October 30th, 2007

As the residents of an apartment building protested the presence of asbestos in their homes, the landlord decided to hire a marching band to drown out the complaints. The move backfired; instead of drawing attention away from the protesters, the band accumulated a larger crowd for them.

When the residents of a New York building decided to protest the asbestos in their building, their landlord had an idea to take the wind out of their sails. He hired a marching band to draw attention away from the protestors, but instead the band caused a larger crowd to form around the building. The residents were protesting that shoddy repairs contracted by the landlord were disturbing asbestos, a conclusion supported by air test with high levels of asbestos. The EPA has shut down renovations until the dangerous substance is properly cleaned and removed.

Asbestos, often found in older buildings, is not a hazard unless it is disturbed and begins to crumble. When asbestos breaks apart, it turns into airborne particles that can be inhaled. Breathing in asbestos particles can lead to asbestosis, emphysema and mesothelioma, a type of deadly lung cancer. Mesothelioma is one of only a few diseases that is directly linked to asbestos exposure, and can take years or decades to manifest.