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Vermiculite - A Benign Substance Or Another Toxic Material From Libby, Montana?

Vermiculite - A Benign Substance Or Another Toxic Material From Libby, Montana?

Discussions around asbestos and the health problems it causes have started incorporating discussions of vermiculite as well. So, what is vermiculite?
Vermiculite - A Benign Substance Or Another Toxic Material From Libby, Montana?
Vermiculite is a natur

Vermiculite reacts to heat in an odd way. It expands. Not just expands, but EXPANDS! It will grow in size by a factor of 8 to 30 times the original size. On top of this, the material is also heat and fire resistant. If these characteristics sound somewhat familiar, then they should. The heat and fire resistant nature of vermiculite is similar to what is found with asbestos, but not on as effective a scale.

Vermiculite is not, in and of itself, a material that is considered to carry any health risks as we see with asbestos. Then why does the material get so much bad press? Well, the answer is found in where vermiculate was mined for 50 plus years until 1990. It was found in a little town called Libby, Montana, which should set off red alerts and clanging bells in your head.

Libby, Montana is the home of a huge mine that is [in]famous. The mine produced 50 years worth of vermiculite with plenty to spare. So, what is the problem? Well, the mine also produced the vast majority of asbestos during the same period of time. With both materials being mined at the same time, there is little surprise that the vermiculite coming out of the mine has been found to have high levels of asbestos in it. Since this material was used in home insulation products, it is now believed that over 70 percent of all homes with such insulation have an asbestos problem.

What is vermiculite? When isolated, it is a good material for heat resistant applications. Historically, however, it has been contaminated with asbestos in the U.S. market and is a health risk. If you have vermiculite insulation, get it tested immediately. 

ally occurring substance. It is mined from the ground like many other ore oriented commodities. The material looks like small flakes of mica pebbles. It is generally lacking in any unique characteristics, but it does something very interesting when heat is introduced.

By: Tom Ajava
Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma Law: Modern Day Risks Involving Asbestos Exposure

Mesothelioma Law: Modern Day Risks Involving Asbestos Exposure


Mesothelioma Law: Modern Day Risks Involving Asbestos ExposureTwenty-first century, mesothelioma law has increased considerably as so many unfortunate cases of this asbestos-related cancer emerge after nearly decades of dormancy in workers with exposure risks. This terminal form of cancer often remains undetected until symptoms begin to surface in this disease’s advanced stages. Sadly, mesothelioma law can become a difficult process for victims and their family’s to cope with – especially when faced with large-scale legal battles involving occupational exposures from ten to twenty; or even more years ago.

When faced with the growing rate of mesothelioma diagnoses; it is absolutely necessary for mesothelioma law to bring irresponsible companies and other agencies to justice. Ultimately, those professionals who practice mesothelioma law, not only help the existing victims of asbestos exposure, they also help to prevent further incidences in the future; in many cases. There is no telling exactly how widespread this problem may actually be. Especially with the long periods of time this serious ailment may lurk within a body before becoming cancerous. It is estimated that nearly 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year. Sadly many people are only now finding out about their unlawful exposure to this highly toxic material from previous decades.

Mesothelioma law also investigates modern tragedies that may create environmental or occupational asbestos exposure; or both. September 11 is one such disaster that may be recalled very clearly. With the resulting debris and dust generated from the attacks of the Twin Towers, there may also have been asbestos particles released. Thousands of rescue workers and surrounding New York citizens may have been adversely affected by this extreme environmental hazard.

Really anyone that works within the construction, mining, automotive or asbestos-removal industries may find themselves placed at risk at various points throughout their career. Due to this sustained risk, many mesothelioma law professionals often create informative websites to present a wide variety of information to asbestos victims and their families. One invaluable resource is www.mesotheliomanews.com. This unique web source provides extensive details on medical information and innovations for mesothelioma as well as a complete range of legal advice, general asbestos info and help finding support groups.

For anyone dealing with asbestos-related diseases or cancers, it may be beneficial to locate a mesothelioma law firm. These experienced mesothelioma law professionals can assist in evaluating and preparing a potential case that may result in a substantial settlement – if a responsible party is found to be at fault for asbestos exposure of employees or a surrounding environment. Make Baron and Budd, P.C. your mesothelioma law firm of choice, contact them today for a free consultation.

By: Mesothelioma Attorney
Mesothelioma

Lung Cancer Facts - The Matter Of Remaining Alive

Lung Cancer Facts - The Matter Of Remaining Alive


Once a patient is diagnosed of lung cancer, it is common for these patients along with their relatives to immediately seek for the facts regarding this ailment. The main facts that these people want to know are the chances of survival and the treatments along with its effectiveness to patients. They are not that interested in knowing its prevention, since it is in contrary to their present situation. Oftentimes they ask these main questions to their doctors, making sure that their confusion will be alleviated.

Contrary to public opinion, other than aggravating the conditions, the association between smoking and mesothelioma. But not to underrate the effects of smoking since it greatly increases the risk of other asbestos motivated cancers.

For their relatives and friends, once they have been informed, these facts are also of concern, but out of a sensitivity to this cancer's victim, they will not ask the victim directly. They'll come to the net to get the answers. So, let's look at some of the direct facts about lung cancer. Having the appropriate knowledge of this certain condition would definitely help you deal with a relative or friend’s situation. Most especially with regards to showing a more suitable sympathetic approach to the person involved.

Lung cancer for a fact is a very difficult condition to detect. Oftentimes, it is discovered too late. This is because our lungs don’t have any pain nerves in it. You cannot normally tell if you have lung cancer until the major symptoms appear, the principal one being the coughing up of blood. X-rays of lungs may show a spot that does not appear to be cancerous, only to become so later on. Late detection of lung cancer makes it even more drastic to the affected person. This means that your relative or friend is in a state of shock when they learn that they have been stricken. It would surely affect their whole being. Their doctor has told them, depending on the cancer's stage, that they have a little time left. The level of anxiety that these people exhibit varies from person to person. Thus, it is very much needed for the people around them to be sensitive to the person’s feelings. Your best first response is to tell them you are sorry to hear of it. Don't hesitate to show your own grief. To know that you are as disappointed as they are will prove to be a comfort.

Allow your friend or relative to disclose their doctor’s prediction of their condition at present. Cancer stage development is the main indicator of how long a patient’s life could be. However, lung cancer survival seems to be colder than it is expected. In some cases, patients may survive and continue to live for a few more years; and in very rare cases, full remission may be possible. However, stage progression for this type of cancer is quite poor. Typically, lung cancer patients receiving chemotherapeutic treatments may observe a span of 4.8 months with no progression of cancer at all. Yet, in a lot of cases, lung cancer still progresses and the patient survive the utmost of 10.3 months after he or she was diagnosed.

Annually, facts on lung cancer survival keeps on changing, due to a lot of new studies, treatments and drugs being introduced in the market. One of the major breakthroughs in the study of lung cancer survival is the coming up of the drug named Erbitux in the year 2008, wherein it increases the span of survival to 5%, from the previously stated 10.1 months, it is now at 11.3 months. The possibility of surviving for a year or more thus grew from 42 to 47 percent. Even at the time of this writing, new drugs are being developed.

Studies have shown that even people short exposure of 1 to 3 months can put a worker at risk. Naturally occurring asbestos locations are another source of exposure. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial, including roofing shingles, brake pads and linings, cement, insulation, textiles and flooring products.

Many years of asbestos exposure gives way to various lung diseases like asbestosis and the so called asbestos caused lung cancer. Asbestosis, the preliminary condition of an asbestos exposed person, may be defined as the formation of scar tissue also known as fibrosis within the lungs, thus putting a limit to its expansion. Further unrelenting exposure to asbestos significantly leads to pleural plaques, malignant mesothelioma and pleural effusion. Malignant mesothelioma maybe defined as a rare type of cancer mainly caused by asbestos exposure. Most of the people affected by this are known as smokers. Learn more about asbestosis and mesothelioma litigation at asbestosismesotheliomasettlement.com

With the alarming number of people getting these types of occupational diseases, a lot of asbestos settlements, asbestos compensation and asbestos lawsuits are brought out in the open. It is the right of every worker to have a well secured and healthy workplace, as such, it is their sole right to be taken care of by their companies once they get sick because of their company’s mess. Learn more about mesothelioma claims at asbestosismesotheliomasettlement.com

Other fact on chemotherapeutic treatments is that it may cause temporary hair loss in the first few months of the therapy. It also causes anemia and some rashes which are all temporary. The side effects of chemotherapy are based on the therapy itself. It stops once the treatment has ended. Always keep in mind that in whatever you do with your friend or relative, constantly do it with utmost compassion, gentleness and love. Never forget to put a smile on your face when dealing with them because it is one medicine that always lightens the burden that they are carrying at the moment.
By: NColin
Mesothelioma

Causes and Risk Factors Mesothelioma

Causes and Risk Factors Mesothelioma

Exposure to asbestos fibers is the only proven cause of pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma. Patients are most often exposed to asbestos in occupational settings.

How Mesothelioma Develops
Asbestos exposure is the only proven cause of mesothelioma. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral, originally admired for its unique insulating and fire retardant capabilities. Asbestos comes in a variety of types with the most common being serpentine and amphibole. Amphibole is the most dangerous type of asbestos as it is the most likely to cause mesothelioma.

Causes and Risk Factors Mesothelioma
When asbestos exposure occurs, microscopic asbestos fibers can be inhaled or ingested. These fibers damage healthy cells and can cause genetic mutations. These genetic mutations affect cell division and cause mesothelioma tumors. Exposure is most likely when materials containing asbestos are disturbed or loosened, releasing asbestos fibers into the air. Mesothelioma may take between 20-50 years to show symptoms. Symptoms are often mistaken as a common cold or pneumonia with chest pain, breathing discomfort, or a consistent cough.

Occupational exposure is the most common method of exposure. Due to industrial asbestos uses in the past, men are more commonly diagnosed with mesothelioma than women at a ratio of 5 to 1.

What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral found in rock and other minerals, such as vermiculite. There are two main types of asbestos: serpentine and amphibole. Serpentine asbestos is generally less friable than amphibole asbestos. These categories of asbestos are further broken down into subcategories, but they are all tiny, thin fibers that make up the mineral. The average human hair is approximately 1,200 times thicker than an asbestos fiber.
There are different types of asbestos:

Causes and Risk Factors Mesothelioma

Materials
The cause of mesothelioma is always attributed to asbestos exposure, but determining when the exposure occurred can be difficult. In some cases, patients may not even realize they have been exposed to asbestos at all. Exposure can occur in unlikely places, including the household. Home insulation manufactured before 1975 contains asbestos, as well as many other building materials found in homes. However, when left undisturbed, most materials containing asbestos pose no immediate threat.

Remodeling work on older homes poses the risk of releasing asbestos fibers into the air by disturbing asbestos-containing building materials. Asbestos is not only found in homes, but also in cars. Brake pads, clutches, gaskets and insulation material can contain asbestos, especially in older cars.

The Environmental Protection Agency began requesting lists from American companies of their products containing asbestos in 1981, which eventually led to the Asbestos Information Act of 1988. Although asbestos is still used in the United States, this law requires manufacturers of asbestos products to submit detailed information on their products to the EPA.

Friability
Regulations regarding asbestos also categorize different types of asbestos into friable and non-friable asbestos. Friability is simply how easily a substance crumbles or breaks apart. Non-friable asbestos-containing materials are generally considered as relatively safe (when undisturbed). However friable asbestos-containing materials are much more dangerous. non-friable asbestos-containing materials are regulated in the United States; however, any asbestos-containing material can become friable.

Occupational Exposure
Occupational exposure to asbestosOccupational hazards are the most common cause of asbestos exposure. Prior to 1920, mining raw asbestos mineral was the most common exposure. However, an array of occupations like construction, military, machine work, and auto care began using asbestos materials in the 1940’s.

From this time until the end of the 1970s, approximately 27 million Americans had significant exposure to asbestos. Asbestos was heavily used in the 1960s and 1970s when the material became more common. However, production slowed as regulations began to be enforced in the early 1980s.

Construction and industrial production are the occupations that carry the highest risk of asbestos exposure. This is because asbestos was commonly used in building materials ranging from insulation to wiring and pipefittings. Asbestos-containing building materials (ACBM) were common until the 1980s. Instances of occupational exposure began declining as working conditions and regulations regarding asbestos were established. This caused the subsequent decline of asbestos use in industrial materials.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is responsible for protecting workers from health hazards by enforcing regulations on uses of asbestos-containing materials. Standards enforced by OSHA have tremendously decreased occupational exposure to asbestos. However, exposure is still possible if workers aren’t aware of materials containing asbestos. The main occupational protection standard, known as the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for asbestos, was established in 1986. Other federal agencies that set regulations for safe conditions with regard to asbestos exposure include the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).

Military veterans, especially those who served during World War II, face the highest exposure to asbestos materials. Navy veterans have significantly higher rates than any other branch due to the heavy use of asbestos on ships and submarines. Veterans exposed to asbestos during active duty may qualify for benefits from VA

Top 10 High-Risk Occupations :
  •     Railroad Workers
  •     Ship Builders
  •     Factory Workers
  •     Construction Workers
  •     Miners
  •     Electricians
  •     Insulation Installers
  •     Automotive Workers
  •     Power Plant/Refinery Workers
  •     Plumbers
Secondary Exposure
Secondary exposure to asbestosSome mesothelioma victims do not remember where they were exposed. Others may not even realize they were exposed. It is possible these individuals had secondhand exposure to asbestos. Spouses of construction or factory workers are the most common example of secondary exposure. Many workers returned home with asbestos fibers on their clothes, skin, and in their hair. Secondary exposure occurred from contact with the directly-exposed spouse and even from doing laundry.

Secondary asbestos exposure has occurred in occupational environments as well. Any workers who spent time around employees exposed to asbestos could be at risk.

Lastly, secondary asbestos exposure has occurred in communities where asbestos was released into the air from nearby factories manufacturing asbestos materials, shipyards, mills, mines, and building demolitions.

Libby, Montana
Libby, Montana is an example of mining leading to secondary exposure. W.R. Grace and Company took over the vermiculite ore mine in Libby in 1963. Despite knowing the dangers of asbestos, the mine operated without regulations until 1990. The EPA has spent over $450 million on the cleanup, and at least 300 deaths have been attributed to this one location. The Affordable Care Act offers financial assistance for mesothelioma victims and public health emergencies like Libby.


Naturally Occurring Exposure
Natural exposure to asbestosSome people may come into contact with naturally occurring asbestos fibers. This classification of asbestos refers to the naturally occurring minerals found in underground rock, which is mined and used in commercial building materials. Most naturally occurring asbestos is too deep underground to be easily disturbed. However, there are some areas where naturally occurring asbestos is close enough to the surface to pose a threat to people in the immediate vicinity. As such, there is a significant threat of occupational exposure to naturally occurring asbestos for miners.

Although rare, there is potential for water contamination from run-off of land erosion. When it rains, the naturally occurring asbestos has the possibility to contaminate natural water supplies, like rivers or lakes. This happens when dirt is pushed down a mountain or hillside by the rain. One instance of water contamination was in Coalinga, California. The Coalinga Asbestos Mine covers over 120 acres and has contaminated the water supply through mining activities.

Risk Factors
There are several risk factors that account for the development of mesothelioma and can increase the risk of cancer. The basic factors which increase the risk of developing mesothelioma are:
  •     Occupation
  •     Type of Asbestos
  •     Exposure Duration/ Frequency
  •     Previous Lung Disease
  •     Working Conditions
  •     Breathing Rate While Exposed
  •     Weather
  •     Exposure Concentration
One of the most prominent factors involved in asbestos exposure is work history. Today, occupational exposure does not pose the same threat it did before the 1980s due to standards of permissible exposure limits and other regulations. However, this risk is higher if working conditions did not meet these standards. Before the 1980s, working conditions with respect to asbestos exposure varied depending on the specific profession. Miners, for example, were likely to be exposed to higher concentrations of asbestos because of the poorly ventilated working conditions.

Another factor closely related to concentration is the breathing rate of the worker during exposure; more fibers are likely to be inhaled with a higher the breathing rate. Weather during the time of exposure is also a factor because rainy weather lowers the particulate count of fibers in the air. Therefore, dry weather during exposure increases the risk of developing mesothelioma.

Demographics
People who are most at risk for mesothelioma include: men, those over 65 years of age, and military veterans. Over 75% of mesothelioma deaths are men. This makes sense as most asbestos exposure occurred in construction related occupations historically dominated by men. Mesothelioma symptoms usually appear in patients between the ages of 50 and 70 years old. However, they can occur in patients as early as their 20’s if they were exposed at a young age. There are also certain states where instances of mesothelioma are more common.

Summary
Those who believe they have been exposed to asbestos should be aware of the symptoms associated with asbestos related diseases. These may be harder to detect when they occur in people with chronic breathing issues like asthma, so staying conscious and aware of your health is key. Individuals who have been exposed to asbestos should consider seeing a physician who can test for any abnormalities.

Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos. Being aware of the risk factors associated with mesothelioma is the best way to protect yourself from exposure and decrease your risk of developing this cancer.

source: http://urdoctor-info.blogspot.com/2013/10/causes-and-risk-factors-mesothelioma.html
Mesothelioma
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