Asbestos has been removed from consumer products since the 1970s. So why are the rates of young people getting mesothelioma increasing? That’s what an article on Forbes seeks to explain.
Mesothelioma is one of the cancers associated with asbestos exposure. The fine rock fibers lodge in the lungs and cause cancer to develop, but it usually takes decades to form. Most mesothelioma claims of people in their late 80s can be traced back to an obvious source like a history in construction or work in a shipyard. But what about younger people?
Some of the cases are caused by asbestos fibers carried home by an exposed person. That’s what one of the stories in the Forbes article talks about. But, astonishingly, there are still a few uses of asbestos still legal in the United States. The most likely exposure route for young people is through old building materials that have broken down with time.
If you own a building made prior to 1980, you should have your home checked for asbestos and have it removed by professionals. It was a useful material for its lightness and flame-resistant properties, but it is too dangerous now to keep around in the house.
Do you believe that you’ve been exposed to asbestos? Have you contracted mesothelioma or renal carcinoma? Contact John Foy & Associates today for a free consultation.