear.

Exposure to asbestos-containing materials is known to lead to the development of a number of asbestos-related diseases which include mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer. Due to the considerably long latency period associated with these diseases it is very difficult for doctors to find effective treatment options by the time diagnosis occurs. Often by the time such a disease is discovered the diagnosed will only live for a short time following.

Asbestos removal will continue for approximately thirty more days. Upon completion of the abatement the remainder of the work will begin and last approximately one-hundred and twenty days.

Asbestos has recently been removed from a building in Bristol, Virginia in order to redevelop the building as a music center and museum. The building at 510 Cumberland Street was formerly an auto dealership. Due to the age of the building asbestos-containing materials had to be removed prior to the start of renovations in order to prevent workers from being exposed to dangerous asbestos fibers that could be released if the materials were disturbed.

Such regulations involving asbestos were not enacted until congress formed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and government began to regulate the use of the harmful substance.

Exposure to disturbed materials containing asbestos may result in the development of any one of a number of often fatal diseases. Such diseases include but are not limited to lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma. Due to the generally long latency period associated with such diseases it is very difficult for effective treatment options to be found by the time diagnosis occurs. In most cases such a disease will already have reached advanced stages of development by the time it is discovered.

Crews are now working to remove an old and install a new roof on the building. Officials have estimated that the roof work will take approximately three weeks to complete. Following the completion of the roof crews will began the rest of the work.

awaited W.R. Grace trial will begin with the selection of the jury members who will decide the fate of W.R. Grace. Twelve jury members will be chosen as well as a number of alternates that have yet to be decided upon.

The W.R Grace trial will take place in Missoula, Montana and will finally determine whether or not W.R Grace knowingly concealed health risks associated with asbestos mind at a site owned by him and others. Grace was indicted along with various other individual defendants in 2005.

Asbestos is a known cause of a number of fatal diseases such as asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer. Because such diseases tend to have such a long latency period there is only a limited chance of finding effective treatment options by the time diagnosis occurs. In many cases an asbestos-caused disease will reach its advanced stages of development by the time it is diagnosable.

In upwards of thirty defense attorneys will be involved in the W.R. Grace trial that will be overseen by United States District Court Judge Donald Molloy. Out of those thirty attorneys nine will be devoted to the defense of Grace, while the others will represent the remainder of the defendants.

Yesterday the City Council of Marion, Illinois voted on bids for both asbestos removal and the demolition of the Marion Memorial Hospital. Members of the council approved bids for the work to be done by two individual companies. The company that will be conducting the asbestos abatement work is Champion Environmental Services and is based out of Gilbert, Illinois.

Asbestos is present in many older buildings due to the fact that the substance was used in a number of building materials before its dangerous nature was realized. It wasn’t until the 1970’s when congress formed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that the government began to regulate the use of asbestos.

Today law requires that all asbestos-containing materials must be removed before the demolition of a structure takes place in order to limit the risk of exposure.

Exposure to such materials has been known to result in the development of a number of asbestos-related diseases which include mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. Because such diseases typically have a latency period lasting anywhere from twenty to fifty years it is very difficult to find effective treatment options for those diagnosed. In most cases an asbestos-related disease will already be in its advanced stages of development by the time it is discovered.

According to city officials the total for the entire project is approximately $301,000.

The Illinois School District 19 is trying to determine whether or not asbestos needs to be removed from one of its schools or if it can be sealed and still pose no threat to students and staff. The building in question houses both the Alden-Hebron Middle School and the Alden-Hebron High School and was built in the 1920’s at which time asbestos was in wide use in a number of building materials.

According to District 19 Superintendent they are hoping to construct new buildings for the schools which is why they are unsure as to exactly how to go about handling the asbestos floor tiles present in the building.

The dangerous nature of asbestos was not discovered until well into the twentieth century which is why it is present in a number of America’s schools. As these schools age removal becomes necessary so that asbestos does not become disturbed. Disturbed asbestos may lead to the development of any one of a number of asbestos-related diseases which include asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer.

Because such diseases typically have such a long latency period it is very difficult to find effective treatment options. In many cases such a disease will already be in its advanced stages of development by the time diagnosis occurs.

School officials have stated that bids for the asbestos remediation work will open on February 27th.

In a town hall meeting on Monday of last week, Libby, Montana residents learned that asbestos levels in the air are low enough that residents do not have to worry about breathing in the air. The news is the result of a two-year long study conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency in order to ensure that asbestos levels are significantly lower than when the Libby Mine, which was owned by W.R Grace, was in operation.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency a total of eighteen separate locations were tested for air quality between October 2006 and June 2008. As a result, EPA determined that the chances of developing an asbestos-caused cancer due to breathing the air in Libby are about “one in a million.”

Asbestos is a known cause of a number of diseases including lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. Because such diseases typically have such a long latency period it is very difficult to find effective treatment options for those diagnosed. In many cases by the time an asbestos-caused disease is discovered it is already well into its advanced stages of development.

Despite this news, Libby residents remain skeptical, as over 350 residents have died from an asbestos-related disease in the town mountain town. Countless more are currently suffering from asbestosis or mesothelioma cancer, and as funding for medical clinics in Libby specifically for asbestos-disease sufferers runs out, the outlook for these individuals seems grim.

The W.R. Grace trial is slated to begin next week, with Judge Donald Molloy presiding. Molloy, a Montana native and former member of the U.S. Navy, denied a ruling from a victim’s rights group to allow Libby residents to attend the trial and provide witness testimony. Last week, Judge Molloy stated that the residents of Libby are not “victims of a crime,” despite the proven negligence of W.R. Grace, which ultimately led to the town’s serious asbestos disease situation.

Judge Molloy’s comments have angered Libby residents, and a victim’s rights group has filed an appeal that would potentially permit Libby residents to enter the courtroom during the trial.

The EPA testing was conducted using chrysotile asbestos, rather than amphibole or vermiculite, which are actually present in the town of Libby. Further testing, according to EPA, is necessary to determine if any form of asbestos is actually “safer” than another.

The Housing Authority in Monroe County, Pennsylvania has plans to rid a number of public housing units of asbestos this year. Cited for the abatement project are a total of fifty individual buildings that contain asbestos insulation on piping.

Although asbestos is not dangerous if it is left undisturbed it can pose a significant health threat if renovations become necessary. Because so many older buildings contain asbestos and are needing repairs on a more regular basis it is a good idea to rid older buildings of the dangerous substance in order to limit the risk of exposure.

Such exposure has been known to result in the development of a number of often fatal diseases which include lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. Due to the typically long latency period of such diseases there are very limited chances of finding effective treatment options for those diagnosed. In most cases such a disease will already be in its advanced stages of development by the time diagnosis occurs.

The buildings at which the removal will take place are located in Stroudsburg, Stroud Township, and East Stroudsburg.

Officials are waiting on bids for the job which are due on March 5th and they are hoping for the project to begin by April 15th.

Asbestos removal has begun at the Siemens Automation factory in Batavia, Illinois in preparation for the building’s demolition. Many older buildings were constructed with materials that contain asbestos and have to be removed before renovation or demolition occurs in order to avoid exposure to dangerous asbestos fibers. This week contractors fenced the area from which they will be removing the dangerous toxin.

Asbestos exposure has long been known to lead to the development of a number of dangerous diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. Because these types of diseases take a significantly long time to show on diagnostic tests it is very complicated to treat such a disease. Often by the time an asbestos-caused disease is discovered it is already in its advanced stages of development and treatment options are very limited.

City officials are expecting to issue a permit for the demolition of the building sometime next week following a review of the plan.

Asbestos-containing floor tiles are among the first contaminated materials to be hauled out of the building. Officials are estimating that the removal and demolition projects as well as the cleanup of contaminated soil following the demolition will take approximately one year to complete.

Residents of Batavia will soon be receiving letters from the city explaining the details of the planned demolition of the Siemens Automation factory.

Researchers in the Department of Chemistry at Wake Forest University have been working alongside members of the university’s Health Science Comprehensive Cancer Center to formulate a new class of anti-tumor drugs. The platinum-based drugs have been proven to be about ten times more effective than drugs currently being used to destroy certain types of cancer cells.

Results of the study were published in the December 11, 2008 issue of the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, as well as the Science-Business eXchange. Wake Forest University researchers believe that utilizing the new class of drugs will be a more effective method of treating non-small cell lung cancers.

In mice, the platinum-based anti-tumor drugs slowed the development of tumors significantly, according to Ulrich Bierbach, a chemistry professor at the university and principal investigator of the study.

“This is very good news,” Bierbach said.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related fatalities in both women and men.

The findings could benefit those suffering from mesothelioma, an asbestos-caused cancer that typically occurs in the pleural lining of the lungs, but may also be found in the lining of the abdomen or heart. Mesothelioma patients generally survive for less than two years after initial diagnosis, as there is no cure for this disease.

Bierbach and his team hope that their new class of drugs will enter clinical trials within the next few years. Their new focus is on lessening the side effects of anti-cancer drugs.

Environmental Reclamation and Recycling, Inc., located in Des Moines, may face a lawsuit after illegally dumping asbestos waste at a truck stop three years ago. Five of nine total samples taken from the dump site last month tested positive for asbestos, according to Marion Burnside of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Environmental Reclamation and Recycling, Inc. reportedly dumped “ground-up” debris and other materials from a construction site over a 14-acre section of land on Grant Street in 2006. The materials were ground up at the company’s various recycling centers, said Burnside, who specializes in asbestos-related cases.

“It’s [asbestos waste] scattered all throughout Iowa, and you can’t tell where it is,” stated Burnside.

Iowa state officials say that Environmental Reclamation and Recycling, Inc. is no longer in business. Their motivation for illegally dumping asbestos waste was to save costs, according to James Myers, Robert Myers, Richard Moffitt and John Gamble, all former owners.

Soil quality tests taken by the state in 2007 and 2008 reveal that the soil at the dump site is less than 50% clean earth and also contains other “inappropriate” materials, such as plastic bits and construction debris, which could include caulking, lead paint chips, solvents, or other potentially toxic materials.

Asbestos material dumped at the site most likely became airborne during the actual dumping and for weeks afterward and could have been inhaled by individuals living and working near the dump site. Hazardous toxins such as lead or hydrochloric acid, which could have been dumped along with the construction site debris, may have been absorbed into the ground and may have gotten into the area’s drinking water, said state officials.

The now-defunct Environmental Reclamation and Recycling, Inc. was ordered to remove contaminated debris from the site by January 2007, but only 70,000 tons have been taken away. Another 30,000 tons must be removed, but the company has failed to act. The company owes about $1 million dollars to the state of Iowa, and the state is currently filing a lawsuit against them. At least three other lawsuits against the former recycling company are in the works.

The owner of the dump site is asking for state and federal funding to cover clean-up costs on the property. Clean-up and decontamination are expected to cost well over $2 million.

Exposure to asbestos, a known carcinogen, may lead to the development of asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma, a fatal form of cancer that typically occurs in the lungs, but may also manifest in the lining of the heart or abdomen.