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Mesothelioma Overview

Asbestos

Provided by the asbestos cancer attorneys at Clapper Patti Schweizer & Mason

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is the name given to a group of six different fibrous minerals (amosite, chrysotile, crocidolite, and the fibrous varieties of tremolite, actinolite, and anthophyllite) that occur naturally in the environment. One of these, namely chrysotile, belongs to the serpentine family of minerals, while all of the others belong to the amphibole family. All forms of asbestos are hazardous, and all can cause cancer, but amphibole forms of asbestos are considered to be somewhat more hazardous to health than chrysotile.

Asbestos minerals consist of thin, separable fibers that have a parallel arrangement. Nonfibrous forms of tremolite, actinolite, and anthophyllite also are found naturally. However, because they are not fibrous, they are not classified as asbestos minerals. Amphibole asbestos fibers are generally brittle and often have a rod- or needle-like shape, whereas chrysotile asbestos fibers are flexible and curved. Chrysotile, also known as white asbestos, is the predominant commercial form of asbestos; Amosite and crocidolite fibers have also been widely used commercially.

Asbestos fibers do not have any detectable odor or taste. They do not dissolve in water or evaporate and are resistant to heat, fire, chemical and biological degradation. Because of these properties, asbestos has been mined for use in a wide range of manufactured products, mostly in building materials, friction products, and heat-resistant fabrics. Since asbestos fibers may cause harmful health effects in people who are exposed, all new uses of asbestos have been banned in the United States by the EPA.

 

Asbestos Usage in the United States

Asbestos has been used in manufacturing and construction since the late 1800's. The three most commonly used asbestos minerals are chrysotile (white asbestos), amosite (brown/off-white asbestos) and crocidolite (blue asbestos).

Asbestos is extremely durable, flexible, and strong. It is also resistant to wear, chemicals, and heat. Because asbestos has so many useful properties, it has been used in thousands of different products, including:

  • pipe insulation
  • insulation on boilers, turbines and other heat-generating industrial equipment
  • insulation on hair dryers and other consumer products
  • fireproofing and acoustical sprays
  • brake pads, clutch pressure plates and other friction products
  • fireproof cloth and other textiles
  • wallboard, joint compound and wall texture
  • cement and cement piping
  • electrical wiring
  • floor tile and linoleum

During World War II, asbestos production began to peak. It was used extensively in industries like shipbuilding, plumbing, construction and many other types of fabrication in which the material was sawed, cut, grinded, and sanded by hand.

Asbestos fibers are often mixed with other materials to form a product. Depending on the product, the amount of asbestos used varied from one percent to 100 percent by weight. The asbestos fibers often served as a binder to keep the other materials in the product intact.

Asbestos fibers are virtually indestructible -- too strong for the human body to break down. Once inhaled, the asbestos fibers can cause many respiratory problems, including mesothelioma cancer . Usually it takes at least fifteen years from the time a person is exposed to asbestos until they develop Mesothelioma. This is called the latent period. Symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath, chronic cough, chest pain, fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, and difficulty sleeping

Although it was no secret that asbestos caused illness and adverse health reactions in exposed individuals, its harmful effects were not widely publicized until the early 1970s. The asbestos industry had much to gain by keeping secret the adverse health effects of asbestos exposure. The use of asbestos was not decreased until a partial ban was placed upon the industry in 1972.

Today, asbestos is heavily regulated and has ceased to exist in all but a few, closely monitored, products and industries. Despite this reduction in usage, a study completed in 1980 by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a subsidiary of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) of the federal Department of Health and Human Services, maintains that there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos fibers.

If you are concerned about asbestos exposure, contact the asbestos cancer attorneys at Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason today for legal advice.

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