...Asbestos legislation
(From Page 4)
percent asbestos by weight. The ex-
emption suddenly opened the door for
the continued sale and distribution of
hundreds of asbestos products — as
long as the product was 99 percent as-
bestos-free.
“This 1 percent exemption, which
has absolutely no scientific, public
health, moral, or economic rationale,
would help perpetuate the worst man-
made public health catastrophe in our
nation’s history,” Worthington added.
A couple of bills have been intro-
duced in the House. One mirrors the
Senate version, and another incorpo-
rates language that would ban asbestos
completely. But, according to Wor-
thington, neither bill is viable.
A third bill currently is being drafted
that incorporates a statutory ban of as-
bestos. That means, two years after the
bill is passed, asbestos would be
banned outright in the U.S. “This is the
bill that will be considered by the com-
mittee,” Worthington said.
According to Worthington, the one
percent exemption has been removed
from the draft bill, and the asbestos in-
dustry is already working to derail it,
just as they did in the Senate.
Since her diagnosis, Stratton’s world
has been turned upside down. She had
her diseased lung removed (extra-pleu-
ral pneumonectomy) by Dr. Eric Val-
lieres at the Swedish Cancer Institute in
Seattle. She has undergone countless
rounds of chemotherapy treatments.
She’s dealt with infections and takes
medications daily for her heart, for
pain, and other side effects. She is weak
most of the time and experiences
chronic shortness of breath.
And she’s one of the lucky ones.
During a consultation in December,
a CT scan showed that she was “cancer
clear.” All of the gross tumor has been
removed, and the radiation has steril-
ized the area.
Stratton no longer has the strength
for pulling fabric off shelves, to deliver
furniture, or to hoist large area rugs that
she once could carry by herself. But she
walks routinely and has shown an
amazingly positive attitude throughout
the ordeal.
Dr. Vallieres says that she will never
completely get her breath back, but
time will tell and significant improve-
ment has always been a reasonable and
attainable goal.
(Editor’s Note: Seth Davidson
writes on asbestos-related issues for the
law office of Roger Worthington. Mari-
lyn Stratton is the mother-in-law of Jon
Gutwig, a member of Teamsters Local
305 and brother of NW Labor Press ed-
itor Michael Gutwig.)
Products Containing Asbestos
More
3,000 products
products in
in use
use today
today contain
contain asbestos.
asbestos. Most
Most of of these
these are
are materials
materials used
used in in heat
heat and
and
M ore than
that 3,000
acoustic
fireproofing, and
and roofing
roofing and
and flooring.
flooring.Those
products still
are being
being made
made
which con-
acoustic insulation, fireproofing,
Those products
which
contain
asbestos
could
inhaled
required
labeled as as such.
such.
tain
asbestos
that that
could
be be
inhaled
are are
required
to to
be be labeled
The
following
non-exhaustive
list
is
a
general
guide
to
asbestos-containing
products,
arranged
in the
T he following non-exhaustive list is a general guide to asbestos-containing products,
arranged
in the
following
categories.
following categories.
Sample list of suspect asbestos-containing materials from the Environmental Protection Agency
Sample List of Suspect Asbestos - Containing Materials
Cement Pipes
Elevator Brake Shoes
Cement Wallboard
HVAC Duct Insulation
Cement Siding
Boiler Insulation
Asphalt Floor Tile
Breaching Insulation
Vinyl Floor Tile
Ductwork Flexible Fabric Connections
Vinyl Sheet Flooring
Cooling Towers
Flooring Backing
Pipe Insulation (corrugated air-cell, block, etc.)
Construction Mastics (floor tile, carpet, ceiling tile, etc.)
Heating and Electrical Ducts
Acoustical Plaster
Electrical Panel Partitions
Decorative Plaster
Electrical Cloth
Textured Paints/Coatings
Electric Wiring Insulation
Ceiling Tiles and Lay-in Panels
Chalkboards
Spray-Applied Insulation
Roofing Shingles
Blown-in Insulation
Roofing Felt
Fireproofing Materials
Base Flashing
Taping Compounds (thermal)
Thermal Paper Products
Packing Materials (for wall/floor penetrations)
Fire Doors
High Temperature Gaskets
Caulking/Putties
Laboratory Hoods/Table Tops
Adhesives
Laboratory Gloves
Wallboard
Fire Blankets
Joint Compounds
Fire Curtains
Vinyl Wall Coverings
Elevator Equipment Panels
Spackling Compounds
Karl Bik, Co-Chairman
Cement Masons Trust Funds for Northern California
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APRIL 18, 2008
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
©2007 Union Bank of California, N.A. Member FDIC
PAGE 5