The Dangers of Asbestos Remediation:
By now, we’ve all heard about the dangers of asbestos. We know that it’s important to protect our families from asbestos exposure, but many people think that asbestos is no longer a problem and it’s been “taken care of.” Asbestos remediation is still ongoing in homes, businesses, military facilities, and industrial plants.
Dangers of Asbestos Exposure
Asbestos is a fibrous mineral originally prized for its heat and fire resistance. For decades, manufacturers have used asbestos in various materials, including building materials, brake pads, and even clothing. Unfortunately, disturbing asbestos materials, whether through demolition, fire, or another manner, can release tiny particles of asbestos into the air and water. When people inhale or ingest asbestos, it can lodge in the lungs or elsewhere in the body, causing cancer. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the pleural lining of the lungs or abdomen caused by asbestos exposure. But asbestos can also cause other types of cancer.
Asbestos Remediation
Currently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency remedies Superfund sites containing asbestos by capping them with soil to “lock-in” the asbestos fibers. Now, a Stanford researcher worries that some asbestos remediation strategies can put people at risk.Doctor Jane Willenbring, an associate professor at Stanford University’s School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences, has published several papers about the lack of information on how asbestos may move through the soil where it’s stored. “[T]his is still a lingering legacy pollutant and might be dribbling out pollution, little by little,” she says. She and her colleagues have discovered that the soil’s organic material allows asbestos fibers to move through the ground and potentially enter nearby groundwater. Because small amounts of asbestos can potentially cause serious problems, asbestos in the groundwater could increase the risk of lung disease and cancer in people exposed through irrigation, showers, humidifiers, and other sources that disperse unfiltered water into the air.If you believe asbestos exposure has harmed you or someone you love, resulting in cancer or a mesothelioma diagnosis, contact the Madeksho Law Firm at 1-888-910-6376 or through our online form. Your initial consultation is free, and you won’t pay a fee unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
