Australia – the country that leads the world in asbestos-related deaths per capita – is also leading the way with a movement towards removing all asbestos from the country. Australia unions have created a wellness campaign known as, Speak Up for Health and Safety. The campaign is aimed at making Australia completely asbestos-free by the year 2030.

In order to achieve that goal, unions are calling for a National Asbestos Authority that will oversee the audit and removal of asbestos in existing structures and homes. The idea of the National Asbestos Authority was first presented in the summer of 2010 as a collaborative effort from the Cancer Council Australia, the Australian Council of Trade Unions and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union.

However, Ged Kearney, president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, is taking the opportunity to call attention to the matter again in light of the Australian Workers Memorial Day on Saturday, April 28. Ms. Kearney believes that the asbestos removal should be mandatory, and should start with government buildings and dump sites. Furthermore, the unions would prefer that all homes be inspected for asbestos prior to being leased or sold.

According to Kearney, “The cost of lives… cannot be measured in dollar terms. We must put resources into this and we must make absolutely sure we get Australia asbestos free.” Ms. Kearney says that she doesn’t have an estimation for how much a nationwide asbestos audit and abatement project will cost.

Asbestos in Australia

Between the 1950s and 1980s, Australia led the world in per capita asbestos usage. The substance was not banned in the country until 2004 – long after doctors, employers lawyers, manufacturers and legislators became aware of the toxic effects of asbestos inhalation and ingestion. By the year 2020, 18,000 more Australians are expected to die from asbestos-related diseases.

Asbestos is the sole cause of mesothelioma – an aggressive cancer that affects the mesothelial lining of the chest cavities, and occasionally areas of stomach or cardiovascular system. Although the effects of asbestos exposure are not medially evident, the toxic fibers can lie dormant in the body for several decades until they cause asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma. Currently, there is no cure for mesothelioma.

Hearing your doctor say,” You have mesothelioma,” can make it seem like time has suddenly stood still. Chances are, your doctor will continue to give you instructions about what you should do next, but it may be difficult to stay focused on his or her words as you cope with the bad news. If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma, there are a few things you need to do.

Talk to Your Oncologist

Your oncologist is your most valuable partner throughout your battle with cancer. Your first consultation with your oncologist will be full of information, including what you should expect in the coming months, as well as information about your available treatment options. If possible and if you were oncologist allows it, record your conversation so that you may revisit it if questions arise or you forget something that was said during your initial visit. Also, be sure to choose an oncologist with experience treating other mesothelioma patients, as mesothelioma is much more aggressive and rare, and it varies from more common types of cancers.

Get a Second Opinion

Because mesothelioma is such a serious diagnosis, it is imported to seek out a second opinion from another doctor before proceeding with treatment. By sending your diagnostic imaging to another oncologist, you’ll have definitive information about your prognosis, cancer stage and the best treatment options for you.

Get a Mesothelioma Attorney

Just as your oncologist is important to your health while you have cancer, your attorney is equally important to your finances. After all, treating mesothelioma is expensive, not only because of the cost of treatment, but also because your family may suffer a loss of income for your time off of work. Furthermore, if you developed cancer as a result of the negligence of an employer or manufacturer – as in many mesothelioma patients do – you deserve compensation for the pain and suffering that you must endure with the disease.

Almost all cases of mesothelioma are caused by exposure to asbestos earlier in life. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that this in fine particles and is easily inhaled or ingested. For many decades, the dangerous and toxic effects of asbestos have been common knowledge, although many employers and manufacturers ignored warnings about deaths and illnesses caused by exposure to the substance.

Keep in mind that not all attorneys are equally qualified to represent a mesothelioma patient. Although a family lawyer or other attorney may be tecnically and legally capable of providing you or your family with legal representation, it is recommended that you seek out an skilled mesothelioma and asbestos attorney with experience representing other mesothelioma patients.

Jackson, Michigan is a quiet town of approximately 33,000 located just west of beautiful Ann Arbor. Unfortunately, the town is the subject of asbestos-related problems, as the city may be forced to pay more than one million dollars to abate asbestos found in the former Consumers Energy Building located at 212 W. Michigan Ave.

The cost comes as a surprise to town officials, who were originally told by a city contractor that the total cost of the abatement project should not exceed $846,000. However, it has become apparent that the contractor was incorrect in estimations of exactly how much asbestos is in the building.

The contractor represents Dore and Associates of Bay City, which is the company that has already begun abatement procedures on the Consumers Energy Building. However, before continuing with the project, the company is demanding further compensation for removal of additional asbestos that was not found during the original inspection.

Dore and Associates is especially controversial, considering the City of Jackson accepted the company’s bid, which was a half million dollars less than other abatement proposals. City officials are unsure whether the company truly underestimated the amount of asbestos present in the Consumers Energy Building, or if Dore and Associates under quoted in an attempt to secure a city contract.

However, according to a statement from Dore vice president, Karl Schwartz, “the increase (in cost) was for an unknown piping system,” he said. “It was unknown, and that was the cause for the increase. And the consultant missed it, and we eventually found it during the course of the work. There’s nothing to the claim that we underbid to get it and then make it up later.”

This is not the first time Dore and Associates has been at the center of controversy surrounding Jackson’s Consumers Energy Building. Just last summer, the company was accused of stealing copper wire from the building during the abatement project. Further asbestos abatement was suspended pending further investigation into the case.

Why Asbestos Abatement Costs Are So High

The cost to rid a building of asbestos is extremely high – mostly due in part to the dangerous nature of removing asbestos fibers. Despite the fact that the Consumers Energy Building is slated for demolition, it must still first be abated of asbestos to ensure public safety. When loose asbestos fibers are released into the air, they are easily inhaled, where they can embed into the lungs and eventually cause life-threatening diseases, such as lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma.

It is still unknown exactly how much the total demolition and abatement of the Jackson, Michigan building will cost Jackson, but recent estimates have been projected at $2 million once the entire project is completed.

Regardless of how high the costs rise, Jackson’s city manager, Larry Shaffer, has pledged an attempt to gain partial retribution from Dore and Associates for the underestimated cost of the abatement project.