Mass Tort Update- |
- Asbestos Update
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Mass Tort Update Asbestos Update
Asbestos containing brakes
Brake pads have to withstand huge amounts of extreme heat caused by the friction of braking, and Asbestos helps the pads resist damage. Unfortunately, as the brakes degrade they can release potentially deadly Asbestos fibers into the air.
The two primary offenders of Asbestos containing brakes are Raymark Corporation and Bendix. Raymark was named by the U.S. Department of Justice as the subject of a $20 million lawsuit in 1997 that claimed they polluted the environment with Asbestos for 70 years as they manufactured their Asbestos containing brakes. Bendix used Asbestos in brake pads up until 2002, until they were successfully sued for $53 million due to the death of a New York man. These companies were named in other successful legal actions by victims of Asbestos containing brakes, and currently there are 47,000 pending lawsuits against Bendix alone.
W.R. Grace Libby Mine, Montana.
Asbestos and Zonolite
Zolonite is the brand name of W. R. Grace and Company-produced vermiculite, an Asbestos-related product used in a variety of horticulture products, brake pads, acoustic tiles, and insulation. NPR Story on W.R Grace Aired 11/02/2006: A story on National Public Radio that aired on 11/2/2006 illustrated the Asbestos problems facing the people of Libby Montana.
Although W.R. Grace has a number of Asbestos processing plants throughout the country, a large mining operation in Libby, Montana was shut down by the U.S. government in 1990 in response to the dangers posed by Asbestos mines. Unfortunately, more than 35 million people have some form of Zolonite and vermiculite in their homes.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring, fibrous element that has been used since ancient times. Historically, Asbestos has been used in a diverse amount of products such as fabrics and lamp wicks. Ancient peoples valued the tough material, because it is flame repellant and durable. The modern post-industrial era utilizes Asbestos in over 3000 products, most extensively in the construction industry. Tiling, cement, insulation, car brakes and gaskets are all known to contain Asbestos.
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