The Dangers of Natural Asbestos Contamination

Asbestos is an ongoing danger in products, buildings and the environment.

While it has been common knowledge for some time that asbestos is dangerous, it is still allowed to be used in many forms of industry. In fact, cement and concrete still account for nearly three-quarters of asbestos use. There are also remnants of asbestos that remain in homes and other structures, including asbestos-containing vinyl tiles, popcorn ceilings and asphalt shingles, among other interior and exterior materials.

Be cautious: some old consumer products may still contain asbestos.

Occasionally, asbestos shows up in supplies that should be totally free of the substance, including makeup, clay, crayons and other everyday products.

Individuals concerned about exposure are often leery of contamination from construction sites and steer clear of areas where the mining and processing of asbestos products occurs. They think of airborne asbestos being breathed in and causing mesothelioma, among many other cancers.

Care should be exercised and steps taken to avoid any asbestos exposure. 

The American Lung Association notes that there is a risk that once inhaled, some asbestos fibers will never leave the body.¹ Asbestos-related illnesses have a long latency, and can take decades after exposure to appear.

However, airborne asbestos isn’t the only form of exposure that can lead to chronic illnesses. New developments in asbestos research have shown that groundwater can also be contaminated.

Other Cross-contamination

Asbestos can sometimes contaminate minerals nearby where it is formed. Two examples of naturally occurring substances that are likely to become tainted with asbestos are vermiculite and talc.

Libby, Montana and the dangers of asbestos contamination

Mining for vermiculite started in the 1920s near Libby, Montana. Four decades later, in 1963, the business was purchased by W.R. Grace, a chemical company. The company set up two sites at which vermiculite was heated, allowing it to expand. There was no way at the time for workers to know that the vermiculite contained asbestos and heating it resulted in direct exposure.

In 2005, owner W.R. Grace and seven other executives were indicted for “knowingly endangering residents of Libby, Montana, and concealing information about the health effects of its asbestos mining operations,” according to the lawsuit filed against them. The legal issues and clean-up efforts that resulted cost the company billions. And former employees and nearby residents are still developing adverse health conditions as a result.

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has also been at the center of widespread litigation surrounding the potential of its talc powder to contain cancer-causing asbestos. The company even injected prisoners with asbestos in the 1970s to test its effects against talc powder used on their skin. 

Many lawsuits have been filed against the company since, claiming its talc powder is contaminated.

The Short- and Long-term Impact of Asbestos Contamination 

If efforts to improve asbestos containment aren’t taken seriously, many more people will become ill and die from exposure. In the short term, asbestos exposure can cause shortness of breath, a lingering cough and brain “fogginess.” 

Longer-term consequences include neurological changes, damage to the nervous system, tissue scarring, respiratory conditions, many forms of cancer, including mesothelioma, ovarian, kidney, and lung cancer (among others). 

The National Cancer Institute states that “there is no safe level of asbestos exposure.”²

Ultimately, asbestos-related illnesses can lead to death. Not to be taken lightly, improvements to asbestos containment can prevent spillover and save lives.