An Italian prosecutor has charged that two executives of the Swiss construction company Eternit were responsible for the deaths of about 2,000 factory workers and residents from the town of Casale Monferrato, which is near Turin. 
Prosecutor Raffaele Guariniello told the Associated Press that the company, Eternit, spread asbestos fibers over wide areas by allowing powder left over from the production of roof coverings and pipes to spread in the air. The company also sold asbestos locally for the construction of roads, he said.
The news service reported Wednesday that the company worked to hide the danger from the public, downplaying and limiting information on the well-established link between asbestos and deadly disease.
The prosecutor told the Associated Press that Eternit closed its Italian operation in 1986, but people continue to become sick and die. He added that two men are charged with causing an environmental disaster and failing to take proper precautions.
According to the news agency, the two executives don’t deny that the deaths were caused by asbestos. However, they claim they did everything they could to limit the risks and inform the public.
In addition to the dead, the AP reported that some 800 residents and former workers are still suffering from illnesses including asbestosis and mesothelioma, a cancer of the lung lining.
For more details, here is a link to MSNBC’s story.
