Two recent news stories demonstrate how workers and people in the towns surrounding food production plants can be exposed to asbestos when asbestos containing products are used in the plants and not properly maintained.
The first article details how workers at sugar mills in Australia have been exposed to asbestos while working in the plant. This exposure could have been avoided had the company taken the appropriate steps to remediate the asbestos as the structures it was contained in were damaged. Instead, they chose to use quick fixes to repair the asbestos containing drywall sheeting. You can read the full story here https://www.northernstar.com.au/news/stoush-erupts-over-asbestos-claims-at-sugar-mills/3215057/
The second article is about a recent lawsuit against Hillshire (now Tyson Foods) for the wrongful death of a man who lived near a company owned plant while it was in operation and died from mesothelioma, presumably from being exposed to asbestos that was used at the plant. When the plant operated (it closed in the early 90’s) it was actually a sugar mill owned by Hillshire Brands Co. until 1986. The article is very interesting because it explains how the plant would close down twice a year for cleaning, during which time the asbestos insulation was removed and then ground up and used as stucco!! Pretty crazy stuff and definitely a very good way to release lots of asbestos fibers into the air, exposing people living nearby. http://lompocrecord.com/news/local/orcutt-family-wins-m-wrongful-death-suit-against-hillshire-brands/article_061238b4-b3a9-52e2-bf9a-250b12c15bca.html
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