A second school in the Patchogue-Medford school system has sealed off a classroom as a precautionary measure. The Patchogue-Medford school district, located in New York State, is currently being rocked by asbestos scandals. School officials have stated that the closure of the classroom is a precaution only. Classroom No. 119 at the Oregon Middle School in Medford, New York has been closed on a temporary basis. The students that use that room have been relocated elsewhere. The decision to seal off the room was made after small nail holes were spotted in floor tiles the contain asbestos.

Airborne asbestos can lead to lung cancer or pleural mesothelioma, both of which may be fatal.

Now parents are becoming concerned, as neighbors and students have been more forthcoming with information than the school district. Earlier this week, another school in the district was also closed down due to asbestos concerns. Despite promises that the building is safe, parents Eagle Elementary School students are concerned about the rash of asbestos incidents in the school district. However, officials from the school district and state officials have stated that the Eagle Elementary School is safe. Officials stated earlier this week there is only a very remote possibility that students faced any danger from the damaged asbestos tile. However, federal law requires that any damage to asbestos material in schools is taken seriously.

Earlier this week, a local man added fuel to the fire when he obtained unauthorized asbestos samples from a Patchogue-Medford school, and filmed interior shots of the school to be forwarded to a local cable news station. School officials have now charged the man with trespassing, and he may face up to three months in jail. In addition, by disturbing the asbestos to take samples, he may have forced asbestos particles in the air.

A federal grand jury has indicted a Syracuse, New York environmental laboratory that is believed to have been part of a conspiracy to falsify asbestos reports on local homes, schools, and businesses. Certified Environmental Services (CES) and five of its employees have been charged with 16 felony counts in the U.S. District Court in Syracuse.

The indictment alleges that CES, five company employees and a supervisor for Paragon Environmental Construction conspired for nearly 10 years to falsify independent laboratory results related to asbestos cleanup projects. Paragon specialized in asbestos abatement. The conspiracy may have jeopardized public health, as asbestos is linked to lung cancer and mesothelioma, among other medical conditions.

Paragon Environmental Construction was fined $160,000 after employees for the company testified in federal court in late 2008 that they had violated the federal Clean Air Act by illegally removing asbestos and tampering with lab reports. By faking air quality results, many buildings throughout Syracuse were unaware that deadly asbestos was still threatening the health of local residents.

According to the indictment, some of the Syracuse locations that were provided with falsified asbestos reports included the Alpha Chi Omega sorority house at Syracuse University, a furniture warehouse, the building that houses the local TV station, a medical office, and a reading room at the Kellogg Library. EPA agents have contacted those businesses that were affected in order to make sure that a proper asbestos abatement takes place. It has also been reported that CES falsified lab reports at approximately 30 other properties throughout the state, including numerous academic and dormitory buildings at Syracuse University and Le Moyne College. However, despite the falsified reports, it seems that the asbestos abatement carried out at those locations were actually completed properly.

As the end of the 81st regular session of the Texas Legislature draws near, the future is uncertain for many proposed bills. The regular session is set to conclude on June 1st. The state capitol has been humming with activity, but between filibustering speakers and marathon approval session, it seems that many bills will still slip through the cracks.

One bill facing a great deal of scrutiny is Senate Bill 1123, and the companion House Bill 1811. These two bills are designed to change the standards relating to asbestos-related mesothelioma lawsuits in Texas. The new bills would require that plaintiffs introduce proof of the amount of asbestos they were exposed to that triggered the onset of their mesothelioma cancer. The bill hopes to prove causation in order to minimize the number of mesothelioma cases where defendants may have no responsibility.

SB 1123 was authored by state Senator Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock. SB 1123 was approved by the Senate in April. However, there was opposition against the bill from both business and legal reform activists. HB 1811 was authored by state Senator Craig Eiland, D-Texas City. HB 1811 has not yet passed, and is currently stuck in the House Committee on the Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence.

SB 1123, along with literally hundreds of other bills, did not make it past the House. The deadline for the House to pass new Senate bills was midnight on Tuesday the 26th of May. This means that the fate of SB 1123 is uncertain. Currently, the future fate of this bill is unknown.

Dewey Elementary School in Evanston, Illinois has unveiled a $3.3-million addition plan. In addition to providing much needed extra space, the plan will also involved removing toxic asbestos fibers from the school. Asbestos is a toxic material that was once a popular component of building materials such as insulation, tiles, and fireproofing.

Asbestos is now known to be a toxic material linked to lung cancer and mesothelioma.

The renovations will also make the school safer by unblocking critical access areas that could prove problematic if a fire were to break out. One such place is the school library, which blocks access to a stairwell that could be used to escape during a fire. The principal’s office will also be moved, and security will be increased by filtering all visitors through the school’s main office.

The relocation of the library and office areas means that there is now spaced that can be used to create two new classrooms. Once asbestos is removed from the area, the construction of the new classrooms can begin. It is expected that the two new classrooms will be completed this summer, barring any additional asbestos-related complications.

However, the school will still need to plan for the future, as the number of students is expected to keep increasing. Officials believe that the total headcount at Dewey could grow from 398 to 492 over the next five years. School officials believe that by 2011, space will become a serious problem again, and the school will need to expand to add even more classroom space.

A Eugene, Oregon developer is facing asbestos-related felony charges, and will have to appear in court in August. Eugene’s Dan Desler appeared in Linn County Circuit Court yesterday, and was granted the August continuance at the behest of his attorney. Meanwhile, federal officials are preparing to clean up the asbestos-contaminated site using EPA Superfund money. The cleanup is expected to begin this summer. The property in question is a former mill located in Sweet Home.

Desler was arrested earlier this month and charged with felony air pollution crimes. Desler had been under investigation for months by both the Oregon State Police and the EPA. Desler has now been charged with seven felony counts of first-degree unlawful air pollution, three misdemeanor counts of second-degree unlawful air pollution, a felony count of supplying false information to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. The charges are based on Desler’s involvement in a demolition project in Sweet Home where the demolition of old mills buildings caused asbestos to be spread around the property.

Dan Heister of the EPA’s Emergency Response Unit in Portland has visited the Sweet Home property on numerous occasions to take samples. The asbestos at the site is located in both roofing materials and the concrete rubble scattered around the property. Heister has confirmed that the asbestos present at the site is the type that can be easily broken down into small particles that can become airborne.

Once airborne, small asbestos fibers can be inhaled and may subsequently lodge in the pleural lungs, leading to lung cancer or mesothelioma. In recent years, breakthroughs in treatment – such as the combination of Cisplatin® and Alimta® following resectable surgery – have led to an increase in patient survival rates. There is no cure for mesothelioma, however, and oncologists like Dr. Carrie Redlich of Yale University continue to focus on researching this disease with the goal of discovering a cure.

Two men have been hospitalized after being injured yesterday morning at the Hotel Clovis in Clovis, New Mexico. The hotel, which has been closed since 1983, is currently receiving a $13 million renovation that will transform the aging hotel into a modern apartment complex. According to City Manager Joe Thomas, the two men have been identified as a city building inspector and a worker for the contractor who is removing asbestos-laden debris from the hotel. One man is recovering at Plains Regional Medical Center. However, the other was transferred to a separate facility in Amarillo where he underwent some surgical procedures. Both men have been reported to have non-life threatening injuries, and are both expected to make full recoveries.

The accident is still under investigation, and Thomas declined to further inform members of the press. It is expected that a press release will be issued later this afternoon that will contain full details of the incident.

The company in charge of the cleanup project at the hotel is Grancor. Grancor is removing both toxic asbestos, which causes mesothelioma, as well as toxic pigeon droppings that have accumulated for many years. Grancor is also in the process of removing a boiler in the basement, a process that should be completed within the next two weeks.

Asbestos is also linked to a cancer known as mesothelioma. Mesothelioma can occur in the lining of the heart, lungs or abdomen, but pleural mesothelioma – within the lung cavity – is the most common form. Asbestos was once a common component of building materials such as insulation, cement, some paints, and tiles. Asbestos was once used in automotive brake pads as well. Asbestos has since been phased out of new construction, but is still present in many older buildings.

City officials in Rochester, New York, are hoping that they can find a new use for a vacant 13-story building that has been mostly unoccupied since 1994. The hulking tower, formerly known as the Metro Center Building, and was given to the city during tax foreclosure proceedings in 1998. The building, located at 88 Elm Street, is filled with asbestos. Before the building can be demolished or redeveloped, the asbestos will need to be removed, a process that is expected to begin sometime this summer.

Asbestos removal is critical, as the airborne asbestos fibers could pose a health risk to workers, residents, and neighboring buildings. Airborne fibers can become permanently lodged in the lungs if inhaled. Asbestos is linked to pleural mesothelioma, among other types of cancer.

In recent years, survival rates for asbestos cancer patients have increased due to advances in treatment. Oncologists like Dr. David Sugarbaker continue to study this particular cancer with the goal of eventually developing a cure. For now, mesothelioma patients continue to benefit from certain treatment methods, including the combination of Alimta® and Cisplatin®.

“This property [88 Elm Street] has been essentially dead in the marketplace for quite a while,” said Heidi Zimmer-Meyer, president of Rochester Downtown Development Corp. “What’s changed, and what will change its potential fortunes, is the reconfiguration of the Midtown block. Every single building now gains a different kind of value. And 88 Elm St. is one of those.”

Rochester city officials plan to award the asbestos contract this summer. The structure was built in 1920, and is considered to be in good condition. “It’s structurally sound,” said Bret Garwood, the city’s director of project development. “The big issue with the building is the presence of asbestos. It’s not going to be a small abatement project … but it is in a condition that it makes sense to rehabilitate it, rather than demolish it.” Once asbestos abatement is complete, the city plans to take redevelopment proposals starting in the winter.

For the residents of Libby, Montana, the word “asbestos” conjures up fear, resentment, anger, and worry. Now that the W. R. Grace trial has ended, those who live in this small, close-knit mountain town just want to move on.

Libby was once home to a W. R. Grace vermiculite mine. Founded in 1854 by an Irish immigrant named William Russell Grace, the company had interest in several industries, including shipping and manufacturing, but in Libby, the focus was the lucrative business of vermiculite mining. At least every family in Libby knew someone who worked in the mines, whether it was a father, brother, cousin, or neighbor. But what residents did not know was that the vermiculite mined in this small town was tainted with asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral that may cause mesothelioma cancer, among other diseases.

W. R. Grace officials, upon discovering that their vermiculite was contaminated, went to great lengths to hide this information from not only Libby residents, but the entire world. They even denied Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials access to property that they owned in an effort to prevent the agency from testing soil and air around the mine. Grace officials also issued false statements to the EPA, which stated that their vermiculite contained less than one percent asbestos (it did not – the levels of contamination were far higher).

According to official reports from the Department of Health and Environmental Sciences in Helena, Montana, the Grace-run mine in Libby supplied 80% of the vermiculite used worldwide, thus making the issue of asbestos-tainted vermiculite at the Libby mine a global health issue. But in Libby, the focus remains on local health issues, including concerns over a lack of funding for those suffering from an asbestos-related illness like pleural mesothelioma or asbestosis.

The majority of residents who have developed an asbestos disease were exposed while on the job, but statistics show that about fourteen percent of residents with a related disease were exposed in a secondhand fashion – some while laundering work clothes belonging to a spouse or father who worked in the mines, others through day-to-day contact – hugging, etc. – with someone who brought home asbestos fibers on their work clothes. This percentage is shockingly high, and because there is a long latency period associated with asbestos illnesses – anywhere from twenty to fifty years – it is hard to determine just how many people will be affected.

After what many consider to be the most controversial environmental trial in history, Libby residents are left to wonder what the future holds. W. R. Grace and three former executives were found not guilty on eight separate counts, including “knowingly endangering” those who live and work in Libby. Many residents who are long retired from Grace are struggling to cover medical costs, pay their bills, and support their families.

Those who were exposed to asbestos and have yet to develop asbestosis, lung cancer, or mesothelioma can only wait.

Despite negligence on the part of W. R. Grace, there is also some good news. The company, for the tenth year in a row, has donated $250,000 to the St. John’s Lutheran Hospital in Libby. The money has been allocated to a clinic for those suffering from asbestos disease. A grant has also been awarded to another Libby medical center where many residents receive treatment for asbestos illnesses, and Montana Senator John Tester has committed himself to helping Libby residents receive better health care.

The mortality rate in Libby, according to Health Department statistics, is 63 percent higher than normal, due to the high incidence of asbestos disease. This begs the question: what are Libby residents to do about the ongoing asbestos problems?

Those who have developed an asbestos disease will most likely die within two years of diagnosis. Those who have yet to be diagnosed, but were exposed to asbestos from the Grace-run mine are eligible to receive health screenings, either yearly or every five years. Residents who are unsure about exposure should speak with their physician, who can recommend a course of action – for most, this involves screenings and regular checkups, as well as close monitoring of respiratory health.

Now that the trial is over, and the press has left Libby, residents want to move on. They are hoping that their small town will once again become a place that attracts new residents and commerce, and they are eager to leave the legacy of W. R. Grace behind. Libby boasts beautiful scenery – mountain views, clear lakes, salmon-filled rivers, and extensive camping grounds. There is an annual Irish Fest, a Nordicfest, Libby Logger Days, and rodeos, and plenty of community events. A place that anyone can call home, according to residents.

For more information about the town of Libby, Montana, please visit www.libbymt.com, or send an email to info@libbymt.com.

For the 10th year in a row, W. R. Grace & Co. has written another generous donation check to St. John’s Lutheran Hospital in Libby, Montana. This year, the check was for the amount of $250,000. This donation comes hot on the heels of the major federal trial against Grace which ended earlier this month. At issue in the trial was whether Grace and five former executives had knowingly endangered the health of Libby residents by mining asbestos-tainted vermiculite in the town. Federal prosecutors also had to prove that the company did so in violation of the criminal provision of the federal Clean Air Act. The company and all five executives were acquitted, a move that outraged many residents of Libby.

The Grace vermiculite mine closed in 1990, but many Libby residents are still falling ill. The town has already lost hundreds of residents to asbestos-related diseases, and more are expected to perish in the coming years. Asbestos is linked to asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma cancer, although very rare, is always fatal, as there is no known cure. In the last decade, however, advances in treatment – such as the Alimta® and Cisplatin® combination – have led to increased survival rates for patients. Oncologists all over the country, including Dr. Anne Tsao of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, are focused on the study of mesothelioma cancer, and are hopeful that their efforts will lead to a cure.

The former donations made to St. John’s by W. R. Grace have gone towards the funding of a clinic for people with asbestos-related disease, personnel training, the purchase of new equipment, and the subsidization of medical care. Grace, which is based in Maryland, has a history of environmental contamination. In the 1970s, Grace was brought to trial for contaminating the water of Woburn, Massachusetts with trichloroethylene, a compound known to cause cancer.

City officials in Chaffee Crossing, Arkansas have found a way to remove asbestos from 100 acres of land at a fraction of the original cost. City officials hope to use a method devised by an Atlanta businessman to drastically cut the costs associated with asbestos removal. The original cost quoted to remove the asbestos was $4.6 million, but now city officials believe the project can be completed for about $435,000.

Redevelopment Authority Director Ivy Owen broke this news to city directors late last week. The property in question became contaminated with asbestos when a fire broke out at the site of 150 World War II barracks, warehouses, and other military buildings back in January of 2008.

All the buildings contained asbestos, which needed to be removed from the site before it would be safe to use the land. Asbestos is a deadly material linked to pleural mesothelioma, among other diseases. Upon initial asbestos exposure, it can be up to fifty years before an individual may begin to suffer from symptoms of an asbestos-caused illness, which include asthma, chronic cough, chest pain, or the presence of fluid within the lung cavity.

There is no cure for mesothelioma cancer, but advancements in treatment options – such as the use of chemo drug Alimta® combined with other medications – have led to an increase in survival rates for mesothelioma cancer patients.

It is hoped that once asbestos cleanup in completed, the land can be developed into commercial properties. Thanks to Bill Martin’s revolutionary new asbestos removal technique, the land may be cleaned up sooner than was previously thought. Martin, who lives in Atlanta, uses a method of asbestos removal which involves spraying the land with a foaming wetting agent that has been described as “similar to dishwashing detergent”. The solution keeps the asbestos from becoming airborne, and the foam works better than water for keeping the asbestos material stable. The same method can also be used to remove hazardous mold or viruses.