Ahhh, C'mon; We Were Gonna Tell Ya

AP (02.07.05):

"W.R. Grace and Co. and seven high-ranking employees knew a Montana mine was releasing cancer-causing asbestos into the air and tried to hide the danger to workers and townspeople, according to a federal indictment unsealed Monday. More than 1,200 people became ill, and some of them died, prosecutors said. The federal grand jury said that top Grace executives and managers kept secret numerous studies spelling out the risk the cancer-causing asbestos posed to its customers, employees and Libby residents." W.R. Grace Accused of Hiding Cancer Risk

Grace ran a vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana for nearly 30 years. "The vermiculite ore was used in a number of household products, most notably a common home insulation. The ore, however, contained naturally occurring tremolite asbestos, a carcinogen." So what's the big deal? Well, for starters (according to the indictment):

• Grace knew of lung health problems among its employees at the mine as early as 1976.
• Grace had reports or studies warning of the dangers of asbestos vermiculite exposure in 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982. At one point, (a former health official for a Grace subsidiary, Henry) Eschenbach responded to one of the studies by writing in a memo: "Our major problem is death from respiratory cancer. This is no surprise."
• Despite having that information, Grace officials told the EPA in 1983 that there was no indication their products posed a substantial threat to human health.
• Even though Grace knew of the dangers, it provided vermiculite for a junior high school running track and as a base for an ice rink.
• Grace also sold or leased some of its contaminated properties to local residents for homes and businesses, for baseball fields and for city use.
• When the EPA arrived in 1999, company officials lied about providing vermiculite insulation to local residents for their homes and businesses and failed to reveal the vermiculite was used on the school's running track.
• As late as April 2002, in response to the EPA declaring a public health emergency in Libby, the company still insisted its vermiculite was not a risk to the environment and human health.

"Grace filed for bankruptcy protection in April 2001 after it was overwhelmed by asbestos-related injury lawsuits." The EPA "declared the area a Superfund site and has spent more than $55 million on cleanup so far. Grace has appealed a federal judge's ruling that it must repay the EPA that entire amount for cleanup. That dispute is ongoing." Frivolity has ensued. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (04.02.05):

"Justice is distorted, and our economy is held back, by irresponsible class actions and frivolous asbestos claims and I urge Congress to pass legal reforms this year." Asbestos issue is coming to a head

We're looking to distort a couple of irresponsible and frivolous laps around the Libby high school running track. Care to join us?