When you hear the word “asbestos,” what do you think? You probably know that it’s something that was used in buildings and is now considered to be extremely dangerous to those who’ve come in contact with it. You might be familiar with the fact that many people who worked with it day in and day out have suffered illness and have even lost their lives as a result of the exposure.
Here are a few things that you might not know about asbestos.
#1 Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral
Asbestos miners in the 20th century would manually extract asbestos from the earth. The minerals were then crushed, and their fibers were collected for use in materials or mixed with other substances.
#2 Asbestos is still used today
While asbestos was banned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1989, its existence is still in buildings all across the U.S., and other countries around the world. In fact, asbestos mines still exist in countries such as Russia, China and Kazakhstan. Asbestos fibers in the air can even affect those living in the surrounding towns and cities of these mines.
#3 It can take many years for signs of mesothelioma to show
In some cases, it can take 40 or 50 years after exposure for a diagnosis to be given. This often makes it difficult to diagnose as it might not be simple to connect the symptoms experienced with asbestos exposure.
Working in a field where you or a loved one was frequently exposed to asbestos can have major health implications, and you may need help to seek compensation.