Asbestos Exposure

Throughout most of the twentieth century, asbestos was used in a multitude of products and applications, from U.S. Navy vessels to home appliances.  As a result, millions of Americans have been exposed to this hazardous material.  Navy seamen, shipyard workers, industrial tradesmen, insulators, and construction workers often had heavy occupational exposure to asbestos.

However, there are many other ways people may be exposed to toxic asbestos dust.  Bystander exposure, household exposure and environmental exposure can all cause asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.

Many people are unaware that they have been exposed to asbestos.  However, certain common products such as thermal insulation, fireproofing, sound insulation, textiles, gaskets, packing, drywall, joint compound, electrical insulation and friction products usually contained asbestos, at least until the mid-1970s.  The asbestos content ranged from less than 1% to as high as 100% and potential exposure exists during all phases of the production, transportation, storage, installation, removal and disposal of these products.

Residential construction and home renovation used many asbestos-containing products including textured ceilings, drywall, floor and ceiling tiles, siding and roofing.  Damage, deterioration and replacement of these materials can still lead to possible exposure if the asbestos fibers are released into the air.  Some do-it-yourself home remodeling projects have inadvertently exposed household members to asbestos.  Some appliances such as furnaces, toasters, irons, ovens, hair dryers or miscellaneous items such as toys, artificial snow and pot holders may also contribute to household exposures.

Although the asbestos industry knew of the hazards of asbestos exposure as early as the 1930s and 40s, the companies did little to protect workers or consumers.   As a matter of policy, the asbestos companies failed to warn their own employees that asbestos was dangerous.  Many companies actively suppressed early scientific research about the links between asbestos and cancer.  Even as the scientific evidence began to mount, the industry continued to distort the truth about asbestos and marketed their toxic product as long as they could.

Tragically, this widespread use of asbestos has led to an epidemic of cancer and other asbestos diseases among Navy veterans, shipyard workers, insulators, and other industrial workers and their families.  Although asbestos was phased out of most products by the late 1980s, its was never banned.  In addition, there are still asbestos materials remaining in many older homes, public buildings, schools, and certain older Navy vessels.  Thus, people today can still be exposed to toxic asbestos products that were manufactured many decades ago.

If you believe that have been exposed to asbestos on the job, at home, or in your neighborhood, you may be at an elevated risk for mesothelioma.  You should consult your primary care physician about your history of asbestos exposure to determine whether you should be screened for possible asbestos disease.