The United States Geological Survey (USGS )scientists have developed a new time-saving technique for determining if vermiculite insulation contains traces of asbestos. Vermiculite is a naturally occurring mineral that expands when heated – as much as 8-30 times its original size – is light-weight, heat resistant, and like asbestos, has been used in numerous products. […]
National Asbestos Awareness Week: April 1 – April 7, 2018
For the fourteenth consecutive year, April – April 7, 2018, has once again been named Global Asbestos Awareness Week by the U.S. Senate and the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO). Since the conception of the ADAO in 2004, there have been 13 Asbestos Awareness Week Resolutions that have aimed to warn and educate the public […]
Demolition Costs in Michigan Rise Due To Asbestos Regulations
In the past three years, the cost of demolishing condemned buildings in Michigan have skyrocketed, jumping more than 550 percent between 2015 and 2017. In 2015 it cost on average $9,123, and just a year later, nearly $60,000. The cost has fallen to near half that price in 2017, but at $30,000, it is still […]
New Legislation Does More Harm Than Good for Asbestos Victims
In 2017, a bill was approved by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee that could damage the asbestos claims process and prevent victims of asbestos-related diseases from ever seeing any sort of monetary compensation before they pass. This bill, known as the Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency (FACT) Act, was written by the asbestos industry and is […]
Apartment House in Point Breeze Potential Hazard to Surrounding Residents
Even though asbestos has not been used as a building material for homes in a few decades, the fact remains that many homes – especially those built before 1980 – may contain asbestos and could become a health hazard if those fibers become disturbed in any way. Insulation, floor tiles, roofing, and siding were all […]
Asbestos Cancer Risk Measured by Fiber Length
Since asbestos was used for decades in thousands of products ranging from attic insulation to woven oven mitts, it is hard to imagine that this versatile material is actually a naturally occurring mineral, composed of chemical compounds bundled into fibers. Found in serpentine, mafic, and altered ultramafic rocks, asbestos is divided into two groups – serpentine and […]
Asbestos Regulations – National Cancer Prevention Month
Despite the known dangers of asbestos exposure, asbestos is still legal in the United States. However, it is heavily regulated within different organizations in the government. Different agencies have their own laws and regulations for asbestos control to maintain exposure levels in the workplace, home, and environment. OSHA The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) […]
Mesothelioma Lawsuit Against Johnson & Johnson Goes to Trial
Over the past couple of years, safety concerns about Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder has led to thousands of lawsuits from women claiming the company knew about the potential cancer risks associated with its product. Johnson & Johnson has been forced to pay millions to cancer victims after reports from the 1970s surfaced describing a […]
Why Does Asbestos-Related Disease Continue to Rise?
In early 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that despite the decline of asbestos use once the product became regulated in the United States, mesothelioma rates continue to rise, with a total of 45,221 deaths in the United States alone from 1999 to 2015. Scientists and researchers struggle to pinpoint reasoning […]
Fiberglass as a Substitute for Asbestos
For decades throughout much of the 20th century, asbestos was used in countless applications. From insulation, ceiling tiles, and vinyl flooring, to cigarette filters, curtains, and ironing board covers, asbestos could be found in almost every home, especially those built before 1980. The dangers of asbestos exposure were hidden from the public for years, but today […]