Mesothelioma News by the Asbestos Lawyers of Cooney & Conway
Turin, Italy - Activists from around the globe joined together in Italy on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 for a common goal-to create a worldwide ban on the lethal building material and punish companies that use it. Asbestos is used in a wide array of building material such as adhesives and insulation and is known to kill 100,000 workers worldwide annually, according to the British Medical Journal.
According to information provided by the Associated Free Press, Ban Asbestos, a public heath advocate group, organized the Turin meeting, which is aiming to end the "impunity of those responsible for the world catastrophe of asbestos." Although asbestos has been banned in the European Union since 2005, it is still affecting less-developed nations and making its way into commonly used products.
For example, asbestos usage is "booming" in India, which imports the hazardous mineral from Russia and Canada. In Brazil's Sao Paulo region, businesses are asking for the ban on asbestos to be lifted, calling it "unconstitutional." Relatives of European asbestos victims are also challenging statutes of limitations, like Switzerland's 10-year window, in which compensation can be sought for their damages. Exposure to asbestos can result in lethal diseases like malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis, which may not develop until 20 years or more after exposure; making it hard for victims to receive compensation.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit organization, reports that asbestos-related diseases killed one out of 125 American men over the age of 50. Asbestos-related diseases claim the lives of nearly 10,000 United States citizens every year, accounting for 30 deaths per day. Exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer that attacks the lining of vital organs. The inhalation of asbestos fiber can also create asbestosis, which creates scarring and/or fibrosis that stiffens lung tissue, making it difficult for victims to breathe.
News article by Asbestos Mesothelioma litigation attorneys: Cooney & Conway.
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