Today, the mere mention of asbestos evokes a sense of danger, but for centuries it was viewed as a sort of miracle material. The fibrous mineral has been used since the ancient Greeks took advantage of its flame retardance to spin it into cloth for use on tables holding ceremonial candles. In the United States, the popularity of asbestos coincided with the discovery of deposits of the mineral throughout North America. Its easy availability and low cost made it a popular choice for inclusion in construction materials, and as its commercial benefits became known, its uses were expanded to include hundreds of applications where durability, flexibility, and insulation were needed.[1]
By the 1970s, long-held suspicions about the adverse health effects of asbestos exposure were confirmed and publicized. People who’d worked with the material decades earlier began being diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, and other diseases, and companies slowly discontinued its use. In many cases, it took thousands of successful personal injury lawsuits and significant verdicts for asbestos companies to stop using the product, and there are still a few industries that insist no reasonable substitute exists. Still, most products that once contained asbestos are no longer made using the carcinogenic material, and after years of efforts from asbestos and mesothelioma advocates, the United States Environmental Protection Agency recently took action to ban its use going forward.
In the years when asbestos was most commonly used, it was found in automotive products, construction materials, industrial applications, and insulation, as well as in toys, cosmetic products, and even cigarette filters. For people who’ve been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, the mystery of the origin of their illness may be solved by understanding what products contained the mineral decades ago.
What Made Asbestos So Useful to So Many Industries?
Asbestos is a term that describes a group of six fibrous silicate minerals. Though each is slightly different, all of them are composed of silicate chains bonded with magnesium, iron, calcium, aluminum, and sodium to form long, thin, separate filaments arranged in parallel. The chrysotile type of asbestos was the most popular for commercial use, accounting for 99% of the world’s commercial asbestos use, while the other five types are more brittle, with a rod or needle shape.[2]
The popularity of asbestos came from its high tensile strength, its resistance to acids and alkalines, its resistance to heat and flame, and its flexibility. These characteristics made it extremely useful for numerous applications; according to the U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey, during the peak period of asbestos consumption in industrialized countries, there were approximately 3,000 applications or types of products made using asbestos. This is attributed to its thermal, electrical, and sound insulation; its inflammability; its matrix reinforcement (which made it useful for cement, plastic, and resins; its adsorption capacity which made it useful for filtration and liquid sterilization; its wear and friction abilities, and its chemical inertia. Each of these properties accounts for its use in the various classes of industrial products and applications for which it was used.[3]
Asbestos-Containing Products
After years of constant use in both industrial and consumer applications, the late 1960s and early 1970s saw the medical community connect significant health problems with the use of the mineral. It was associated as a carcinogen and though its use was not banned in the United States, it was significantly reduced, especially as those diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma and other diseases began winning large jury verdicts against the companies that exposed them to harm.[3]
The most common industrial uses of asbestos are listed below. These are products that people would most likely have been exposed to on the job, though many were also used by do-it-yourselfers who unknowingly put themselves and their family members at risk:[4]
- Adhesives
- Appliance components
- Automotive products – Brake linings, brake pads, clutch plates
- Ceiling products – Acoustical plaster, ceiling panel, ceiling texture (Popcorn texture), ceiling tiles, ceiling tile mastic
- Cement-asbestos board (Transite) products
- Chimney flue lining
- Ducts
- Pipes
- Sheets
- Shingles
- Siding
- Wall panels
- Chalkboards
- Gaskets
- Electrical products – Cloth wire insulation, electrical breakers, electrical panel arc chutes, electrical panel partitions, electrical panels, insulating cloth
- Fire protection products – Fire blankets, fire curtains, fire doors, spray-on fireproofing
- Heating and cooling system products – Boiler insulation, boiler breeching insulation, cooling towers, duct connectors, ductwork insulation, furnace insulation, heat shields (paper and corrugated cardboard), HVAC vibration dampeners, pipe lagging insulation, pipe elbow insulation, tank insulation, tank casings, thermal taping compounds
- Elevator equipment- Elevator car brake shoes, elevator equipment panels
- Flooring products – Asphalt floor tiles, carpet mastic, coving mastic, floor tile mastic, vapor barriers, vinyl floor tiles, vinyl sheet flooring (linoleum)
- Industrial use products – Beverage filter, Friction materials
- Laboratory products – Heat-resistant gloves, laboratory hoods, laboratory tables and countertops
- Paints and coatings
- Roofing products – Base flashing, felt, shingles, Tar or “Black Jack”
- Table pads
- Wall products – Decorative plaster, caulking and putties, spackling compounds, vinyl wall coverings, wall penetration packing, wallboard joint compound, wallboard or sheetrock/drywall
- Window glazing
- Vermiculite – Attic insulation, fireplace decoration, gardening products, wall insulation
Asbestos exposure was not limited to occupational settings. Many consumer products were also made using the carcinogenic material, and have similarly led to people being diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases. The most common consumer uses of asbestos are listed below.
- Appliances
- Cigarette filters
- Decorative artificial snow
- Hair dryers
- Makeup
- Potholders
- Talcum powder
- Toys
- Wicking for gas ranges
Who Was Most at Risk of Asbestos Exposure?
With asbestos used for so many applications, the risk to workers was widespread. Still, workers in some industries have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and other diseases in far greater numbers than others. The occupations that put workers at the greatest risk of asbestos exposure include:
- Construction workers of all types
- Barbers and hairdressers
- Insulation workers
- Shipyard workers
- U.S. Navy veterans
- Boilermakers
- Pipefitters
- Industrial workers
- Firefighters
- Auto mechanics
- Factory and plant workers
- Machine operators
- Welders
- Sheet metal workers
- Linotype/printing press workers
- HVAC workers
- Electricians
In addition to these professionals and tradespeople being exposed to asbestos on the job, many of them unknowingly carried the microscopic asbestos particles into their homes after each day at work. This put their loved ones at risk of secondary asbestos exposure.
Are There Products that are Still Made with Asbestos?
The greatest use of asbestos worldwide was in 1977,[3] after which most industries discontinued its use in the face of billions of dollars in asbestos liabilities. Still commercial use of asbestos has continued in the chloralkali industry, which has lobbied for years to prevent a ban from being imposed on the use of the product in the United States. This past year, the Environmental Protection Agency took action that ordered those chemical companies still using the toxic material to make changes to their process as part of a complete ban on its use. Though there’s still a risk of asbestos exposure from asbestos-contaminated products, including brake linings, that are imported into the United States from other countries, the greatest continuing risk of asbestos exposure in the United States comes from legacy asbestos that remains in place in products and construction from decades past.
Did Companies Know About the Dangers of Asbestos?
The dangers of asbestos were first suspected in Ancient Greece, when it was noted that those who worked with the product were prone to suffer from breathing disorders. In modern times, suspicions about the mineral’s dangers were first raised in Britain in the late 19th century, and several industry reports circulated among asbestos company executives throughout the 20th century making clear that those working with the product were at risk.
The continued use of asbestos, without warning or offers of protective gear, is the result of asbestos company executives and owners prioritizing their profits over people. These decisions led to countless deaths and illnesses for which those companies are still paying today. Some were forced into bankruptcy as a result of having to pay millions of dollars to asbestos injury victims, and others are continuing to face litigation from victims and their families, paying for their disregard in the form of significant settlements and personal injury verdicts handed down by juries.
Did You Work with Asbestos Products?
If you worked for a company that manufactured asbestos-containing products or were exposed to these products on a professional or personal basis, you may be at risk for an asbestos-related disease including mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer. Though you may feel healthy and be symptom-free, now is the time to inform your physician of your history of asbestos exposure so that they can keep their eyes open for telltale symptoms and screen as necessary.
If you’ve been diagnosed with asbestos-related disease, your best source of information and resources is an experienced asbestos attorney. These knowledgeable professionals will review your situation and exposure history and help you identify those who put you at risk. They’ll advise you of all the options available, including filing claims with asbestos bankruptcy trusts or directly against the companies responsible, and will help you move forward in seeking justice and the compensation you deserve.
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