Breaking News: February 2008 -- MesoLink.org

Breaking News

Breaking News: February 2008

(02-01-08) February 1st, 2008 | Florida Landfill May Contain Asbestos A Fort Myers landfill is being investigated by the Department of Environmental Protection after anonymous calls were received stating that asbestos had been dumped there.

(02-02-08) February 2nd, 2008 | Asbestos Finding Halts Work at School Renovations that have been going on at a Massachusetts high school have been almost completely stopped after asbestos was found at the site. Though asbestos had been found earlier in the renovations, it was a different type of the material that was considered safe.

(02-03-08) February 3rd, 2008 | Judge Allows Asbestos Settlement A judge with the US Bankruptcy Court has decided that the settlement reached between an automotive parts maker and asbestos victims is valid. The settlement will total almost $2 million.

(02-04-08) February 4th, 2008 | City�s Asbestos Cleanup Delayed An Iowa city that was hoping to have a pile of asbestos cleaned up by the New Year will now have to wait a little longer. The winning bid for the work was rejected, and new bidding will start next week.

(02-05-08) February 5th, 2008 | Firefighters Being Tested for Asbestos Exposure Firefighters in Florida are now being tested for asbestos exposure after battling a warehouse fire. Though no one has displayed symptoms of any asbestos-related diseases, the old building was known to contain asbestos.

(02-06-08) February 6th, 2008 | Press Conference Held Over Asbestos An organization held a press conference this week to discuss the presence of asbestos in everyday items. The conference is to raise awareness of the danger asbestos presents in every day life.

(02-07-08) February 7th, 2008 | Asbestos Victim Awarded $8 Million A law firm has announced that its client has been awarded more than $8 million by a Texas jury. The suit involved a man and his wife, suing for damages when the man worked as a pipe fitter in the 1950s and 1960s.

(02-08-08) February 8th, 2008 | Asbestos Found in Holiday Toys Independent lab tests have found high levels of asbestos in a few toys released for the upcoming holiday season. The toys are now being tested to confirm the danger and, if the findings are supported, the toys will be pulled from stores.

(02-09-08) February 9th, 2008 | Asbestos Party To Legislation Session West Virginia is gearing up for a fight in the 2008 legislation session. On the floor is a debate about how asbestos lawsuits should be handled in the state. Two opposing sides have already begun the battle.

(02-10-08) February 10th, 2008 | Asbestos Damaging Vermont Wetlands A defunct asbestos mine in Vermont is causing problems for surrounding wetlands. As high levels of asbestos are found around waterways, the concern for public safety is growing.

(02-11-08) February 11th, 2008 | Attorney Gets Prison Time For Asbestos Money A former attorney was handed his own prison sentence this week after months of battling in court. The man was found guilty of embezzling millions of dollars from his mesothelioma clients.

(02-12-08) February 12th, 2008 | Asbestos in Creek Under Fire A Washington State creek that is known to contain asbestos-laden silt is now a growing concern for residents as the flood season approaches. Four agencies are discussing plans of action, but no one has definitively said what will be done.

(02-13-08) February 13th, 2008 | School Has Problems Removing Asbestos Two Michigan elementary schools are having financial problems with the funds needed to remove asbestos from the buildings. Bids are being accepted, and no asbestos removal will be completed while classes are in session.

(02-14-08) February 14th, 2008 | New York Contractor in Asbestos Trouble A contracting company in New York is contesting an order to pay almost $100,000 in fine regarding asbestos exposure on one of their sites. The company was demolishing an old hospital to make way for redevelopment.

(02-15-08) February 15th, 2008 | School Fire Causes Asbestos Concern A school fire in Ohio has raised an asbestos concern after elevated levels of the dangerous material was detected. Initial reports said the building was safe, and faculty worked in the school for days after the fire.

(02-16-08) February 16th, 2008 | California Fires Raise Asbestos Concern As the holiday season approaches, some homeowners in California are relieved to be going back home. Fires that erupted in southern California may be over, but the damage caused could have a lasting effect.

(02-17-08) February 17th, 2008 | Asbestos Found in Florida Landfill The Department of Environmental Protection began to investigate the presence of asbestos in the local landfill last month. Lee County announced this week that asbestos has been found in the public landfill.

(02-18-08) February 18th, 2008 | Toys Still on Shelves Despite Asbestos A New York law office specializing in asbestos-related cases has taken up the fight against toys known to contain asbestos. The firm is criticizing companies that are still carrying toys shown to contain asbestos.

(02-19-08) February 19th, 2008 | Asbestos Removal Approved From County Building After concern was raised by the County Superintendent, a school district building will have asbestos removed from it in the next year. Independent contractors recommended the removal, and the bid was approved.

(02-20-08) February 20th, 2008 | New Asbestos Removal Draws Criticism An experimental method of demolishing buildings containing asbestos is drawing criticism from people in Fort Worth, Texas. The new method does not remove the asbestos from the building before demolition.

(02-21-08) February 21st, 2008 | School To Close Due To Asbestos One Pennsylvania high school is being phased out of use, and will be closed by no later than 2010. The closure is due to asbestos in the building, and the inability to remove the dangerous substance while the school remains open.

(02-22-08) February 22nd, 2008 | Toy Recalled Over Asbestos This week saw the first recall of a holiday season toy due to high levels of asbestos. More than a month ago, an asbestos advocacy group released results of asbestos tests, showing some toys contained the dangerous substance.

(02-23-08) February 23rd, 2008 | School Reopens After Asbestos Scare A Colorado school reopened this week after air tests indicating high levels of asbestos shut the school down. The spike in air quality could not be replicated, and the school was open for classes.

(02-24-08) February 24th, 2008 | Asbestos In Home is Not Always Dangerous While many homes are getting ready for the holidays, some homeowners are looking into the next year and what home improvements they will make. Asbestos in the home could put these plans on hold, but household asbestos is not always dangerous.

(02-25-08) February 25th, 2008 | New Asbestos Removal Used in Texas Against protests from locals, a new type of asbestos removal was used this week on an old Fort Worth, Texas apartment building. The new method does not remove the asbestos prior to a building being demolished.

(02-26-08) February 26th, 2008 | New York Employees Exposed to Asbestos Several employees of a New York town are upset that they conducted demolition on pipes containing asbestos. The workers were not told the pipes contained the deadly substance.

(02-27-08) February 27th, 2008 | Asbestos Victim Awarded By Jury Two year after an Illinois man dies from mesothelioma, a jury awarded his widow and family more than $2 million. The lawsuit was against the victim�s former employer.

(02-28-08) February 28th, 2008 | New York County Pays Asbestos Fine A county in New York paid what is little more than a slap on the wrist from charges stemming from the illegal removal of asbestos from a county building in 2006. The fine was a fraction of the normal minimum fine for violating the Clean Air Act.

(02-29-08) February 29th, 2008 | Asbestos Belatedly Found in School Room A teacher in California is saying that school officials may have put her and her students at risk of asbestos exposure. The teacher filed a complaint about possible asbestos, but did not hear an answer for more than two months.

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