Asbestos Litigation

Politicians in the Italian town of Casale Monferrato are reportedly considering a deal from the lawyers of a Swiss billionaire who is on trial for his role in the operations of the Eternit factory, which exposed many workers in the town to asbestos.

Laurie Kazan-Allen, the Coordinator of International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS), writes that Italian prosecutors began the case against Eternit executives in 2009, with the trial concluding this past November. A verdict from the court is expected to be handed down on February 13, 2012.

Looking to potentially skirt the legal system, the attorneys for billionaire Stephen Schmidheiny have reportedly offered the mayor of Casale Monferrato and the town council up to 20 million euros to settle the claim. In return, the town would reportedly agree to withdraw from this and other future cases involving Eternit.

According to Kazan-Allen, one source says town officials have refused to show asbestos victims a draft of the proposal. Additionally, the mayor has previously said such agreements "could never be even considered by a city like Casale."

Such an agreement could take the focus off the victims, many of whom are likely suffering from lung cancer, asbestosis or malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. Since these diseases are often not diagnosed until decades after initial exposure, treatment options are usually severely limited.