Tag Archives: Mesothelioma

All Forms of Asbestos Cause Cancer

Today’s post comes from guest author Jon Gelman from Jon Gelman, LLC – Attorney at Law.

In a joint statement the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) again declared all forms of asbestos cause cancer.

Joint WHO/IARC Statement
19 February 2013

In response to allegations in the recent Lancet article, IARC in the dock over ties with asbestos industry (The Lancet, doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60152-X), WHO and IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) state the following:

  • All forms of asbestos are carcinogenic to humans (IARC Monographs Volume 100C) and stopping the use of all forms of asbestos is the most efficient way to eliminate asbestos-related diseases (WHO Fact Sheet No 343).
  • The study on cancer in chrysotile workers in Asbest, Russian Federation, for which IARC is providing its epidemiological expertise, will supply important scientific information to better quantify the risk of cancers already known to be related to chrysotile as well as additional cancers suspected to be related to chrysotile, the asbestos fibre is the most commonly produced.
  • WHO and IARC take conflict of interest seriously and use a rigorous process to protect our research and development of norms, standards and guidelines from undue influence.
  • IARC confirms the completeness and accuracy of all data and statements of scientific results published in the British Journal of Cancer (Estimating the asbestos-related lung cancer burden from mesothelioma mortality, doi:10.1038/bjc.2011.563) and presented at a conference in Kiev.

IARC, as WHO’s cancer research agency, remains committed to providing the most reliable, independent scientific evidence on which public health decisions can be based.

Click here to read more about “asbestos” and workplace exposures

Feb 04, 2013
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Jan 31, 2013
Recently release statistics from the US Geological Survey brings some hope to reducing asbestos disease in the US. Historically, as the production of asbestos fiber lowers, so does the incidence of asbestos related disease, …
Jan 30, 2013
It is unconscionable in this day and age for a worker who is exposed to asbestos fiber in the workplace. Ironically, in the 1950’s, in Paterson, NJ, the city where the world renown asbestos researcher, Irving J. Selikoff MD, had …
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In a new report, Fitch examines a range of loss scenarios and future payments for asbestos losses up to an ultimate industry loss of $85 billion. Based on recent development experience and its latest analysis of loss payment …

Asbestos Disease Remains a Problem Despite Lower Consumption in the US

Asbestos Remains A Serious Health Issue

Today’s post comes from guest author Jon Gelman from Jon Gelman, LLC – Attorney at Law.

Recently release statistics from the US Geological Survey brings some hope to reducing asbestos disease in the US.  Historically, as the production of asbestos fiber lowers, so does the incidence of asbestos related disease, which is a latent medical condition that takes 10 to 30 years to manifest itself.

Asbestos this has been used for decades in the United States in militray and civilian environments in various forms including construction material and insulation. It appears in commercial and military buildings and equipment, as well as residential and consumer appliances. Asbestos has been causally connected to a rare and fatal cancer,  mesothelioma.  Asbestos has also been linked to various other cancers including: lung cancer, a well as a pulmonary condition, asbestosis.

Even though the United States Geological Survey has reported that there is a reduction in the amount of us asbestos now still being consumed in the United States.  Asbestos remains in place in many buildings and types of equipment.It continues as a serious health issue.  When asbestos “in place” becomes disturbed by demolition, renovation and other types of construction there is a potential for human illness. Therefore, safety proportions must be taken for those who continue to be exposed including workers and even bystanders.

United States has not yet banned the use of asbestos fiber. While restrictions remain in place for its use, low dosage and minor exposures, can leed to serious illness and fatalities.

“All asbestos imported and used in the United States was chrysotile, solely sourced from Brazil. This is the first year in more than 100 years that chrysotile was not imported from Canada. There was no chrysotile produced in Canada in 2012 so domestic consumers sought other sources for their supply. The increase in the average value of all imported chrysotile was because only high-valued chrysotile was imported from Brazil; there were no imports of lower valued chrysotile from other countries in 2012. Based on current trends, U.S. asbestos consumption is likely to remain near the 1,000-ton level, as it has in the past 4 year.”

Click here to read the complete report: U.S. imports and consumption of asbestos declined 10% in 2012.