Asbestos Awareness Week is celebrated each year in April. Many people share information about asbestos dangers and the impact it has on people’s lives, using videos and pictures to illustrate the importance of banning asbestos in the United States.
Increasing awareness of asbestos throughout the year
Here’s a list of how we can continue spreading asbestos awareness after Asbestos Awareness Week is over.
- Let’s keep sharing our stories
- Post informative articles on your social media
- Keep up with the latest news
- Make a contribution
- Get in touch with your representatives
Additionally, you must keep encouraging people to do their research.Sharing resources and guides with people on the types of diseases asbestos can cause. Telling them of the dangers and life expectancy of malignant mesothelioma and how they can be exposed to asbestos can motivate them to do more research on the topic themselves.
What are the dangers of Asbestos?
April 1-7 marks Asbestos Awareness Week, a time to raise awareness of asbestos’ potential to cause cancers such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, and laryngeal cancer decades after the exposure. Several asbestos-related noncancerous conditions can also occur, such as asbestosis, pleural plaques, pleural effusions, and pleural thickening. Some types of mesothelioma, such as malignant mesothelioma, also have very low survival rates. The average life expectancy for someone with malignant mesothelioma is between 12 and 21 months.
In light of that, knowing where and how asbestos is present is essential.
Know How You Can Be Exposed to Asbestos!
Today, asbestos exposure poses a serious health hazard because legacy asbestos continues to be used. While its use has slowed under restrictions, asbestos hasn’t been banned, and just last year, asbestos imports into the U.S. increased dramatically.
Let’s explore some obvious, as well as some obscure, places where this naturally occurring mineral can be found today.
1. Beauty products and children’s toys and crayons
It is natural talc that poses the largest asbestos exposure risk because it hasn’t been previously exposed to asbestos in the workplace.
Talc, one of the softest minerals on earth, is widely used in personal care, beauty products, and children’s toys. A major concern that talc is that often asbestos deposits are near talc mines, which can lead to cross-contamination.
The EPA and FDA are reviewing new regulations regarding talc as several cases involving ovarian cancer and talc-related diseases are ending up in courts daily.
In 2019, the FDA found asbestos in nine of 52 products containing talc, causing Johnson & Johnson to discontinue its talc-based powder.
Asbestos fibers were found in imported children’s toys by a nonprofit organization in the U.S. Among them were also crayons, in which talc was an abiding agent.
2. Residential or commercial old properties
Before the 1980s, asbestos was likely used in residential and commercial construction because it was heat-resistant, versatile, and could strengthen other materials.
Asbestos products become more dangerous with age, and DIY enthusiasts may not realize they could come into contact with them. As asbestos fibers become airborne during deterioration or when they are drilled, cut, or sanded in any way, they become airborne. By inhaling these airborne fibers, you lodge them in your lungs or the digestive tract, putting your health at risk.
Among the numerous residential and commercial construction products, asbestos is present in ceramic tiles, drywall, cement, roofing, insulation, and paint.
People working on renovations or maintaining older structures, such as schools or churches, are at risk, as are those doing daily cleaning within them. The smoke and debris from burning structures can also pose a danger to firefighters, even those wearing protective gear.
3. Old equipment and cars repairs
The continued use of asbestos poses a risk to both professional mechanics and DIY mechanics. Asbestos brake linings are still used in high-end imported cars, and after-market asbestos auto parts, such as gaskets and brakes, are still available. Mechanics may also be at risk when performing repairs on old vehicles.
Closed spaces such as auto repair shops, or even a garage at home, can be dangerous places to do brake and clutch work. Many brake cleaning methods still use asbestos, which poses a risk to everyone nearby.
Additionally, asbestos can be found in industrial equipment, farm equipment, and tractors. Because asbestos is resistant to corrosion and high temperatures, it was also considered ideal for shipbuilding. Often, it was applied from bow to stern to make ships safer.
The use of asbestos in science and technology equipment is also well documented. There are still active asbestos fume hoods on college campuses across the country. And chemical plants still use sheet gaskets today.
4. Asbestos in chlorine
Chlorine, used in drinking water, swimming pools, and cleaning products, is made using asbestos.
In 2020, the country imported 300 tons of asbestos raw, which was all used by the Chloralkali industry. There are 11 chloralkali plants located throughout the country, and raw asbestos has been consumed exclusively by this industry since 2016.
5. In the Environment
Natural asbestos deposits and manufactured causes pose a definitive environmental risk in certain parts of the United States.
Due to the natural higher-than-normal exposure to asbestos in northern Nevada, genetic testing is being conducted today to determine potential susceptibility to asbestos diseases.
According to maps published by the U.S. Geological Survey, asbestos deposits are larger than usual in states such as Washington, Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada, and California.
These deposits can become more exposed due to dry weather, continuous erosion, severe winds, road excavation, or industrial development.
Also, natural disasters like tornadoes and hurricanes have a significant impact. Last month, tornadoes ripped apart dozens of older homes in Alabama and Georgia. As a result of cleaning up debris, harmful substances can be released into the environment and cause long-term health problems.
Awareness can have a profound impact.
Awareness of mesothelioma has the power to make people pay attention. Our collective duty is to ensure that everyone is aware of asbestos exposure and its risks, especially the demolition crews, first responders, and anyone else who might come into contact with it.
Knowing about asbestos dangers might make someone avoid renovations on older homes or consult an expert before changing a car’s brakes. The most important thing is that safety will be at the forefront of every worker. Additionally, awareness can prevent private contractors from taking on dangerous jobs outside their expertise.
Awareness can also improve the survival rate.
Educating people about mesothelioma can drastically improve their prognosis. Asbestos victims will be able to stand up for themselves, remain persistent, and refuse to give up when they know their rights. Awareness can also motivate a doubting person to seek help, inquire, research, consult an expert, and get a correct diagnosis.
Conclusion
The dangers of asbestos exposure need to be educated on a national scale. The time has come for us to voice our concerns. The more victims and survivors can share their stories, the greater the awareness of asbestos, leading to its complete banning.
Aside from knowing its dangers, it is also important to prevent asbestos exposure. Asbestos poses a health hazard from daily beauty products and kid’s toys to repairing old equipment and buildings.
Therefore, we must participate in the awareness campaigns as much as possible and strive for change every day. Awareness can make a big difference and bring about drastic changes!
