Mesothelioma
Information
Asbestos
and Mesothelioma Information
Well over a century ago,
asbestos was seen as an ideal building material, it
was an excellent insulator, fireproof, and relatively
inexpensive. During the twentieth century, some
30 million tons of asbestos was used in the construction
of industrial sites, office buildings, schools, shipyards
homes, and everyday items such as ironing boards, dryers,
toasters, and low-density insulation products. Beginning
at the turn of the 20th century, researchers began to
see a correlation between the unusually large numbers
of deaths and lung problems in asbestos mining towns.
In the 1930's, numerous
and well-known medical journals published scientific
studies that linked asbestos to cancer. In 1935, the
American Journal of Cancer published "Pulmonary Asbestosis:
Carcinoma of the Lung in Asbesto-Silicosis." In 1955,
scientists confirmed what they had long suspected; there
was a unmistakable connection between the ingestion
of asbestos fibers and the development of certain forms
of lung cancer (what later came to be known as mesothelioma).
Despite the growing evidence
of asbestos’s health risks, manufacturers and companies
continued its use for many of their projects. In all
likelihood, these manufacturers were aware of the potential
health risks but choose to ignore them. These same companies
also ignored using safer alternative materials like
fiberglass that were then being developed. Unfortunately,
the victims were, for the most part, men of working
families who had no knowledge of the potential health
risks they faced.
The first lawsuits against
the manufacturers and companies responsible for asbestos
related cancer were brought to suit in 1929. Since then,
numerous lawsuits have been filed against those responsible
for asbestos use and proliferation. Many if these cases
have resulted in large settlements for victims and the
families of victims of mesothelioma.
What
is Asbestos?
Asbestos refers to a
group of naturally occurring silicate minerals whose
fibers are strong, durable, and resistant to heat and
fire. They are long, thin and flexible, allowing them
to be turned into cloth.
Of the many forms of
asbestos fibers, three are primarily used for commercial
purposes:
- Chrysotile, or white
asbestos, has been very widely used in the US. It
is white-gray in color and found in serpentine rock.
- Amosite or brown asbestos.
- Crocidolite or blue
asbestos.
Amphibole asbestos (e.g.
amosite and crocidolite) is very dangerous because of
its dusty, needlelike fibers. Individuals that are exposed
to this type of asbestos ingest the dust, which then
becomes trapped in the lungs indefinitely. Over time,
this can lead to asbestosis or malignant mesothelioma.
Asbestos fibers not often
used for commercial purposes include tremolite, actinolite
and anthophyllite. However, these fibers are occasionally
used as contaminants in asbestos-containing products.
Which
Products Contain(ed) Asbestos?
Asbestos-containing products
are used to contain heat—otherwise known as thermal
insulation. Most insulation materials before the mid-1970s
did contain some degree of asbestos. Countless products
have, at one time or another, contained asbestos, including
(but not limited to): thermal seals, insulating cement,
asbestos cloth, asbestos cement pipe, pipe-covering,
refractory and boiler insulation materials, packing
materials, fireproofing spray, transite board, gaskets,
insulating block, joint compound, duct insulation for
heating, vinyl floor tile, ceiling tile, adhesives,
mastics, coatings, roofing products, acoustical textures,
insulated electrical wire and panels, ventilation and
air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and brake and clutch
assemblies.
Does
Asbestos Still Pose a Health Risk?
Asbestos continues to
be a health risk because it may still be part of buildings
and products that were built decades ago. Asbestos-containing
products may still be in industrial facilities, buildings,
ships, and other structures and products where the fibers
can become airborne. The ingestion of these fibers is
the cause of malignant mesothelioma.
More importantly, malignant
mesothelioma can develop up to 40 years after the initial
exposure. The incidence of mesothelioma rises with the
intensity and duration of exposure to asbestos. Cases
have been documented of mesothelioma among people with
very little exposure to the dangerous asbestos fibers.
Many of those who are being diagnosed with mesothelioma
today were unknowingly exposed during their time in
the Navy many years ago.
Tradesmen who have a
risk of asbestos exposure and mesothelioma include:
- Insulators (also known
as asbestos workers)
- Boilermakers who constructed
boilers filled with insulation
- Plumbers, pipe fitters,
and steamfitters who worked in poorly ventilated compartments
with large quantities of insulation
- Plasterers
- Shipyard workers and
Navy personnel
- Electricians and mechanics
- Bricklayers, millwrights,
carpenters, etc.
- Steel workers and
refinery and other industrial workers
- Maintenance workers
and laborers
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