Global Asbestos Ban Needed More Than Ever, Study Says
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Global Asbestos Ban Needed More Than Ever, Study Says

ByAlex Strauss

The authors of a new report on the “silent epidemic” of mesothelioma say a worldwide asbestos ban is more urgent now than ever. The researchers are from universities in Australia, New Zealand and Pennsylvania. They are experts in medicine, public health, and pathology.  Their new report sums up the global problem of asbestos and its link to deadly illnesses like lung cancer, asbestosis, and malignant mesothelioma. Australia and New Zealand are among the countries that no longer allow any asbestos in or out but they still have many cases of mesothelioma.  The US has yet to institute an asbestos ban. Malignant mesothelioma affects about 2,500 Americans a year.  The Link Between Asbestos and Mesothelioma Asbestos is the primary cause of…

Asbestos Ban Moves One Step Closer to Reality in Congress
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Asbestos Ban Moves One Step Closer to Reality in Congress

ByAlex Strauss

A congressional committee has granted bipartisan approval to a bill that would establish an asbestos ban in the US. The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted 47 to 1 to approve the bill. The vote took place on November 19th. Mesothelioma advocacy groups like the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization are praising the move. ADAO president Linda Reinstein is the widow of the mesothelioma patient for whom the bill is named. “This comprehensive bill will protect workers, consumers, and children from being exposed to the deadly threat of asbestos and stop hundreds of tons of asbestos from entering the United States,” said Reinstein.  Doesn’t the US Have an Asbestos Ban? Asbestos is a recognized toxin and carcinogen. It causes many serious…

Asbestos Bans Influenced by Mesothelioma ‘Visibility’
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Asbestos Bans Influenced by Mesothelioma ‘Visibility’

ByAlex Strauss

Why have some countries banned asbestos while others have not? A team of Korean researchers studying the question says it is likely influenced by perception of mesothelioma risk as well as what neighboring countries are doing. Medical authorities around the world agree that the mineral asbestos is directly linked to development of mesothelioma, a virulent cancer of the linings around organs. Most often found in the pleura encasing the lungs, mesothelioma is usually the result of on-the-job exposure to asbestos dust. Asbestos was once widely used in a variety of construction materials, including wallboard, paint, floor and ceiling tiles and cement blocks. Even in countries where asbestos is now banned, the presence of the material in existing buildings can pose a mesothelioma…

Advocacy Groups Call for Global Asbestos Ban
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Advocacy Groups Call for Global Asbestos Ban

ByAlex Strauss

A British organization established to support victims of mesothelioma is joining the call for a total ban on the substance that causes it. The National Asbestos Helpline is a national clearing house set up to support patients with mesothelioma and other asbestos-linked diseases and their families.  Because so many British homes and buildings were constructed when asbestos use was at its peak in the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s, Great Britain has one of the highest per capita rates of mesothelioma in the world.  Mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer, is caused by inhalation or ingestion of airborne asbestos fibers. In spite of the risk, asbestos is still used as an inexpensive building product and insulator around the world.  Now, as part of its support…