Generations of talc miners have been exposed to tremolite asbestos dust in the mines. The level of asbestosis, lung disease, and mesothelioma is high among these workers.
Although some talc manufacturers insist that the form of tremolite in talc should not be labeled “asbestos,” the tremolite clearly poses a hazard to miners and their families and may well be harmful to end users.
The first talc mine in upstate New York was opened in 1878. By the end of World War II, other talc mines were active in the area.
R.T. Vanderbilt Co. began talc mining in the 1970s. Internal company documents from that time show that it knew that talc contained asbestos, according to an article in the Seattle Post–Intelligencer. The management chose not to share this information with the workers or the public. R.T. Vanderbilt also did not inform the miners about the prevalence of asbestos–related diseases in the company mine.
According to the Associated Press, June 2007, the family of Donald Lozo, a 67 year old talc miner, has filed a lawsuit against this mining company after he became the third family member to die from mesothelioma — a rare cancer associated with asbestos exposure and without hereditary basis. Mesothelioma occurs in approximately only one out of 100,000 persons, and even less frequently in women. To date, there is no known cure for Mesothelioma. Therefore, Mesothelioma is a death sentence wherein a person drowns in their own lungs which fill-up with fluid.
Mr. Donald Lozo was exposed to talc while working for the Carbola Talc Mine located near Watertown, New York. Mr. Donald Lozo died in August 2005 from Mesothelioma. The mine ceased operations in the early 1970’s, and its assets and liabilities now belong to R.T. Vanderbilt Co. of Norwalk, Connecticut. R.T. Vanderbilt takes the position that its industrial talc does not contain asbestos and does not pose a cancer risk.
However, the cost paid in human lives would suggest otherwise…
For years scientists have noted the high rates of mesothelioma in New York talc mining counties, including Jefferson County. Talc mine workers had no reason to believe that the mineral was dangerous. (Often times companies told their workers nothing would harm them that they worked around, and even though screened yearly by company doctors — the company doctors would tell the workers that they were healthy. When in fact, lungs were turning to jello).
Additionally, published studies have independently confirmed a total of at least 15 mesothelioma deaths among talc workers in New York State, and (NIOSH) The National Institute Of Occupational Safety and Health as well as the New York State Department of Health have previously concluded that New York talc WAS CONTAMINATED WITH ASBESTOS.