Long Beach Asbestos Attorney

Recent Asbestos Exposure and Mesothelioma Long Beach

Exposure to asbestos is extremely hazardous and can cause deadly diseases such as mesothelioma in Long Beach. Asbestos is the term used to describe a group of naturally occurring minerals made up of fibers useful for countless purposes. The fibers are durable, fine, and heat-resistant as well as fire- and chemical-resistant. The dangers of asbestos have long been known. Over time, restrictions have been imposed on uses for asbestos and proper procedures for safely handling or working in close proximity to the fibrous mineral. In spite of increasing knowledge about the dangerous effects of asbestos, it is still used legally in the U.S. and frequently detected in products in which it is prohibited. There are ongoing situations in which consumers, workers, and others are endangered by exposure to asbestos. Among other health issues, asbestos has been known to cause a life-threatening form of cancer, mesothelioma, in Long Beach and throughout the nation.

Recent Examples of Asbestos Exposure

It’s not unusual for news stories about incidents of asbestos exposure to surface routinely. Since any amount of exposure to this natural mineral is a health hazard, it’s the kind of news worth taking notice of. The following are a few examples of recent news stories on asbestos:

• Just Shine Shimmer Powder is a makeup that has been sold in a retail chain in the U.S. that caters to girls, called Justice. There was a recent announcement that Justice no longer sells the product because an investigation allegedly found that the makeup contains asbestos and other toxic ingredients. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prohibits sale of makeup products that contain talc with asbestos. The discovery of dangerous substances has caused many to ask for more strict regulation of the cosmetics industry.
• The Iowa Department of Natural Resources recently began demolition of the Iowan Hotel, and their work came to a halt after asbestos testing was done. Tom Wuhr, who is with an environmental agency in Iowa, said that acceptable levels of asbestos in a demolition project are 1% or less. The second sample done on the Iowan Hotel demolition project indicated 3.5%. Before work can proceed, steps must be taken to ensure proper asbestos abatement designed to protect workers and nearby residents from asbestos exposure. The company that was conducting the demolition is not certified to remove asbestos, which put the project on hold.
• In recent months, authorities with the California Department of Water Resources announced their discovery of naturally occurring asbestos at the Oroville Dam, which was being repaired. As tons of earth, rock, and other debris were being moved, the dangerous discovery was made. Air-quality officials worked with state water officials began working to reduce the amount of dust at the site, since it could contain asbestos particles that cause mesothelioma and other diseases. Bicyclists and others engaged in outdoor activities are among those who could be exposed to outcroppings of naturally occurring asbestos.

Asbestos Exposure at a Long Beach Shipyard

As with the rest of the U.S., exposure to asbestos has been common in Long Beach CA from the 1900s up to today. The Long Beach Naval Shipyard, which opened in 1940, is a place where asbestos exposure was common during the building and repair of ships. The shipyard closed in 1997; but at the height of its activities, more than 3,000 civilians and about 800 military personnel worked there. Many of those men and women, including veterans, developed mesothelioma and other deadly diseases that shorten life expectancy, due to asbestos exposure.

Lethal but Legal

More than 60 countries have opted to protect their citizens by banning asbestos, but it has not been banned in the United States. Seaports in Long Beach, Los Angeles, and others in California as well as throughout the country received hundreds of shipments of asbestos-containing products and hazardous asbestos waste as well as 8.2 million pounds or more of raw asbestos during the 8-year period ending in 2014. The asbestos is transported to wholesalers, industrial facilities, and waste dumps via truck or rail.

Why is a substance that is dangerous to human health not banned? The answer is in the fact that asbestos is highly cost-effective in industry, and it possesses rare qualities. Its value and benefit to manufacturers has apparently taken precedence over health because asbestos can legally be used in the commercial manufacture, processing, distribution, and importation of the following products and more:

• Gaskets
• Roof coatings
• Clothing
• Cement corrugated sheet
• Cement flat sheet
• Non-roofing coatings
• Vinyl floor tile
• Cement pipe
• Clutch facings
• Automatic transmission components
• Drum brake linings
• Brake blocks

Mesothelioma and Other Asbestos-Related Health Risks

Airborne asbestos fibers can be swallowed or inhaled, after which they can become lodged in the lungs or abdomen. Expelling the fibers is difficult for the body. As a result, many different health complications can be triggered. Pleural mesothelioma is among them. It is a form of cancer that develops in the lining of the lungs, and it’s caused by asbestos, almost exclusively. Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 people die from mesothelioma every year, and pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of this cancer.

When asbestos fibers are breathed in or swallowed, it is seldom that the result is immediate harm. Illnesses resulting from exposure to asbestos develop slowly, over a course of 10 to 50 years. The long latency period means that it is decades after asbestos exposure that those affected develop pleural mesothelioma and other long-term complications with their health. Estimates related to periods of peak asbestos usage indicate the highest rate of mesothelioma cases annually will occur between 2015 and 2020.

The following are other diseases known to be caused by asbestos exposure:

• Asbestosis
• Mesothelioma
• Laryngeal cancer
• Pleural plaques
• Pleural thickening
• Pleural effusion
• Testes cancer
• Lung cancer
• Ovarian cancer

Asbestos / Mesothelioma Compensation Funds & Eligibility

As early as the 1930s, workers began suing companies because of lung illnesses caused on the job. Researchers were able to prove that asbestos causes mesothelioma by the 1960s. Regulation of asbestos began in the 1970s. In 1982, the mounting costs of asbestos-related lawsuits led to the establishment of asbestos compensation funds.

People who contract asbestos-related illnesses, their spouses, and their dependents are eligible for compensation from the asbestos trust of the company that exposed them to the harmful substance. Contact us today for more information about receiving compensation for mesothelioma Long Beach and other health complications caused by asbestos.