Recently, a federal court ruled that the City of St. Louis’s use of the â€wet method†of asbestos removal violated the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) regulations. The violation in question occurred at the City’s airport expansion worksite. In an effort to raze hundreds of buildings on the property, city workers sprayed the structures with water and then demolished them †a process known as the wet method of asbestos removal. However, according to the U.S. Clean Air Act (1970), asbestos has to be removed prior to demolition and disposed of in a specific manner. This precaution is to prevent toxic asbestos fibers from becoming airborne when structures are torn down. When wet and/or airborne, asbestos can easily dissolve into the ground and air, where it can be just as easily inhaled or otherwise ingested. Effects of Asbestos Exposure Asbestos, a long and fibrous mineral, is extremely toxic and can cause people to develop serious, incurable health problems over years of exposure. Some of the conditions that result from prolonged asbestos exposure include: * Asbestosis * Lung cancer * Mesothelioma * Throat cancer Unfortunately, most of these conditions don’t display symptoms until they have progressed to later stages. As a result, many patients are only diagnosed once the condition has become severe, less treatable and life threatening. The average survival time for patients with mesothelioma and other asbestos lung cancers is 18 months. Ultimately, the City of St. Louis was cited for improperly demolishing 99 homes. While the precise costs of these violations have yet to be disclosed, the City of St. Louis could pay upwards of $500,000 to clean the area and properly remove all asbestos. (Source: The Asbestos Network) Do you or a loved one suffer from an asbestos-related condition? If so, contact mesothelioma centers today to speak with an experienced asbestos lawyer who will give you legal advice and help you win an asbestos settlement.
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