Mesothelioma and Asbestos

The title of Mesothelioma and Asbestos has to do with a very serious condition that is a result of exposure to asbestos. My research shows 2,000-3,000 cases of Mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States every year. "Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age. Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in the majority of cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos"(http://cancermonthly.com/cancer_basics/mesothelioma.asp).

Mesothelioma is a very aggressive cancer that shows no mercy; its victims generally succumb to the disease and die within 18 months of diagnosis. If the fibers of asbestos are ingested and lodge within a person's body, they can sit for years until the cancer forms, and then, ultimately shortens the individual's life with the resulting Mesothelioma.

Symptoms of Mesothelioma from www.cancermonthly.com:

"Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleura are often symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma. Symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma include weight loss and abdominal pain and swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Other symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms of Mesothelioma may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face."

I worked in the mortgage industry for 8 years, and prior to that, purchased my own home. There was a disclosure that I had to sign based on my house being built prior to 1977. The MSN Real Estate page has asbestos defined as "A mineral substance that insulates and resists fire. Asbestos fibers are microscopic and can cause severe lung damage". The precautions and warnings given there are that asbestos is contained in:

Wall insulation (mostly in homes built between 1930 and 1950)
Siding
Shingles
Vinyl floor tiles
Pipe insulation in older homes
Textured paint and wall-patching materials manufactured before 1977

The seller and purchaser are also warned "Disclose any known asbestos. If asbestos is contained, disclose it and leave it (removal can increase the health risk). If asbestos is loose or crumbling, it constitutes a health hazard and you may be required to remove the material before you can sell. Hire an expert to remove asbestos".

So, needless to say, that as a young home buyer in 1998, I was concerned about my 1969 house, with popcorn ceilings and textured walls. Many people that I know have told me to simply squirt or mist the popcorn ceiling with water, and then follow with a scraper to easily remove it. I chose to seal it with paint, and wear the appropriate mask and body coverings while I did so. Take the advice of professionals, and use the proper tools and products. Ask questions if you don't know the answers, as knowledge provides the path to sound decision making, and your life is nothing to gamble with.

Asbestos must be rendered as friable to become hazardous. Friable asbestos, are those damaged or aged asbestos fibers that can be released into the air. Friable asbestos fibers must be properly disposed of or encased, and there are many governmental regulations that provide the guidelines to be followed for this.


How Is It Removed?
The asbestos removal process differs depending on the asbestos-containing material, but all removal methods aim to keep asbestos dust out of the air where it can be inhaled or ingested. Certified professionals must be utilized for any asbestos removal projects. Here are some common steps and considerations normally taken to ensure this material is removed properly:

1. Typically, asbestos removal utilizes moisture to weigh down the fibers so they fall to the floor where they can be discarded in approved asbestos waste disposal bags.

2. Professionals understand the importance of isolating the removal area from the rest of the house or building, and workers are required to use protective equipment to prevent the dispersion of asbestos dust.

3. During removal, work begins on the opposite side of any air-exhaust system and gradually moves towards the fan to prevent contamination of areas that have already been cleaned.

4. After the removal process is complete, the area where the asbestos formerly existed is thoroughly wiped down with clean rags, which must then be properly discarded in labeled disposal bags.

5. Once these areas are cleaned, every exposed surface will be wiped down, including protective sheeting that may have been used to isolate the area where the asbestos was located. All equipment and tools used are also thoroughly cleaned and left outside for some time.

6. Additionally, the area where the fibers formerly existed will normally be sealed off to complete the removal process, since some asbestos fibers likely remain (www.earth911.com).

Asbestos was a common material ingredient during the modernization of the United States, its use beginning to become common in the 1930s, when its effects on a person's health were unknown. Mainly, asbestos has a history of being used in insulation products, however, the other building materials listed above are also areas to be watched for asbestos. Remember, retro styles are back in fashion for certain, but do these items contain asbestos? Before you purchase flooring or re-purposed building materials; check for asbestos!

Please, be aware, read the disclosures before you sign them, have your building inspected by a certified inspector, and wear proper protection at all times on projects. You may say that you cannot afford an inspector, and simply sign the waiver, showing you have been apprised of the possibility of the existence of asbestos. Think about it though, can you really afford NOT to take the precaution of verifying the asbestos presence?

From the site www.asbestos.com comes this information:

Asbestos Exposure in Shipyards
Some occupations are associated with an elevated risk of asbestos exposure. Historically, naval shipyard workers are among the most frequently overexposed. It is likely that workers who served between World War II and the Korean War came in contact with dangerous levels of asbestos, increasing their chances of developing diseases like asbestos-related lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Asbestos' ability to resist corrosion and high temperatures made it an ideal material for use in the shipbuilding industry. On ships, it has been used to insulate boilers, incinerators, hot water pipes and steam pipes. However, asbestos dust tended to build up in these locations and other inadequately ventilated areas, which led to human exposure aboard vessels.

As the use of asbestos-containing products increased, occupational health experts began to recognize the toxicity of its fibers. Studies revealing the dangers of asbestos exposure date back as far as the 1940s, but at the time the U.S. government failed to acknowledge that inhaled asbestos fibers could persist inside the body, ultimately creating health hazards.

To file a Veterans Administration Asbestos Claim, copy and paste this web address: http://www.asbestos.com/va-claim.php

Spouses, children, friends, and other relations desperately miss people that die from Mesothelioma, don't become a victim yourself thinking it cannot happen to you; cancer is not a respecter of persons.


sources:
http://earth911.com/news/2008/12/08/proper-disposal-of-asbestos-containing-materials/
http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=13108441
http://www.asbestos.com/shipyards/
http://cancermonthly.com/cancer_basics/mesothelioma.asp