Why Are People Still Getting Mesothelioma?

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In the United States, asbestos use peaked around the 1970s. During this period, approximately 800,000 tons were imported and used every year. It has now been several decades since we learned about the dangers of asbestos and began being more cautious when dealing with asbestos-containing materials (ACMs). 

Despite great care being taken, nearly 3,000 people are still diagnosed with asbestos-related mesothelioma every year. While we’re no longer using asbestos to the same extent we once were, people are still getting mesothelioma for the following reasons: 

It Has a Long Latency Period

Many people seek compensation for mesothelioma because they worked with asbestos during a time when great care wasn’t taken when handling this deadly mineral. We have measures in place now, but mesothelioma caused by asbestos has a long latency period, which means exposure may have occurred 20 to 60 years prior. 

When asbestos fibers are inhaled, they lodge in the lining of organs like the lungs and abdomen, where they can’t be expelled. Over several decades, the tiny fibers cause inflammation, genetic damage, and scarring. Eventually, the mutation and cellular damage they cause can result in mesothelioma, which is cancer of the organ linings. 

There Are Still Exposure Events

Not creating new asbestos-containing products every day doesn’t mean there are no longer any exposure events. Hundreds of thousands of homes in the United States and around the world still contain asbestos. In fact, the EPA believes it’s in at least 20% of buildings in the United States.

As a result, exposure events still frequently happen. Demolishing or remodeling properties without proper precautions can result in exposure when fibers are released from materials like roofing, insulation, and floor tiles. 

There are also still plenty of instances of occupational exposure, with workers exposed through industries like shipbuilding, construction, and auto repair. As mining still takes place in some parts of the world, mine workers and the people they live with are also at risk. 

Incomplete Bans

Over 50 countries and regions have banned asbestos, including Germany, the UK, Canada, Japan, and New Zealand. Interestingly, not all countries have outright banned it. The United States, for example, has banned most common forms, but not all forms, and not immediately. 

Some countries also still mine asbestos and produce goods with it, including Russia, China, and Kazakhstan. With asbestos goods still being made, there continues to be a risk of new exposure events that affect people in the decades to come.

Secondhand Exposure

Just as you can be affected by secondhand smoke, you can also be at risk of mesothelioma from someone else being exposed to it. If someone you live with works with ACMs and brings fibers home on their clothing, shoes, and hair, those fibers can be inhaled by anyone else who shares the space. 

Asbestos may not be as prevalent as it once was, but we still haven’t seen the end of mesothelioma diagnoses. Thousands of people are and will continue to be diagnosed with this fatal form of cancer for many years to come.