The Hale Mahaolu non-profit provides affordable housing for low-income and elderly residents of Maui. However, the “Home of Pleasant Living” is contaminated with asbestos ceiling and floor tiles at their Lahaina Surf location.

According to Nishida Nakao, she was fired for raising alarm bells over how the asbestos was being handled. Specifically, the asbestos floor and ceiling tiles were abated by Hale Mahaolu's maintenance staff rather than licensed professional asbestos contractors. Further, to confirm the presence of asbestos at the Lahaina Surf location, the same maintenance staff members collected asbestos samples.

Roy Katsuda, Executive Director for Hale Mahaolu, firmly denies Nishida Nakao's allegations of wrongful termination, stating that her termination was not an act of retaliation. Katsuda also said that the asbestos ceiling and floor tiles were done correctly. If the asbestos was not handled per regulations, then the health and safety of the entire property, staff and residents may be in jeopardy.

Asbestos is a highly carcinogenic natural mineral that is commonly found in building materials. Although manufacturing with asbestos is now banned, asbestos was a sought after material because of its flame resistance and insulating properties. Asbestos exposure is the leading cause of mesothelioma cancer, a rare condition that can affect the protective lining of the lungs, heart or stomach.

Since asbestos is toxic, handling the material is highly regulated. Contractors who are not trained and licensed in the safe handling and removal of asbestos can accidentally cause exposure. Further, state and federal regulations stipulate that once the asbestos is safely removed from a location, it must be properly dumped at a hazardous materials landfill. Lastly, environmental and indoor air quality tests are often recommended to determine whether the asbestos is at a safe level.

Hawaii's Department of Labor and Industrial Relations is currently investigating Nishida Nakao's claims and potential asbestos contamination.

According to an article in the Maui News, the employee, Robyne Nishida Nakao, filed complaints with the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations' Hawaii Occupational Safety and Health Division in regards to the inappropriate removal of asbestos from the ceilings and floor tiles at the Lahaina Surf Apartments.

In addition, Nishida Nakao believes that her role as the whistleblower caused her to be demoted a few months ago from deputy executive director of Hale Mahaolu to development director. She also noted that the demotion came after months of being treated poorly by other high-level executives at the housing authority who were unhappy with her reports to the state authorities.

Hale Mahaolu Executive Director Roy Katsuda denies the fact that anyone in his office retaliated against Nishida Nakao when she reported her concerns about the asbestos removal.

Nishida Nakao filed a “notice of alleged safety or health hazards” when she determined that the employees used to remove the floor and ceiling tiles were not properly trained in abatement and disposal of asbestos nor were they licensed to do such work. Nonetheless, they were ordered to remove the asbestos at the Lahaina Surf Apartments as well as at other Hale Mahaolu-run housing developments, including Hale Mahaolu Akahi and Elua in Kahului. In addition, she noted that there was no monitoring of air quality during the removal nor were employees given proper protective clothing to wear during the task.

Nishida Nakao’s complaints were recently substantiated by another Hale Mahaolu employee, Rick Nowak, who told authorities that he had observed the same infractions as his co-worker. Both are now on medical leave, saying that have been stressed and anxious about the situation, worried about the employees who may have been exposed to asbestos and may now be candidates for serious asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma cancer. Both were told to keep the situation “hush-hush”.

Nishida Nakao added that she was disappointed as to Executive Director Katsuda’s disregard for the health of others.

“He taught me a lot of things. It's very emotional,” she said, adding that she was motivated to come forward for the welfare of others. “For me, [it’s] the health and safety of the staff and the community and the residents. That's the motive,” she said.

Right now, volunteers with the Habitat ReStore have removed valuable and sellable items such as doors, cabinets and hardware. These items will be for sale on the Habitat ReStore floor in the coming weeks after Habitat ReStore staff ensure the items salvaged are priced fairly.

Though the initial haul of reusable items was substantial, even more items may be uncovered after the Casady School undergoes a thorough asbestos remediation. Typically before any structure of a certain age is demolished, an environmental study is performed to determine whether there are contaminates or toxins presence.

Before any substantial demolition work begins, the contaminates must be safely removed. Asbestos is a common toxin found in buildings the same age as the Casady School, and was often used in conjunction with other materials in building products.

Safely abating the asbestos is paramount to the entire demolition process. If the asbestos is not properly handled, small particles may contaminate the air leading to exposure. Asbestos exposure is the chief cause of mesothelioma, a uncommon form of cancer that affects the pleura or lining surrounding the lungs.

After the asbestos is abated from the Casady School, Habitat ReStore staff and volunteers may uncover additional gems worth saving. Demolition of the Casady School is set to begin in August with the construction of the new school to begin shortly after.

With a price tag of $10 million, the replacement school – called the Casady Education Center – will house 275 preschool students and 80 students enrolled in an alternative middle school program. School board and district officials determined that the 108 year old school required far too many updates and repairs to justify the expenditure.

Habitat for Humanity ReStores provide a low-cost alternative to larger home improvement centers with the majority of the revenue going to build homes for families in need. Many Habitat ReStores provide demolition services to homeowners and business owners.

The Nestle facility had nearly 2,000 feet of piping that contained asbestos insulation. By using his untrained employees instead of professional asbestos abatement contractors, Palmer ensured that safety processes were not followed in both the removal and eventual dumping of the asbestos.

According to Federal prosecutors on the case, the employees at the Nestle plant did not first wet the asbestos before the removal process began. Typically, licensed asbestos abatement contractors keep the asbestos wet for the duration of the removal process to ensure that the asbestos remains intact. Also, this process eliminates the possibility of disintegrating asbestos products contaminating the air. By using his own employees and not following federal and state regulations, Palmer exposed the staff to asbestos.

Ron Woodward, Mayor of Fulton, said that asbestos is a common material found in buildings of a certain age. The owner of the Nestle facility should have ordered environmental assessments, contacted state and federal environmental protection agencies and taken the proper steps to ensure that the public remained protected.

Woodward stressed that despite the illegal removal of the asbestos, the community near the Fulton plant was not in any immediate danger. However, the health of the employees tasked to remove the asbestos was threatened.

Asbestos exposure is the leading cause of mesothelioma, a rare, yet deadly form of cancer that can affect the delicate lining or pleura of the lungs, heart or abdominal cavity. If mishandled, asbestos can generate toxic dust that can easily be inhaled. This dust can embed into the pleura causing widespread damage.

Sentencing will begin in October where Palmer may face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Now, some oncologists are participating in a Phase II clinical trial aimed at proving that adding something to traditional chemotherapy could assist in attacking tough-to-beat lung cancer tumors. Specifically, many cancer doctors are participating in a clinical trial that adds immune-boosting antibodies to chemotherapeutic drugs. So far, the results seem promising.

“If you have a cell that is requiring oxygen and you interfere with the nutrition, you interfere with the way it gets the cells to grow, that’s it it’ll die," explains Dr. Wahid Hanna of the University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville. With this treatment, he adds, the antibody attaches itself to deadly cancer cells, making the cancer vulnerable to being destroyed by the patient’s own immune system.

In a story aired on WFMZ-TV, Hanna cites the case of a patient who, after six rounds of chemo that included the immune booster, has seen her tumor shrink by more than half. Other results have been similar, and once the patient has completed the combination chemotherapy, they may choose to continue taking the antibody without the chemo, Dr. Hanna explains.

Though the antibody is currently being testing in patients with the very common small cell type of lung cancer, there is hopes that it may eventually be used to help conquer other hard-to-beat cancers including mesothelioma, which attacks not the lung itself but the lining of the lung. Traditionally, mesothelioma has responded poorly to many conventional therapies, so researchers are constantly in search of novel new treatments for the disease.

A story aired on WOWT-TV 6 announced that Vision 20-20 Inc., a local company, has pled guilty to the illegal removal and disposal of toxic asbestos that came from their building, which was due to be demolished to make way for a new hotel at the site.

According to the account, Vision 20-20 hired an asbestos removal firm in October 2010 to work on a building they owned that was slated for demolition. This was a licensed asbestos contractor trained in proper removal of the material. They were charged with the task of removing asbestos roofing.

However, there was additional asbestos in the floor tiles and in the flooring under those tiles. The contractor did not remove those items at the same time they addressed the roofing. When they returned several months later to complete the job, the building was gone, leading local environmental authorities to surmise that it had been demolished without the materials being removed.

However, after an investigation, it was determined that the material had been illegally removed, most likely by unlicensed, unsuspecting workers, and had most likely been disposed of improperly as well. The company proceeded in this manner so that they could save approximately $14,000 in asbestos removal costs, the article notes. The owner could not be reached for comment.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated situation. Owners of older buildings that contain asbestos often search for shortcuts when it comes to removing the material, usually because proper removal is costly. As a result, individuals are unnecessarily exposed to asbestos and can later become seriously ill because of this exposure.

According to a story aired on KTVZ-TV, Jack Billings, owner of Alpine Abatement Associates, says he’ll fight the $4500 fine imposed by the DEQ, disputing the allegations and threatening a lawsuit if the DEQ’s declaration of wrongdoing causes loss of business.

The agency, on the other hand, maintains that workers for Billings’ company failed to adequately wet the asbestos ceiling insulation being removed during a project that took place at Redmond High School in February of this year. Fortunately, however, this project was done in an enclosed area so the DEQ maintains that the threat to students and staff was most likely minimal.

Nonetheless, Billings says the Oregon DEQ is way off-base as far as this situation is concerned. “They are so wrong on this one,” he said. “I talked to an attorney, and he said we’d spend three times that much fighting it. But it’s the principle of the thing – I know it’s wrong, they know it’s wrong.”

“There’s not even any ceiling insulation in Redmond High School” that was part of the job, Billings said Instead, he notes, his workers were removing fireproofing that contained asbestos.

Regardless of the material, however, friable asbestos is easily released into the air, where it can be inhaled by anyone working in the vicinity. Inhalation of those tiny asbestos fibers can cause the development of myriad lung-related diseases, including asbestosis and a serious form of cancer known as mesothelioma.

Frank Messina, an air quality specialist for the DEQ in Bend, was in charge of the inspection and maintains the material was not adequately wetted down to prevent fibers from spreading.

Though the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection ruled that the former glass plant is now safe for commercial development, the levels of the contaminates – asbestos, lead and polychlorinated biphenyls, in particular – are too high for residential building. The areas with remaining contaminates will be sealed with concrete or asphalt.

According to Tom Brown, spokesperson for GAB Enterprises, Inc, owner of the former Fostoria Glass site, the property is “free of liability issues.”

When the site was selected for redevelopment, demolition of the former factory was stopped when asbestos was discovered in numerous places across the structure. Additionally, levels of the other toxins were too high for industrial or commercial redevelopment. After thoroughly remediating the property, the levels were safe enough for commercial building.

Despite the approval from state environmental officials, Brown assures that any redevelopment will be considered carefully and with an eye to protecting the community from the remaining contaminates.

Asbestos is a potentially lethal natural material that was used in products for building construction. Buildings built earlier than the 1980s typically contained asbestos products. Fostoria Glass moved to Moundsville in 1891, and considering the age of the building, it was not surprising how extensive the asbestos contamination was.

Asbestos exposure is the leading cause of mesothelioma, a cancer that can affect the protective lining or pleura that surrounds the lungs, heart or abdominal cavity. As a whole, asbestos is not toxic. However, if the material is disturbed or broken up, microscopic asbestos particles pollute the air. Breathing in contaminated air allows these asbestos particles to embed in the pleura.

Those associated with the process remain tight lipped about the specifics regarding the plans for redevelopment. However, a plan is expected to be announced later this month.

An AFP article profiles the research of Areva, which has offices in suburban Washington DC, and the use of the isotope known as Pb212 as a weapon against aggressive cancers. It is extremely rare and comes from a metal equally as rare, known as thorium. Apparently, only a few major world powers have stocks of this radioactive metal. France is one of them.

Researchers first considered extracting the isotope in 2003 with thoughts that it could indeed have an impact on cancer treatment. Convinced that they were on to something, Areva established its medical affiliate in the United States in 2009 and, since that time, has continued their work with Pb212 in the U.S.

In 2011, Areva Med joined with doctors at the University of Alabama to begin a Phase I clinical trial with the isotope, using radioimmunotherapy. The first patient of the 18 that will be involved in the trial was treated in April 2012 and the trial is progressing well, says Areva Med chief Patrick Bourdet, who added that he’s quite optimistic about the potential for long-term use of Pb212.

As proof of their optimism, Areva set up the first ever lab to produce the isotope, with help from Swiss pharmaceutical giant, Roche. A Pb212 production laboratory is also due to be constructed in France’s Limousin region. It’ll open at the end of 2013.

“The radioactive isotope is aimed at the cancer cells by chemically attaching it to an antibody crafted to recognize the tumor by its specific antigens, or chemical signals,” the article explains.

“It’s truly an extremely targeted anti-cancer therapy that could fight many forms of cancer, even metastasized,” stressed Bourdet, and because it is targeted and doesn’t kill healthy cells “there are no side effects,” he added.

“Everything’s going well so far, we are confident and optimistic, but let’s wait [for] the results of the science,” he stated, cautiously. “I think our drug will be ready in 2016.”

This level of contamination worry some residents that live adjacent to the abandoned property with health and safety issues chief among the concerns. Further, the contaminated site poses a serious threat to the environment.

Informal efforts organized by the community have attempted to clean up the site but the efforts have proven fruitless as illegal dumping and vandalism persist. Though noble in their efforts, these community clean ups may in fact do more harm. Removing hazardous materials and properly decontaminating a site requires specialized equipment and techniques. Neighborhood clean up efforts may put volunteers in unnecessary danger especially when it comes to handling and abating toxins.

The grant awarded by the EPA will address the former Carrier-Bryant site's pollution and allow the city to redevelop the land. These blighted or “brownfield” sites are common across the country. Many cities have been successful in their attempts of redevelopment of former manufacturing properties. Indianapolis officials wish to turn the brownfield into a mixed use location that will hopefully spur additional economic redevelopment not only surrounding the location but in other areas of the city.

Asbestos is one of the most dangerous and lethal toxins that is present at the site. Exposure to asbestos – whether through accidental inhalation of contaminated air or through direct physical contact – can lead to several forms of cancer and a litany of other serious respiratory conditions. Mesothelioma cancer is the most common condition associated with asbestos exposure and pleural mesothelioma cancer is the most diagnosed type of mesothelioma. After breathing in air polluted with asbestos, microscopic asbestos particles embed into the protective lining surrounding the lungs causing extensive scarring, and, eventually, the development of pleural mesothelioma.