Increase in Asbestos Use in the U.S. and the Need for a Ban

Asbestos is a fibrous silicate mineral that can be crafted into fire-resistant and insulating materials. The United States heavily used asbestos materials from the industrial revolution until about the mid-1970s. Asbestos was used to insulate homes, office buildings, and even naval ships.

After several decades of heavy use, asbestos was found to be a carcinogen, thus making it the cause of numerous health problems. Exposure to this material places the individual at risk for cancers such as lung cancer and mesothelioma, as well as diseases such as asbestosis and other respiratory diseases. Approximately 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma alone are diagnosed each year in the U.S.

Though mesothelioma and lung cancer have similar symptoms and are often confused, they are actually very different forms of cancer. Lung cancer has many known causes (asbestos exposure, smoking, radon, etc.), but mesothelioma is only known to be caused by asbestos exposure.

A common misconception is that both forms of cancer form in the individual’s lungs. While most types of lung cancer primarily form inside the lungs, mesothelioma does not. Typically, mesothelioma forms in the pleura, the lining around the lungs. Mesothelioma may also form in the lining around the stomach, called the peritoneum.

Additionally, mesothelioma has a much longer latency period than lung cancer, which is one of the reasons that the dangers of asbestos went unnoticed for so many years. It may take several decades for a person to be diagnosed with mesothelioma.

One further difference between the two is their prognosis. Both are certainly dangerous and serious diseases, but there is one key difference. Through early detection and multimodal treatment, most forms of lung cancer are curable. Mesothelioma, sadly, is not currently curable.

In decades following the knowledge of asbestos’ danger, many countries around the world banned the use of the material. In many countries that do not have a complete ban, asbestos use decreased greatly.

Unfortunately, recent reports show that the importation of asbestos in the United States is increasing. According to the report, there was a 34 percent increase in asbestos consumed by industries in 2011 as compared to 2010. The United States Geological Survey report estimates that roofing materials account for approximately 60 percent of the U.S. asbestos consumption.

The continued use of asbestos places countless workers and civilians in danger. Even a single exposure to asbestos can lead to mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other diseases. Many lose their lives every year due to these dangerous diseases.

Though many of these organizations implement some degree of safety precautions when workers could come into contact with asbestos, it is far too much of a risk to take. It is also not uncommon for negligent managers to place employees in unnecessarily risky situations.

Also, it is important to note that even without importing asbestos, it can still be found in many places in the United States. Asbestos removal (abatement) is a dangerous job in itself, meaning that many older buildings may not have had asbestos removed. There is currently too much asbestos in the United States without importing more.

Over 30 years ago, the International Agency for Research on Cancer declared that asbestos is a carcinogen. Since that declaration, there are currently more than 50 countries around the whole that ban the use of asbestos, such as the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, and Saudi Arabia. The United States and Canada do not currently have a ban on the use or importing / exporting of asbestos.

As long as we continue to use asbestos, Americans will continue to be diagnosed with deadly diseases. Only by formally banning the use of the material can we move closer to a world free of such terrible cancers.