Trials that are carried out on patients are known as clinical trials. Clinical trials may be carried out to: * test new treatments, such as new chemotherapy drugs, gene therapy or cancer vaccines * look at new ...

A FORMER British Rail employee, who died from an asbestos-related cancer, always wondered if his work would make him sick, an inquest heard.

When he began working as a boilermaker 40 years ago, shipyard worker John O. Koonce didn't know the dangers the tiny asbestos fibers could wrought.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has about 100,000 cubic yards of toxic waste that it wants to relocate, and until recently, it has been eyeing a toxic landfill in Stratford, Connecticut. Stratford residents, however, have a different plan. Angry local residents who live near the toxic landfill have formed Save Stratford, a group dedicated to defeating further dumping in their community. Connecticut state legislators have worked with Save Stratford to pass legislation that bans more dumping of toxic waste near residential neighborhoods. It is unknown whether the EPA, a federal agency, will test the applicability of Connecticut’s new law to actions by the federal government. After hearing from Save Stratford and considering the new legislation, however, the EPA appears willing to consider other options.

Not only does Save Stratford oppose any new dumping by the EPA, the group also wants the EPA to clean up the toxins that have already been dumped near residential communities in Stratford. The town is home to a wealth of toxic waste material left behind by the former Raybestos-Manhattan (later Raymark Corporation), which manufactured asbestos-containing brakes in Stratford. During the 80 years Raymark operated in Stratford, the company had a practice of giving away free its toxic waste for use as construction landfill. EPA testing has found asbestos, lead and PCBs in the soil around the former plant and all over town. When asbestos waste is disturbed, it releases airborne asbestos dust, which may cause asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma in those who breathe in the dust. Save Stratford has called on the EPA for a complete cleanup of the asbestos and other toxins left behind by Raymark.

For the full story, go to Stratford Bard.

Asbestos-related lawsuits may be on the rise again this year, not only in judicial hotspots such as Madison County, but across the entire country.

A retired high school teacher in Bridger, Montana who required his special-education students to remove asbestos floor tiles from a school building—without warning and without proper protective equipment—has been sentenced in federal court. Chief U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull handed down a one-year probationary sentence and denied the former teacher’s request for an unsupervised probationary sentence. Randal J. Ecker, 60, will be forced to report to a probation officer. During his quiet apology to the court, Ecker paused several times, struggling to maintain his composure. Ecker’s lawyer, Jay Lansing, described his client as the “nicest fellow” he has represented in twenty years.
Ecker had pleaded guilty to one felony count of violating the federal Clean Air Act by neglecting to supply written notice to the EPA prior to removing the asbestos tiles from the school. It is dangerous to remove asbestos floor tiles because the asbestos may become friable, releasing airborne fibers into the surrounding breathing space. When airborne, asbestos fibers may be breathed in and trapped in the lungs, resulting in asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma.

Ecker could have received up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Still, according to Ecker’s attorney, the punishment is significant in the former teacher’s mind because the felony conviction prevents him from owning or possessing firearms.

For the full story, go to the Billings Gazette.

A LEADING North-East lawyer has called for potentially deadly asbestos to be removed from every school in the region within two years.

A LEADING North-East lawyer has called for potentially deadly asbestos to be removed from every school in the region within two years.

A LEADING North-East lawyer has called for potentially deadly asbestos to be removed from every school in the region within two years.

Students at Middle Park High School in Granby, Colorado were braced for a return to the books on September 2 this year, but thanks to an unexpectedly large asbestos abatement program at the school over the summer, the kids have a reprieve until September 8. Before starting the school’s remodeling, the school’s general contractor, Neenan Co., thought it had identified all the areas contaminated with asbestos. But once the workers got started, they were surprised by a good deal of asbestos-containing vinyl composition floor tile and discovered that a large area of the commons would have to be abated. The school district had always intended to remove the asbestos, but didn’t appreciate just how much was there.

The contractor stressed that safe and careful abatement is critical. Asbestos is hazardous when it is removed or disturbed because it can become airborne. When asbestos is inhaled and lodged in the lungs, it can cause asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma that once appear until decades later. The school’s contractor completely encapsulated the areas that were contaminated with asbestos and kept other workers out of the area while the abatement was ongoing. Now, says Nancy Karas, the superintendent of the East Grand School District, all the asbestos has been removed, and the students can safely return – just a few days later than planned.

For the full story, go to Sky-Hi Daily News.