In Israel the Ministerial Committee on Legislation has approved a new bill to regulate the cleanup of Asbestos. The bill was crafted by the Environmental Protection Ministry.

The bill will regulate the cleanup of Asbestos completely – and will put aside funds for treatment and cleanup as well.

The bill will also regulate the licensing required to remove or deal with Asbestos. The goal of the bill is to look at the removal of Asbestos from not only a safety perspective but also from an environmental perspective.

In the United States there is already a bill in place when it comes to the regulation of Asbestos work.

The family of Richard Worthley Sr. was awarded $3.4 million from the Advocate Mines Limited company after the death of the former Johns-Manville Transite plant worker from California.

Advocate Mines Limited was an asbestos mine in Newfoundland which supplied asbestos to the Johns-Manville Transite plant where Richard Worthley Sr. worked. Richard’s exposure to asbestos would ultimately cause his death from the asbestos-related cancer Mesothelioma. Richard was diagnosed with the cancer in 2004.

Advocate Mines Limited supplied Johns-Manville plants with asbestos from their company’s mines from 1963 to 1981.

Richard’s family argued that the Advocate Mines Limited company knew the dangers of asbestos and failed to warn the companies they shipped their product to.

Residents in Libby, Montana have received a grant to deal with their asbestos-related diseases from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

The grant is for the amount of $6 million and will be dispersed through the area within the next two years, starting on August 1, 2009 and ending on July 31, 2011. The HRSA supplied $4 million while the remaining $2 million is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Numerous individuals in the area have been affected by asbestos fibers that have been released into the air from the mine that was once operated by W.R. Grace & Company. Other individuals have found asbestos in their homes and have become ill from the exposure.

The individuals in the county have come down with numerous illnesses, including Mesothelioma cancer and lung cancer.

Officials in the United Kingdom are preparing to reveal their decision about reversing a judgment disallowing individuals suffering from Pleural Plaques from taking legal action over their condition.

But now, researchers are warning the country that there may be a much larger threat than was expected originally. In fact, studies are showing that there may be as many as 90,000 people developing Pleural Plaques every year from exposure to asbestos fibers.

Click here to read more about Pleural Plaques.

A team in the UK is planning to carry out secret tests on dozens of schools in the country this summer to highlight the threat of asbestos to both students and teachers.

The tests have been arranged by families of teachers killed by asbestos related diseases, including Mesothelioma cancer. The goal of the tests is to prove that asbestos is in the schools and to have it removed safely.

Sadly, the majority of schools in the country are thought to contain asbestos fibers. These fibers were used to insulate the buildings during the years they were built (1940-1980). Over the years the fibers come loose and can become lethal to individuals spending a lot of time in the vicinity.

Documents obtained by the campaign group Asbestos in Schools shows that ministers in the area were warned more than ten years ago that looking into asbestos in the school system could spark panic and would be expensive – therefore no testing was ever done.

The current tests will look into up to 100 schools in the next couple months – and from there depending on the number that contain asbestos the rest may be tested as well. The tests will be brought to the UK government for review.

Two men in North Attleboro, Massachusetts have been charged with the improper removal of asbestos. The men were part of a demolition project and did not remove the asbestos as regulated by state.

The men have been charged with violating the Clean Air Act after an investigation by the Massachusetts Environmental Crimes Strike Force.

The men are set to appear in court this week to be arraigned on the charges.

What kind of punishment do you think they should receive?

Gerald Gray was a Commander Master Chief for the Atlantic Fleet in the Navy from 1951 until retiring in 1971 and becoming a school teacher. 37 years later Gray was diagnosed with the Asbestos related cancer, Mesothelioma.

Gray’s family members received $1.2 million from John Crane, Inc for Gray’s death. The jury had planned on awarding the family $4 million, but four out of the five defendant companies chose to settle outside of the courtroom, lowering the amount that the court could reward the family publicly.

During his time in the Navy, Gray was exposed to asbestos, and the John Crane company was held partially responsible for Gray’s Mesothelioma diagnosis. John Crane manufacturers asbestos-containing gaskets and other materials for ships.

The Citadel Plaza in Kansas City is heavily contaminated with asbestos, to the point where something as simple as mowing the grass could pose serious public health risks. There are dangerous asbestos fibers that would cause anyone in the area to have to wear protective masks and respirators if any of the fibers were to become airborne.

The reason these fibers may be disturbed is that the Kansas City officials are hoping to develop the area, however they are not sure they want to spend the huge amount of money, around $300,000, it may cost to remove the asbestos from the area. Currently the City Council has been meeting to debate the development project.

Do you think Kansas City should spend the money to tear down the buildings and put new buildings up, or do you think they should leave the potentially dangerous building up and save money?

It looks like Kansas is having the same problem as San Francisco…click here to read that story.

Indiana school teacher Terry Nelson recently handed in her resignation and retirement letter after backlash resulting from her exposing students to asbestos in the school.

Nelson was a journalism teacher and an advisor at the Central High School in Muncie, Indiana. During her time there she had two students conduct tests to determine the presence of loose asbestos on the school property so they could write a story about it. The asbestos was brought into the science classroom and therefore the students were exposed to the fiber without the proper safety precautions. This put the students at risk of developing asbestos-related diseases, including Mesothelioma cancer.

The school board and administrators thoroughly reprimanded Nelson and she believed that it was best for her to leave the school system. She was afraid she was going to get fired, and instead decided to leave on her own terms.

The Government in England is talking with the Yorkshire county in order to try to set up a new national center to work towards finding a cure for cancer caused by asbestos. In addition, doctors in Yorkshire are fighting to get victims of pleural plaques the rights and compensation they deserve, and ministers are preparing to release a report on whether or not this will happen.

Those fighting for compensation believe that those with pleural plaques are more likely to develop Mesothelioma later in life and believe that they should receive compensation for the stress that causes.

Those with pleural plaques were able to apply for compensation until 2007 when the laws changed.

What do you think should happen?