In Amarillo, Texas, a local business owner has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of improper handling of asbestos-containing materials. The man, Jack R. Coiner, now faces up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine. During the period between July 2007 and May 2009, Coiner, who is the owner of Asbestos Maintenance Services Inc., had his employees handle asbestos in such a way that ultimately lead to the violation of asbestos regulations.

Coiner ordered two of his employees to store asbestos at two locations. While the asbestos was properly sealed up in bags and barrels, over time several of these asbestos containers eroded, which caused the material to be released into the air. Coiner told federal authorities that he had planned to dispose of the material safely and legally, but simply did not have the finances to do so at the time.

Asbestos exposure has been scientifically linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare yet aggressive form of cancer that may affect the lungs, lining of the abdomen, or even the lining of the heart. Mesothelioma affects less than 3,000 Americans each year, and while there are palliative treatment methods available, including chemo, the cancer remains tragically incurable. The disease typically lies dormant for many decades before the onset of initial symptoms. In most cases, the cancer proves to be fatal within 24 months of being diagnosed.

A federal investigation has yet to determine if Mr. Coiner, his employees, or his company have violated asbestos handling or disposal regulations at any other time in the past.

In Brush, Colorado, a ball of ice that crashed into a local home created an asbestos hazard, forcing a local family to evacuate their home. DaNelle Hagan was sitting in her kitchen with her 9-year-old daughter Elizabeth when a bowling-ball sized piece of ice crashed explosively through the kitchen ceiling. Thankfully, neither person was injured.

"It was just bizarre," Hagan said, "I heard a huge explosion, couldn’t figure out if something had crashed in or exploded out and [it was] just complete chaos after that…Everybody seems to think that it was [from] an airplane flying over the area." According to Federal Aviation Administration, it is rare but theoretically plausible that ice accumulating on the outside of aircraft can fall back to Earth. "It looks like a bomb went off," Hagan said.

Worst of all, the incident exposed asbestos in Hagan’s home, forcing this single mother to find a new home for her family. Asbestos exposure is conclusively linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. Mesothelioma affects less than 3,000 Americans each year, and there is no known cure.

However, new research is conducted every year, and some patients do benefit from treatments ranging from prescription drugs to surgery to chemotherapy. Sadly, the cancer is capable of killing within months of being diagnosed.

"My head is spinning from everything that’s gone on the last few days, I’m just hoping for a good outcome soon," she said.

An English man has lost his wife of 60 years to an asbestos-related illness. Tony Boxall lost his wife Evelyn to mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, earlier this year. It is believed she was exposed to asbestos while soldering valves on aircraft radios as a teenager.

Mesothelioma affects thousands of new patients each year, and while there are palliative treatment methods available, including chemotherapy, there is no known cure. The cancer may lie dormant for many decades before the first symptoms emerge. Unfortunately, the majority of patients lose their battle with this form cancer less than two years following diagnosis.

"We knew exactly what it was. She was working when she was 16. We got married when she was 21. The trouble is it laid dormant for so long. The way it grows is much like fungi," Boxall told reporters. "From last August she started to get out of breath and we found out she had fluid on her lung."

It is unfortunately not uncommon for people to develop mesothelioma or other asbestos illnesses decades after their initial exposure to asbestos materials. Those who worked with asbestos long before the health risks associated with it were recognized, like Evelyn Boxall, probably handled the carcinogen without ever knowing that it may one day cause them to develop cancer.

Mr. Boxall tearfully recalled the last time she was at home. "I remember when the nurses came to the house to take her to the hospice and she knew it was the last time she would be at the house. She asked the nurses to take her to the conservatory. I said to her ‘why do you want to go out there, ducky?’ She said to me ‘because I want to say goodbye to my lovely garden’. It broke my heart seeing her like that. I loved her very much and I miss her tremendously."

Recent data released by the United Kingdom’s Health and Safety Executive has revealed that mesothelioma deaths are on the rise all over the United Kingdom. In Pembrokeshire alone, for example, it has been revealed that the rare cancer killed fifty people during the period between 1981 and 2005, according to figures from the Health and Safety Executive.

Mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the lining of the abdominal cavity, as well as organs like the heart and lungs. The cancer may develop half a century after a person has been exposed to asbestos, a material once commonly used in insulation, fireproofing materials, and floor and ceiling tiles. While treatments like chemotherapy and surgical interventions can help some patients, the cancer remains incurable. Most mesothelioma patients are told they have less than 2 years to live when they are diagnosed.

The figures were released as part of the Health and Safety Executive’s ‘Asbestos: The Hidden Killer’ campaign. According to new figures, 20 workers in the United Kingdom die each week from asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma. Those numbers are expected to increase in the coming years.

“Asbestos is Britain’s biggest industrial killer,” Terry Rose, director of the Welsh branch of the United Kingdom’s Health and Safety Executive, explained.

“Asbestos-related illnesses claim the lives of 4,000 people every year…If you are not 100% certain that there is no asbestos [in your workplace], don’t start work…Think of it as…protecting your family and loved ones from unnecessary heartache.”

In Galveston, Texas, Michael Enriquez and many other local residents are growing increasingly discouraged by the presence of many neglected and vacant properties. The rat problem alone in his neighborhood is getting out of hand. “I’ve killed six or seven in the past week,” Enriquez, age 54, said.

The area was badly devastated by Hurricane Ike, causing storm surges to badly damage local homes. One of the properties hit hardest was the 77-unit Bayou Shores apartment complex. “Our neighborhood got pretty battered; our house is no jewel, but this is disgusting,” Enriquez said.

In some cases, it costs the city as much as $250 to clean, mow and secure a privately owned yard or lot that has been abandoned. When the owner can be tracked down, they are made to pay for the work. For example, the Bayou Shores complex is owned by Shiraz US Galveston Inc. A court ruling ultimately forced the owners to clean up the 60-year-old complex. The company bought it in 2007, and failed to purchase storm/flood insurance. Now, it will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to clean up and remove asbestos from the site.

Finding the right contractor to remove asbestos has slowed progress, according to officials. Asbestos removal must be undertaken by a licensed professional. This is because asbestos removal must be done in accordance with federal regulations. Exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma in some cases. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that can lie dormant for decades before symptoms emerge.

In 30 to 35 days, the complex will finally be demolished, according to local sources. “It’s very unfortunate and very frustrating to the community and neighborhoods,” one local said. “People should do this without the city having to remind them.”

An unknown vandal who broke into a vacant school building has unwittingly exposed themselves to asbestos. Following a long weekend, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were called to the Vacant Rockland School in Campbell River, British Columbia. The police found that at least one vandal had broken into the school and vandalized the site. However, these vandals likely exposed themselves to asbestos during the incident. The old Rockland School has been vacant for approximately a year. The school is presently undergoing demolition and reconstruction, and this work exposed asbestos and other hazardous materials at the site.

Police are asking the public to bear the risks of asbestos exposure they face if they enter the site unauthorized. Asbestos exposure is conclusively linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. Mesothelioma affects less than 3,000 Americans each year, and while there are palliative treatment methods available, including chemo and radiation therapy, there is no known cure.

The disease typically lies dormant for up to fifty years before an individual begins to suffer from mesothelioma symptoms, and the majority of patients lose their battle with this cancer in less than two years.

The culprits hurled heavy objects through walls, and then fled the scene, according to police Corporal Brian Brown. It is believed to be very likely that the vandals were exposed to asbestos during the short period of time they were in the vacant building. No suspects have been announced.

In Jackson, Mississippi, a lawsuit opened in 2007 has finally been brought to a close. The Jefferson Davis County School District has been ordered to repay over $1 million in sixteenth section land funds that were misused by the district. The lawsuit, filed by the State Auditor in Hinds County Chancery Court in 2007, will ensure that funds in the amounts of $906,885.69 and $500,000 are returned. Part of this money was allotted for asbestos work, but was never used for that purpose.

“Our attorney and special agents working this case determined that $153,114.31 of the over $1 million transferred from the sixteenth section funds in 2004 were allowable expenses leaving the remaining $906,885.69 as an unallowable expense under State Law,” said State Auditor Stacey Pickering. “In addition, we concluded that the $500,000 transferred for the removal of asbestos in 2005 must also be repaid since the school did not spend money for any removal. The State Auditor’s Office issued demands against Jefferson Davis County school board members for these funds in 2007, and I am pleased to finally resolve this case on behalf of the taxpayers of Mississippi.” Asbestos removal is undertaken to protect people from exposure to asbestos fibers. Exposure to asbestos is linked to mesothelioma, a rare cancer that affects only a few thousand people each year. The cancer can lie dormant for decades before symptoms develop.

To date, the district has repaid $781,472. The remaining balance of $625,413.69 is due to the 16th section land account today, October 15^th.

Des Moines County supervisors have announced that it will cost roughly $30,000 each to raze and remove the flood-damaged cabins on Otter Island near Burlington, Iowa. The supervisors awarded a contract totaling $119,999 to First Construction to demolish the four cabins on the Mississippi River Island. "First Construction was the most responsive bidder and the lowest bidder," said Land Use Administrator Jeff Hanan, who serves as project manager for the demolition program. Other reported bids included one from Kent DaVolt of Keokuk, who bid $134,000, as well as a bid from T&T Technologies Inc. of West Burlington in the amount of $136,918.

First Construction will be responsible for demolishing the cabins, hauling away tons of debris, and then covering the sites with clean dirt. The razing of the buildings will commence next month, and is being financed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Based on FEMA requirements, debris from demolished structures must be treated as if it contains asbestos. Asbestos is dangerous if inhaled, and can cause asbestosis or mesothelioma, a rare but aggressive cancer. This cancer can rapidly move throughout the body, but often originates in the lining of the lungs, heart, or abdomen. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgical intervention, and even some prescription drugs may be recommended by the doctor, but the exact course of treatment will depend on how far the cancer has advanced. The cancer can kill in as little as a few months after being diagnosed.

In order to comply with FEMA regulations, all the debris from the site must be shrink-wrapped together prior to transportation to the regional landfill outside West Burlington.

The discovery of asbestos during a $5.2 billion iron ore mining project in Australia has caused work to come to a grinding halt. Work at CITIC Pacific’s $5.2 billion Sino iron ore project near Karratha has been shut down while union workers meet with company officials. Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union State Secretary Steve McCartney has demanded that CITIC stop work at the site. The union has raised serious concerns about workers who may have come into contact with asbestos. Between 700 and 800 workers are believed to have stopped work due to the demands of the union.

Asbestos exposure has been linked to the development of mesothelioma repeatedly in many scientific studies. Mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, kills most patients within two years of being diagnosed. Mesothelioma affects thousands of new patients each year in countries all around the globe. Mesothelioma has a latency period of up to 50 years in some cases. Asbestos exposure is also linked to lung cancer and asbestosis.

According to McCartney, the asbestos was identified by workers who had been trained how to recognize asbestos. McCartney says he was also informed that asbestos-laden dirt may have been used as landfill at the mine. "The Minister for Mines needs to get WorkSafe to halt work at the mine and order an immediate investigation to ensure the lives of workers are not put at further risk by exposure to deadly asbestos material," he said.

However, a project spokesman says there is nothing to fear. "Most WA iron ore mining operations contend with the issue of fibrous materials and the Sino Iron project takes its responsibility in this area very seriously," the spokesman said. "This includes the use of personal protective equipment, static and personal monitoring, use of specialized filters to all site mobile equipment, dust suppression and wet drilling methods.”