Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Study: Residents Near Asbestos Plant Have High Mesothelioma Risk

A new study by doctors with the Cancer Epidemiology Unit of the University of Turin (Italy) of people living near an asbestos cement plant confirms that asbestos is a potent cause of mesothelioma not only among people working with the product, but also among people exposed through environmental pollution.

The conclusion published in the abstract for the article states: "This study provides strong evidence that asbestos pollution from an industrial source greatly increases mesothelioma risk. Furthermore, relative risks from occupational exposure were underestimated and were markedly increased when adjusted for residential distance."

The risk of mesothelioma from asbestos is so powerful that, according to the study, people living 10km from the source of the asbestos pollution were at increased risk for mesothelioma.

This article is published during a time when asbestos companies continue to claim that their products did not release sufficient asbestos to cause mesothelioma. Believe it or not, this argument is made in Court even when workers report seeing visible dust in the air coming directly from the manufacturer's asbestos products. The fallacy of this litigation argument is that government and world health agencies are in agreement: There is no safe level for exposure to asbestos.

For more information about mesothelioma - disease caused by asbestos, visit LPKLaw.com

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