Monday, May 4, 2009

Asbestos HUB

Asbestos HUB

Highest Rate of Mesothelioma Deaths Happening in Maine

Posted: 03 May 2009 06:59 PM PDT

The Maine Public Broadcasting Network is reporting that the highest death rate from the disease per capita than anywhere else in the country.

“We noticed that death rate in Maine is 27.5 per million population — the highest rate in the United States,” says Ki Moon Bang, the senior epidemologist at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which studied mesothelioma mortality rates from 1999 to 2005.

There are apparently naturally-occurring asbestos deposits where Maine borders New Brunswick and Quebec. As we know, there is still an active asbestos mine in Quebec.

The culprit is likely because Maine’s biggest employers in the past used asbestos, such as paper companies, chemical companies, and the shipyard industry.

By the time patients are diagnosed, they are usually given five to 16 months to live, seldom with any hope for a cure.

Read or listen to the broadcast.

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