In Church Creek, Maryland, a house that is riddled with asbestos and other damage will be given away to anyone who wants it.

The state-owned Linthicum House needs to be removed from the property in order to make room for the planned Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Discovery Center. The historical attraction will center on the life and times of Tubman, a slave that escaped from her master and formed part of the Underground Railroad network in the 1850s.

The three-story house is structurally solid, but rundown. The state hopes to entice someone to take the home away by offering it for free. An open house is set for April 21; proposals are due May 5.

A free house might seem like a great find in these troubled economic times. In fact, the house is a steal when you consider it has seven bedrooms, 10-foot ceilings and 3,400 square feet of space. But the cost of transporting the house to a new location could run over $40,000 dollars.

More troubling still is the environmental impact the house might have. The house contains both lead paint and the known carcinogen, asbestos. In addition, both dead and live animals are in the house, posing possible health risks of their own.

Asbestos exposure is linked to diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.

Depending on the location of the asbestos, workers may have to remove the asbestos before transport in order to preserve public health. When asbestos is moved, it can release a fine dust that, when inhaled, proves deadly.

The Weedsport, NY Village Board has decided to take action to remove debris from a demolished building that has posed health risks for years.

The owners of the demolished house located at 8803 South St. in Weedsport have repeatedly ignored requests to properly remove the debris at the site.

The building was torn down illegally, and without the proper permits. Now someone will have to obtain the proper permits to take charge of the situation. Two options have presented themselves. Either the owners must be forced by a court order to take responsibility for the site, or the town can take matters into their own hands, and charge the cost back to the owners of the property.

The board is now accepting bids for the project.

The Coyle’s, who own the building in question, had been issued a court order in 2008 after not responding to repeated requests for action. A deadline of Dec. 5, 2008, was set, and the Coyle’s were instructed complete demolition and removal of debris, including proper disposal of asbestos.

The asbestos will need to be removed in order to protect the health of the community. If inhaled, tiny asbestos particles can work their way into the soft tissues of the body, leading to mesothelioma cancer in the heart, lungs, or abdominal cavity.

Asbestos is banned in dozens of countries, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, but the use of the deadly substance is still legal in the United States.

Asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral, was until the eighties in the past to create insulation, siding, and tiles. Asbestos has a natural resistance to fire or chemical damage.

Asbestos abatement could cost up to $1 million at the old West Elementary School building in Youngstown, Ohio.

That princely sum is the most recent environmental engineering estimate for removal of the toxic substance. The asbestos present in the building must be carefully removed under controlled conditions. All asbestos removed from the building will need to be specially disposed of in designated landfills as part of the demolition process for the building, which is 81 years old.

The $1 million estimate is actually much lower than the initial estimate, which came in around $2.2 million, according to Tony DeNiro, the assistant superintendent for school business affairs.

The original survey of the building indicated a significant amounts of asbestos in the plaster on the walls of the building. This would have made the asbestos removal more extensive and more expensive than a normal building demolition.

However, the newest survey shows that the amount of asbestos in some of the walls is within acceptable limits, and therefore the cost of the removal will be much less than previously estimated.

The issue of asbestos in schools is a nationwide problem, as over 35 million buildings – including homes and commercial buildings – are laden with asbestos materials.

Asbestos removal is often costly due to the extensive precautions that must be taken to ensure that the asbestos does not become airborne. Airborne asbestos particles can lodge in the lungs, leading to asbestosis or mesothelioma.

Asbestos was once a common component of building supplies such as tiles, siding, fireproofing, and insulation. Asbestos has been banned in dozens of countries, but it has not yet been banned in the United States.

The Korean asbestos contamination crisis continues, and the Korean health authority has released a list of 1,122 medical products from 120 companies that contain asbestos-tainted talc.

The Korean government has recalled all of these products, with the exception of 11 products for which there are no “suitable substitutes”.

The Prime Minister’s Office has forbidden the importation of talc containing asbestos, and plans to develop comprehensive restrictive measures and standards for the carcinogenic substance by the end of June.

These actions come after a week of media frenzy regarding the contaminated baby powder, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals found to contain deadly asbestos.

Inhalation of asbestos is the major cause of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer.

Some widely recognized drugs that will be banned from sale include the Dongkook Company product Insadol, an auxiliary treatment for some gum diseases; Dream Pharma’s Actice, a stool softener; and Ilyang’s Azintal Forte, a digestive agent.

“Consultations with a range of experts have revealed that a minimal amount of asbestos in drugs for internal use carry only a small risk to health. But we have decided to ban their sales based on judgment that even the slightest amount should not be overlooked,” said Yun Yeu-pyo, head of the administration under the Health Ministry.

The 11 products without a proper replacement will be allowed to stay on store shelves for the next 30 days, until proper replacements can be located. These pharmaceuticals include treatments for hyperpiesia, allergies and respiratory ailments for children.

The government will continue to investigate other products that may have been contaminated, and will examine all cargo under suspicion. In addition, the Korean government will also inspect imported cosmetics and drugs, and no goods containing asbestos will be allowed into the country.

The government will also examine consumer products made of rubber and paper that use talc.

In Fort Carson, Colorado, officials have closed off a section of land believed to be contaminated by the deadly substance asbestos.

Officials found asbestos on post, at a site in Fort Carson where a housing development and elementary school are planned.

“A 39-acre parcel of land east of Gate 1, as a precautionary measure, has been fenced off with ‘Caution Do Not Enter’ signs,” says Karen Connelly, of Fort Carson Public Affairs. “Some debris containing asbestos was found in March by the posts’ Directorate of Public Works employees during a routine environmental inspection.”

It is not yet confirmed where the asbestos originated from. One likely source is the older buildings that formerly stood on the site. Several World War II-era buildings once stood in the same area, but have since been torn down. The older buildings were demolished between 1971 and 1998.

According to Ms. Connelly, the Colorado Department of Environmental Health and Environment regulations do not require removal and disposal of asbestos-containing materials until construction begins.

It has not yet been reported whether the asbestos findings are expected to delay the construction process.

Asbestos is now linked to diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and the rare cancer mesothelioma. Mesothelioma can affect the lining of the lungs, heart, or abdomen. Several mesothelioma treatment options are available, but no cure is known.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was once used frequently in construction due to a natural resistance to both fire and chemical damage. The natural properties of asbestos made it ideal for fireproofing, tiling, siding, and insulation.

The deputy director of the National Air and Space Museum has resigned. This resignation comes hot on the heels of asbestos investigations at two Smithsonian museums.

Joseph T. Anderson, resigned unexpectedly on April 6th. He had worked for the museum since 2003, and had been in the deputy director position for about one year.

His resignation came at the request of the organization’s director, John R. Dailey, although the reason has not yet been disclosed. It is thought by many that the resignation was due to the ongoing asbestos crisis facing two of the museums.

Anderson’s resignation comes one week after a congressional hearing regarding the Smithsonian Institution’s handling of an asbestos situation at the museum.

In the past month, two Smithsonian museums have both faced allegations of improper asbestos abatement techniques and unsafe working conditions.

The congressional hearing was called after The Washington Post reported last month that an exhibits specialist at the National Air and Space Museum claimed that he and other workers were never told of asbestos in the walls of the building. Asbestos issues have also plagued another Smithsonian museum, the National Museum of American History.

Members of a local steamfitting union have alleged that asbestos dust was improperly contained, and traveled throughout the building during renovations on the Museum of American History.

During building renovations, asbestos fibers can be released into the air, where they can be inhaled. The fibers may then work their way into the soft tissues of the lung, abdomen, and heart. Asbestos exposure is linked to asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.

It is hard to believe a single tennis ball could cause this much of a problem.

What was thought to be a simple clean up has become an ongoing issue at an Oregon high school.

Officials sealed off the gymnasium at Redmond High School in Redmond, Oregon last Friday after a tennis ball struck the gym ceiling, causing a possible asbestos exposure. The asbestos rained from the ceiling when the tennis ball hit it just right.

A fire retardant containing asbestos is present in the gym ceiling. Officials say the asbestos is safe, as long as it is not disturbed. It is believed the exposure was minimal.

What was expected to be a minor inconvenience has now become an all-out war against asbestos in the gym. Workers in full protective suits have been combing the gymnasium with vacuums, and have missed virtually no nooks or crannies in their meticulous sweep of the gymnasium

With the use of industrial size HEPA-filter vacuums, workers are taking in a great deal of asbestos fibers. The dusty, foam-like material covers the entire ceiling.

“[The fibers] are stronger than steel for their size, so they’re like breathing microscopic needles,” said Steven Paulsen of Paulsen Environmental Consulting, the firm in charge of conducting the clean-up.

“You can find asbestos in just about any building, even brand-new construction,” according to Mr. Paulsen. “Most of our work is in buildings built between 1960 and 1990.”

Asbestos is linked to the rare cancer mesothelioma, which can manifest in the lining of the heart, lungs, or abdomen.

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral with a high resistance to fire and chemical damage. Asbestos is still used today, and was only outlawed in fire retardants, boiler insulation and paper. In dozens of other counties, however, asbestos has been completely outlawed.

The gym is scheduled to be back open next week.

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has filed a lawsuit against a company over 10 alleged violations at a landfill site in Dewey-Humboldt.

Many of the alleged violations relate to demolitions in 2007 and 2008 where structures near the landfill that contained asbestos were destroyed without the proper permits and safeguards.

Other allegations relate to the landfill itself, which operated from 2002-2005.

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) accuses the owners, brothers Warren and Clayton Kuhles of accepting non-permitted waste at the landfill, which was allowed to accept only construction debris.

In addition, the Kuhles closed the landfill without a required closure plan and failed to monitor the groundwater and methane regularly.

“For years ADEQ has tried to work with the company to bring it into compliance with the standards that protect human health and the environment in Arizona,” ADEQ Acting Director Patrick Cunningham said in a Monday press release. “We are left with no choice but to pursue this action.”

ADEQ is unable to tell to what extent of the asbestos-related damage may be. Asbestos, which can become airborne and lodge in the lungs, is a known carcinogen. Asbestos inhalation is linked to lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Asbestos can be contained and disposed of if immersed in water and sealed off. But during several inspections in 2008 and 2009, the building debris containing asbestos was not wet or covered to prevent it from becoming airborne.

The Kuhles’ face the potential for massive fines. ADEQ is asking the court to find the brothers up to $25,000 per day since June 2007 and $10,000 per day since February 2008.

Last week, Senators Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA) introduced the 21st Century Cancer ALERT Act/Senate Bill 717. The act would “modernize cancer research, increase access to preventative cancer services” and “provide cancer treatment and survivorship initiatives.”

The “ALERT” in the Act’s title stands for “Access to Life-Saving Early Detection, Research, and Treatment.”

The purpose of the Act would be to reauthorize the National Cancer Institute and National Cancer Program in an effort to improve current cancer research methods. The Act would also work to promote the further study of biomarkers, enhance the clinical trial process, and rework cancer-related medical insurance practices.

A stalwart supporter of the 21st Century Cancer ALERT Act, Lance Armstrong, testified at a congressional hearing in May of 2007 and has been working to support the passing of this legislation. Armstrong is a cancer survivor.

Armstrong’s LIVESTRONG Foundation has created a site where people can send a message to legislators in support of the passing of the 21st Century Cancer ALERT Act: http://www.livestrong.org/c.khLXK1PxHmF/b.4952569/k.3BB5/Contact_Your_Elected_Official/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx?c=khLXK1PxHmF&b=4952569&aid=12102&tr=y&auid=4713848.

If the Act passed, cancer sufferers with all types of cancer, including malignant mesothelioma, would see positive effects.

Mesothelioma is one of the rarest forms of cancer, but is always fatal. Despite the lack of a cure, researchers, oncologists and scientists are continuing to make advancements in mesothelioma treatment.

Asarco, a mining and smelting company based in Arizona, filed for bankruptcy four years ago.

This week, a court ruling in favor of Asarco will force Grupo Mexico SA de CV to pay out an estimated $6 million dollars in stocks and damages.

This money could help Asarco pay off more than $1 billion in asbestos-related environmental claims from Washington and eight other states, as well as the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

Asbestos exposure is linked to the development of such diseases as lung cancer and mesothelioma.

The remaining funds could be put towards the cost of cleaning up of dozens of seriously polluted mining and smelting sites across the West.

The Asarco bankruptcy is considered the largest environmental-related bankruptcy in US history.

“This is a complete victory, and the thing that is most satisfying is that a big part of money will go to environmental cleanup in the western United States,” said Irv Terrell, a lawyer for Asarco.

Grupo Mexico purchased Asarco in 1999 to get its hands on Asarco’s majority interest in two lucrative Peruvian copper mines.

The judge ruled that Grupo Mexico had fraudulently transferred Asarco’s Peruvian mining interests to Americas Mining Corp. as part of a corporate conspiracy to force Asarco into bankruptcy.

It is expected that Grupo Mexico will appeal the ruling.

Asarco was founded over one hundred years ago, and operated mines and smelters throughout the West. When it declared bankruptcy, Asarco faced more than $11 billion in environmental claims involving across 75 sites.

Asarco was fielding approximately 95,000 asbestos-related claims.