Ten Facts about Asbestos:
Most people know that asbestos is dangerous, but perhaps don’t know why, or think that asbestos is something that people only encountered in the past. Many people don’t know the prevalence of asbestos in our lives or the consequences of exposure to asbestos. So, in this article, we’ll walk through ten facts and dangers that everyone should know about asbestos.
- Asbestos is a mineral.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring, fibrous-like mineral, that can be separated into thin, durable threads for use in commercial products. Asbestos fibers are naturally heat-resistant, so they’ve been used in a number of industries.
- Asbestos causes mesothelioma.
Inhalation or ingestion of asbestos fibers can happen if the threads are disturbed and they float into the air or water. When we ingest or breathe asbestos into the body, asbestos can cause mesothelioma, lung cancer or asbestosis. All are serious, if not fatal, asbestos-related diseases.
- Asbestos is still legally used in some products.
Although the use of asbestos is now greatly restricted in the U.S., it is still legally used in things like car brake pads, clutches, and certain gaskets; specialized firefighting clothing; potting soil; talc; and even construction materials such as insulation and roofing tiles. Construction materials must now contain less than one percent asbestos.
- Asbestos is still mined and exported in other countries.
Although the use of asbestos in the U.S. is highly restricted, there are 55 countries that completely banned the use of asbestos. Many other countries still mine, export, and widely use asbestos, including China, Russia, Greece, and India.
- Once asbestos is in your body, it stays there.
When asbestos is disturbed, through construction, demolition, or some other means, fibers are released into the environment where they float in the air or end up in water. If inhaled or ingested, asbestos fibers remain in the body, lodged in the lungs or the digestive tract.
- It can be decades before the symptoms of asbestos exposure appear.
When asbestos fibers lodge in the lungs, they can cause scarring, leading the lung tissue to become more and more rigid over time, making breathing difficult. It can be decades before mesothelioma or other asbestos-related cancers are diagnosed. In the meantime, the fibers remain in your body, causing damage silently.
- The first successful asbestos lawsuit was filed in 1969.
Clarence Borel, an insulator who developed mesothelioma and asbestosis, became the first successful asbestos litigant in the U.S. in 1969. Because asbestos-related injuries are so devastating, asbestos litigation has been the longest and most expensive mass tort litigation in the United States, involving more than 700,000 claimants.
- Asbestos exposure can also cause other cancers.
Asbestos can cause cancers of the lung, larynx, colon, digestive tract, and ovaries, in addition to mesothelioma. Asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma.
- There is no safe level of asbestos exposure.
Even small amounts of asbestos exposure can lead to health issues, although prolonged exposure is more dangerous.
- Asbestos kills more people than skin cancer.
Experts estimate that asbestos-related diseases kill 12,000-15,000 people each year. One in every 3 occupational-related deaths are caused by asbestos. In contrast, skin cancer killed 11,730 people in 2017.If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease such as asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma, you may be entitled to compensation and assistance. For a FREE consultation, call the Madeksho Law Firm at 1-888-910-MESO (6376), or contact us here.
