The public became aware of the dangers only as late as the 1970s, and legislation did not follow until the 1980s, asbestos was connected with health concerns even back in the ancient days. The ancient Greeks, who gave us the name asbestos, noticed lung problems among their slaves who wore cloth containing the material. Asbestos today is well known as being a dangerous contaminant, and high profile cases, especially in schools, have put the name in front of people as a material to be avoided at all costs. The substance of this claim, however, is less understood, as are the particulars of the health issues involved. While in and of itself this is not unfortunate – it is most important that asbestos has been stigmatized and better knowledge leads generally to better policy, and a better society.
Although the public became aware of the dangers only as late as the 1970s, and legislation did not follow until the 1980s, asbestos was connected with health concerns even back in the ancient days. The ancient Greeks, who gave us the name asbestos, noticed lung problems among their slaves who wore cloth containing the material. Back in the 1920s there were court cases as well, including injury claims from those who worked in the mines similar to the asbestos compensation claims we are witnessing today.
The name of the illness stemming principally from asbestos exposure was named Mesothelioma, which is a cancer that affects the linings of the body’s internal organs. Worse, symptoms may not occur until as late as 50 years after initial exposure. Shortness of breath, coughing, and fatigue are common, but are also life-threatening symptoms. Asbestos was widely used in construction materials because it was a highly flame-resistant material, easily and cheaply added to a building’s framework. Because of its great benefits in this regard, the industry was slow to admit the health effects, and there were even accusations against the government that it knew of the dangers yet hid them from the public. As the tide of public opinion swelled against asbestos, however, it was the presence of the material in many public schools that finally tipped the scale. Wide scale removal operations began, and future use of asbestos was banned. Today, there is little fear of asbestos contamination or of Mesothelioma, which is a great achievement. This is not to say that there is no future for asbestos.
Trace elements are still allowed under certain conditions, and there are some experts who say that the dangers have been overblown, or that innovations have minimized the problems. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that the errors of the past will be repeated, and asbestos will remain synonymous with carcinogens for some time to come.