3 Alarming Asbestos Facts

October 20th, 2009. By AbiK

Do I sound alarmist? or more aptly, alarmed? I am. I was writing an article on Asbestos and Asbestos Mesothelioma—and the more I researched the more alarmed I became. If you’re like me, asbestos mesothelioma—while indeed an awful, deadly disease—seemed to be something that only shipyard workers, miners, construction workers and veterans had to fear. Or I associated it with legal ads that start out “Have you or a loved one….” But a little research yields some pretty alarming facts about asbestos—and it’s changed my opinion about who’s really affected by asbestos exposure into “this means YOU”. 

Asbestos Alarm 1: Asbestos is in more places than you think

A little tooling around the EPA site gave me the following:

The EPA estimates that there are asbestos containing materials in most of the nation’s approximately 107,000 primary and secondary schools and 733,000 public and commercial buildings.

Damaged ACM (asbestos-containing material) is more likely to release fibers than non-damaged ACM. In a 1984 survey, EPA found that approximately 66 percent of those buildings that contained asbestos contained damaged ACM.

With three young kids sitting (right now!) in a school building that was built between 1930 and 1950, when asbestos was widely in use, those two statements above are giving me pause. I understand that asbestos removal is not always the best course of action as it can create a problem where perhaps one did not exist—however, that second statement—the one indicating that approximately 66% of buildings with asbestos contain damaged asbestos—i.e., the kind that can be dangerous—is not something I’m comfortable with. And I think about the janitors and other workers in those school buildings who are more directly in contact with areas of visible insulation, for example. 

Asbestos Alarm 2: Again, asbestos is in more places than you think

Back to the EPA… 

One study estimated that 3,000 different types of commercial products contained asbestos.

 Note, that’s not 3,000 products, that’s 3,000 types of products. The EPA includes a list of “suspect asbestos-containing products” on its site; I’ll save you the trip-here it is:

Cement Pipes

Elevator Brake Shoes

Cement Wallboard

HVAC Duct Insulation

Cement Siding

Boiler Insulation

Asphalt Floor Tile

Breaching Insulation

Vinyl Floor Tile

Ductwork Flexible Fabric Connections

Vinyl Sheet Flooring

Cooling Towers

Flooring Backing

Pipe Insulation (corrugated air-cell, block, etc.)

Construction Mastics (floor tile, carpet, ceiling tile, etc.)

Heating and Electrical Ducts

Acoustical Plaster

Electrical Panel Partitions

Decorative Plaster

Electrical Cloth

Textured Paints/Coatings

Electric Wiring Insulation

Ceiling Tiles and Lay-in Panels

Chalkboards

Spray-Applied Insulation

Roofing Shingles

Blown-in Insulation

Roofing Felt

Fireproofing Materials

Base Flashing

Taping Compounds (thermal)

Thermal Paper Products

Packing Materials (for wall/floor penetrations)

Fire Doors

High Temperature Gaskets

Caulking/Putties

Laboratory Hoods/Table Tops

Adhesives

Laboratory Gloves

Wallboard

Fire Blankets

Joint Compounds

Fire Curtains

Vinyl Wall Coverings

Elevator Equipment Panels

Spackling Compounds

Got a few of those in your home? Chances are, if your house was built in asbestos’ hey-day, you probably do—or it’s buried under a renovation somewhere.

Asbestos Alarm 3: Asbestos is not banned in the US

WHAT?? That’s right: Asbestos is not banned in the US. There are at least 40 countries with bans on asbestos. If you’re living in the US, you’re not living in one of those countries. In fact, the manufacture, importation, processing and distribution of most asbestos-containing products is still legal in the US (that’s a quote from the EPA, too).

Oh, they say it’s “regulated” but it’s not banned. And I wonder how many more studies and deaths need to occur before we reach the threshold that says, “hey, US, it’s time—put the ban on asbestos”?

Now that I’ve started digging into this topic, I’m feeling I’m on a mission–so stay tuned…

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Mesothelioma

This was posted on Tuesday, October 20th, 2009 at 1:12 pm and is filed under Defective Products, Personal Injury . Feel free to respond, or trackback. Read our comments policy.