The cost to industry of abandoning asbestos products and replacing them with substitutes is estimated by the agency at $459 million over the 13-year period.

The problem is asbestos products, which the company manufactured until 1971.

Its donors include lawyers, companies that have manufactured asbestos products and victims, along with their family and friends.

For his part, Nicholson says he isn't sure the total ban on asbestos products was necessary, either.

Both companies produced asbestos products and auto parts at this location.

To the Editor: As a young man, my husband worked in manufacturing and installing asbestos products.

Many of the sixty-seven businesses never even manufactured or sold asbestos products or services.

But most of the more than 300 defendants who manufactured, distributed or used asbestos products will now have to re-evaluate their views.

He said the company made perhaps 1 percent of asbestos products over the years.

Second, jurors, after hearing all the evidence, will generally do the right thing, whether the defendant is Microsoft or manufacturers of deadly asbestos products.