Joseph W. Belluck of Belluck & Fox, LLP says government should err on side of caution

New York, NY, July 30, 2009 -- Federal lawmakers should do more to reduce exposure to asbestos fibers and other harmful fibers that lead to asbestos-related disease, a New York attorney says

"We know that asbestos causes cancer," said Joseph W. Belluck, a partner at the New York law firm of Belluck & Fox, LLP, which handles asbestos-related injury cases. "The question is do we have a broad enough definition of what is asbestos."

In research published in the current issue of International Occupational and Environmental Health, researchers at Wayne State University in Michigan present the case of a 55-year-old school librarian whose symptoms fit the classic definition of asbestosis, a scarring of the lungs associated with inhaling microscopic asbestos fibers. But the woman's health problems are most likely associated with breathing taconite dust her father brought home on his miner's clothes from the mine in the 1960s, the researchers say.

The researchers say that the identification of a material that hasn't been categorized as asbestos, but causes a disease consistent with asbestosis, requires a reevaluation of the definition of asbestos. That is particularly important in light of legislative efforts to prohibit the use of asbestos.

Taconite is a rock rich in silica that is used in the production of steel and for road patch material. It is mined in Michigan and Minnesota. The federal government does not classify taconite as asbestos or asbestiform material. But it has been associated with asbestos-related diseases.

"It is critical to better understand the relation between taconite dust and mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases," Belluck said. "In the meantime, given what we know about the harmful effects of breathing asbestos, the government should be erring on the side of caution and limiting workplace exposure to asbestos-like fibers, wherever possible."

A team of researchers from the University of Minnesota is undertaking a five-year study of the health effects of exposure to taconite dust, involving 1,200 taconite miners and workers and 800 of their spouses.

Since the 1980s, the Iron Range region of northeastern Minnesota where taconite is mined has a rate of mesothelioma that is twice as high among men as the rest of the state.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer found in the lining of the lungs caused by exposure to asbestos. Most people who contract mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos fibers in the workplace at some point in their lives.

The high rate of mesothelioma in northern Minnesota has prompted researchers to explore links between taconite mining dust and mesothelioma.

About Belluck & Fox

Belluck & Fox, LLP is a nationally recognized law firm that represents individuals with asbestos and mesothelioma claims, as well as victims of crime, medical malpractice, motorcycle crashes, lead paint and other serious injuries. The firm has won more than $200 million in compensation for its clients and their families.

Partner Jordan Fox is a well-known asbestos and mesothelioma attorney who has been named to the Best Lawyers in America, New York Magazine's "The Best Lawyers in the New York Area" and to Super Lawyers. On two separate occasions his verdicts were featured as the National Law Journal's Largest Verdict of the Year.

Partner Joseph W. Belluck is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell and is listed in New York Magazine's "The Best Lawyers in the New York Area" and in Super Lawyers. Mr. Belluck has successfully won numerous cases involving injuries from asbestos, defective medical products, tobacco and lead paint, including a recent asbestos case that settled for over $12 million.

For more information, contact the firm at 877-695-2909 or through the online contact form.

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