Secondhand Asbestos Exposure

Secondhand Asbestos Exposure

Secondhand Asbestos Exposure

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Secondhand asbestos exposure can be deadly. The same asbestos-caused diseases — mesothelioma, asbestosis, and asbestos lung cancer — that befall individuals who work directly with asbestos can also happen to people whose exposure is secondhand. It is not known exactly how many people are subjected to secondhand asbestos exposure in the U.S. each year, but the number may well be in the millions, largely because of the widespread use of asbestos in homes, schools, and offices across the country.
Asbestos In Buildings All Around Us

Although the uses of asbestos began to be more strictly regulated by the federal and state governments in the late 1970s, many buildings already had asbestos-based products installed during their construction, such as:

* Exterior insulation
* Flooring tiles
* Ceiling tiles
* Dry wall
* Plumbing and electrical insulation
* Ventilation insulation

Aged or Damaged Asbestos

If these products are new and undisturbed, the likelihood of their dangerous asbestos fibers being in the air is low, but as the buildings have reached 30 years and older, the asbestos products may have begun to crumble or deteriorate to the point where their fibers are being inhaled by the building's occupants. People may be getting secondhand asbestos from the ventilation system where they live, work or study, or they may be exposed during building renovations.
Other Types of Secondhand Asbestos Exposure

Many confirmed cases of asbestos diseases caused by secondhand asbestos exposure have been documented around the world. The cases continue to arise, and they are generally categorized in two groups:

* Secondhand asbestos exposure due to living with someone who worked directly with asbestos
* Exposure due to living near a source of asbestos such as a mine or asbestos processing/manufacturing plant

The thousands of workers in shipyards, factories, etc. who brought their asbestos-laden work clothes home were unknowingly bringing a toxin to their loved ones. This was especially common during the years of World War II, when the use of asbestos expanded rapidly because of inadequate safety precautions.
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Secondhand Asbestos Exposure