California And Florida Named As Danger Zones For Asbestos Diseases And Mesothelioma -- MesoLink.org -- 07-12-04

Over the past few months, the states of California and Florida have been named as the two places with the highest asbestos related death rate in the country.

The findings were made by an environmental group, and were based upon federal data.

The Environmental Working Group estimated the asbestos related death rate in Florida at around 4800 between 1979 and 2001. The asbestos related death rate in California for the same period was estimated at around 5,800. This makes a combined death rate of over ten and a half thousand over a twenty-two year period, and this is purely from asbestos related diseases, such as mesothelioma.

The Environmental Working Group went on to estimate a nationwide asbestos related death rate during the same period of around 43,000, which means that California and Florida made up nearly twenty-five percent of the nationwide figures.

These nationwide figures do not include lung and gastro-intestinal cancers that may or may not be attributed to asbestos.

The research was carried out following the receipt of a research grant by the EWG. The $176,000 grant was awarded by The Association of Trial Lawyers of America following a new compensation bill that was being considered by the senate where mesothelioma victims would be awarded compensation through a trust fund rather than lodging lawsuits for compensation. It was thought that this bill would benefit those responsible for asbestos exposure and leave the victims worse off. The ATLA wanted to maintain victims’ right to sue for compensation, and this was one of their reasons for funding the research.

The trust fund bill failed to be passed in Senate some weeks later (See Article).

Cal. And Fl. Named As Danger Zones For Asbestos And Mesothelioma