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Government Officials Looking into Asbestos Reports at Northshore Mining

July 25, 2005 - Federal investigators have come to a conclusion that asbestos levels at the Northshore Mining Co., a Minnesota based taconite plant, were higher than allowed in other industries, however, they did not exceed the Federal limit established for mining companies. Over the past several years, the U.S Mine Safety and Health Administration has issued two asbestos level warnings to Northshore Mining. One of the letters was publicly released after it was requested by members of the media under the Freedom of Information Act.

Northshore owners denied the allegations stating that the particles found during the investigation are of a nonfibrous material and are not asbestos. They also did not state whether changes will be made following the investigation.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration has tested Minnesota mines for many years and this is the first occurrence of asbestos being reported in one of them. The discovery of increased asbestos levels at Northshore in 2001 provoked government officials to set up unannounced checks at the plant. Asbestos has not been detected in every test and the levels that were detected were reported to be minor.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration allows for 2 asbestos fibers in cubic centimeter when performing their air quality tests. However, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration set the limit much lower at 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter, which is 20 times lower than MSHA. In a test performed in 2004, the level of asbestos found on a worker’s shirt was 12 times higher than allowed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Additionally, federal investigators reported that workers were not equipped with safety respirators during their visits in 2003 and 2004.

The majority of Northshore employees began working there after the mine was reopened in 1989. Although no cases of health problems were reported among workers it is unlikely that the effects of exposure will be seen in the near future since most cases of mesothelioma (an asbestos-related cancer) do not develop for decades after initial contact with asbestos fibers. Two mesothelioma-related deaths and several other cases of asbestos-related lung illness were reported when the mine was owned by Reserve Mining.

Federal investigators have come to a conclusion that asbestos levels at the Northshore Mining Co., a Minnesota based taconite plant, were higher than allowed in other industries, however, they did not exceed the Federal limit established for mining companies. Over the past several years, the U.S Mine Safety and Health Administration has issued two asbestos level warnings to Northshore Mining. One of the letters was publicly released after it was requested by members of the media under the Freedom of Information Act.

Northshore owners denied the allegations stating that the particles found during the investigation are of a nonfibrous material and are not asbestos. They also did not state whether changes will be made following the investigation.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration has tested Minnesota mines for many years and this is the first occurrence of asbestos being reported in one of them. The discovery of increased asbestos levels at Northshore in 2001 provoked government officials to set up unannounced checks at the plant. Asbestos has not been detected in every test and the levels that were detected were reported to be minor.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration allows for 2 asbestos fibers in cubic centimeter when performing their air quality tests. However, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration set the limit much lower at 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter, which is 20 times lower than MSHA. In a test performed in 2004, the level of asbestos found on a worker’s shirt was 12 times higher than allowed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Additionally, federal investigators reported that workers were not equipped with safety respirators during their visits in 2003 and 2004.

The majority of Northshore employees began working there after the mine was reopened in 1989. Although no cases of health problems were reported among workers it is unlikely that the effects of exposure will be seen in the near future since most cases of mesothelioma (an asbestos-related cancer) do not develop for decades after initial contact with asbestos fibers. Two mesothelioma-related deaths and several other cases of asbestos-related lung illness were reported when the mine was owned by Reserve Mining.

Families decry asbestos relief plan
The Yomiuri Shimbun

Do the government's relief measures, decided Tuesday, for patients and bereaved families of victims who suffered a disease caused by asbestos go far enough?

Six months have passed since Kubota Corp. released its findings on asbestos-related disease suffered by those who worked for the major machinery maker or lived near its plant in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture. Since then, the issue has changed from being solely a work-related disease to a general pollution problem.

"We have put in force relief measures without delay and we have ensured there are no loopholes," a senior Environment Ministry official said.

The government views the policy as an administrative measure and denies any responsibility for the spread of the asbestos-related disease.

The government has agreed to pay 2.8 million yen in lump-sum benefits and about 200,000 yen in funeral assistance next fiscal year to each bereaved family of victims of asbestos-related diseases who had worked at an asbestos-related plant or neighbored one.

Initially, the Environment Ministry had decided to pay 2.4 million yen--the average monthly medical cost of 100,000 yen multiplied by 24 months, which is the average treatment period--to the surviving family members of deceased workers. But the ruling coalition parties urged a rise in the benefit level.

Amagasaki, where the relationship between the use of asbestos at local plants and the mesothelioma cases was first highlighted, is in the constituency of New Komeito Secretary General Tetsuzo Fuyushiba.

A joint project team, headed by the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito, temporarily agreed to raise the benefit level by 200,000 yen to 2.6 million yen, however, New Komeito later requested even higher payment.

An additional 200,000 yen was agreed as condolence money to families that looked after a patient and another 200,000 yen to assist with funeral costs which raised the total payment to 3 million yen.

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Victims remain dissatisfied

Although Environment Minister Yuriko Koike says she has demonstrated her leadership in compiling the relevant bills, suffering patients and bereaved families of the victims remain dissatisfied.

"It's not enough. People who did nothing wrong have been victimized," said Sugio Furuya, secretary general of Ban Asbestos Network Japan. He plans to ask for a higher payment.

"[The government payment] is good as an emergency relief measure," said Rikkyo University Prof. Takehisa Awaji, who has studied problems related to pollution. "But there is still a need to determine who is responsible for the problem and to get as many companies as possible to take on the burden of the relief cost and compile a comprehensive support program."

The latest government measure will be reviewed within five years to accommodate possible increase or fall in the number of asbestos-related mesothelioma patients.

However, experts say it takes an average of 38 years for the illness to surface after inhaling asbestos.

Even some in the Environment Ministry say the government's failure to take appropriate measures years ago will be discovered if the number of mesothelioma cases continues to rise after 2010--38 years after the World Health Organization first pointed out the link between asbestos and mesothelioma in 1972. The government failed to completely ban the use of asbestos at this time.

The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry's Chemical Hazards Control Division says it has taken appropriate measures in regulating asbestos.

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Asbestos use in cars defended

The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association on Tuesday released its survey on the use of asbestos in domestically marketed automobiles by its 14 member companies.

Although all the member companies announced in October, 1996, that they had completely stopped using asbestos, asbestos continued to be used on 1.64 million vehicles manufactured by nine makers including Nissan Motor Co., Suzuki Motor Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp.

Asbestos was used in three parts, including the packing to close the gap in pipe connections, where it is not possible for the asbestos to disperse, the association said.

(Dec. 29, 2005)