It was reported on Monday that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a rule that would ban using and importing cancer-causing asbestos, a material still used in some vehicles and in some industrial facilities in the U.S., making this the first chemical banned under a 2016 chemical safety law. The ban of chrysotile asbestos, the only form of asbestos currently used in or imported to the United States, comes after the EPA under the previous Trump administration delayed banning the substance. The substance had already been banned in more than 50 countries around the world and its use in the U.S. has been on the decline, with most consumer industries discontinuing its use. However, chrysotile asbestos was imported into the U.S. as recently as 2022 for use by the chlor-alkali industry in order to produce sodium hydroxide and chlorine which is used to disinfect drinking water and wastewater.
Asbestos Discovery
While successful lawsuits helped reveal the link between asbestos and cancer for decades, traces of asbestos are still being discovered in products consumers still use regularly. Asbestos is usually associated with construction, heavy industry and shipbuilding, as many companies also integrate it into common household items. With the naturally occurring mineral classified as heat resistant, cheap and easy to work with, many manufacturers valued it so much that for decades they covered up the medical evidence of its potential to cause cancer and other diseases.
Historically, most asbestos exposure has occurred on the job. Asbestos miners and factory workers who handled raw asbestos on a regular basis have suffered the worst health consequences. However, asbestos-containing consumer products have extended the risk of exposure to people from all walks of life. From the early 1900s to the 1980s, American manufacturers used asbestos in domestic goods, and asbestos contamination is still a major problem in factories across the world.
Asbestos In Toys
Asbestos has ended up in toys and other products for children, such as crayons, modeling clay and makeup, through the addition of asbestos-contaminated talc. In 2020 and 2018, asbestos was detected in children’s makeup products sold by the retailer Claire’s. In 2018 a report by Reuters revealed internal documents, memos and communications from Johnson & Johnson about asbestos contaminating its talc-based Shower to Shower and baby powder products. The company is currently facing thousands of asbestos-contaminated talc lawsuits
Asbestos in Appliances
From 1945 and onward, rapid industrialization brought forth a large list of gadgets into the modern home. From electric ovens to ironing boards, many of these new conveniences came lined with asbestos as an insulating and fireproofing material. While most home appliances did not present serious asbestos exposure risks unless they were damaged or taken apart, hair dryers were a bit of an exception. The asbestos insulation enclosed around the heating circuitry was often a soft, friable material that could release asbestos fibers into the heated air stream when the device was turned on.
The fibrous structures of asbestos allows it to be woven into fabric. This has allowed the makers of wicking for gas ranges and oil lamps to produce wicks that contain a high percentage of asbestos, which made the wicks last longer. These soft textiles could easily release asbestos fibers when disturbed. Finer types of asbestos-containing textiles were used around the kitchen. A few brands of oven mitts, dish towels, potholders and place mats have been quilted with a high-percentage asbestos filler.
Corporations Associated with Asbestos Products
As mentioned before, the initial uses of asbestos were for industrial purposes, but many manufacturers saw potential in expanding product offerings to consumers. While many brands knew of health risks from asbestos exposure, they continued to use asbestos in frequently used products found in the homes. Companies that have been linked to these products were 3M, Fisher Scientific Company, Proctor, Textile Mills, Steel Grip, Wolf Manufacturing Co., Guard-Line Inc, Yorkville Craftsman, and Ruson-Shield.
It has been documented that exposure to asbestos through regular household products does not cause illness as often as occupational exposure to asbestos, but the risk remains. In general, it takes repeated exposure to significant amounts of asbestos to become at risk of a developing a related disease.
An exception to this finding includes asbestos-contaminated talcum powder due to the fact that the asbestos can easily be inhaled and the product is more likely to be used daily, resulting in repeated exposure over time.
Repeated asbestos exposure is known to cause the following diseases:
- Mesothelioma
- Lung cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Laryngeal cancer
- Asbestosis
Asbestos laced products are not items that should be endorsed for consumption and I advise everyone to do more due diligence on the ingredients that are used to produce most of the household items that are bought and used everyday. If you are aware of processing an asbestos-contaminated consumer good in your home and it is damaged, you should hire a licensed asbestos abatement company to handle and dispose of the product. Handling damaged asbestos products is dangerous and could lead to unnecessary exposure. If you are unsure if an older product in your home contains asbestos, it is wise to treat it as if it does.
If you think that you are in need of a lawyer do to succumbing to high and repeated asbestos exposure, feel free to contact a lawyer today!