Asbestos is a natural mineral that is heat and chemical resistant which has made it useful in many products. Insulation is one product where asbestos has been used. Asbestos becomes a problem when disturbed or damaged as asbestos fibers are released into the air and people inhale or ingest them.
Since the 1920s, asbestos has been linked to serious health effects, one of which is mesothelioma. There are 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma diagnosed each year. Symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, and persistent cough, among other things. These symptoms do not show up until 10-50 years after exposure. Despite the growing knowledge of the harm of asbestos exposure, the use of asbestos boomed between the 1930s to 1970s. High risk occupations for asbestos exposure include: construction workers, manufacturing and industrial workers, automotive manufactures and mechanics, and shipyard workers.
Asbestos is not currently banned in the United States. The organizations that oversee and enforce asbestos regulations are the Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Mine Safety and Health Administration. Attempts made to ban asbestos in the past were unsuccessful. The Clean Air Act was amended to include asbestos as an air pollutant in 1970. In the same decade, the Toxic Substances Control Act gave the EPA the authority to regulate toxins, asbestos included. In 1980, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act began Superfund sites. In 1989, the EPA rolled out the Asbestos Ban and Phase-Out Rule, which was overturned by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in 1991. In most recent attempts, under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act of 2016, the EPA selected asbestos as one of ten chemicals for risk assessment increasing hopes for a ban. Under the Trump Administration this past summer, however, the EPA proposed the Significant Use Rule, which would allow the use of asbestos with approval from the EPA.
While no ban currently exists to protect against asbestos and its harmful health effects, there are federal and state laws that dictate how asbestos must be removed and disposed of. Certified asbestos professionals are trained and licensed to follow the strict guidelines for asbestos removal and disposal. In my opinion, this does not truly protect people from the exposure to asbestos.
All information came from the Mesothelioma + Asbestos Awareness Center. For more information, visit https://www.maacenter.org
Thanks for an interesting and educational post. I didn't know a lot about this type of tumor. I am actually surprised that asbestos was almost banned, but the process takes that long. I also wonder if personal protection exists and if yes, then how effective it is. Yet it is quite frustrating that asbestos is still used I believe it remains being a toxic chemical even with whoever approval.
ReplyDeleteAsbestos not being banned currently in the United States is certainly still such a huge health issue. It's health-related problems still being relevant after all these years is still wild to hear in 2018! Drastic changes still need to happen with the industrial fields affecting human health.
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