Asbestos is all around us. Asbestos-containing products are present in older homes, office buildings, schools, libraries, shopping malls and theaters, in cars and trucks, trains and planes. Asbestos containment is performed in an effort to remove or at least limit the presence of asbestos in our environment.
An Overwhelming Presence of Asbestos
When the carcinogenic properties of asbestos were finally acknowledged and accepted in both the scientific and legal communities, the federal government began to limit the products that could contain asbestos, and large-scale asbestos containment projects were begun. However, asbestos was already widely used in thousands of existing products and in millions of individual applications such as:
Containment Projects Present a Risk
Hundreds of thousands of buildings across the United States have asbestos-containing components. As these buildings age and deteriorate, so do the materials that contain asbestos. When asbestos gets old or damaged, it starts to crumble. When asbestos crumbles, or when it is disturbed in the process of asbestos containment (removal), it is likely to release tiny fibers of asbestos into the air.
The people who perform asbestos containment work are at risk of inhaling asbestos fibers. The fibers, once lodged internally, can start a disease process that ends in lung cancer, asbestosis, or mesothelioma. Even people who are not dealing directly with an asbestos containment project may be exposed to asbestos in the air, especially if the containment was not done properly.
Learn More about Asbestos Containment Risks
If you have developed an asbestos-related disease following an asbestos containment effort, it's a good idea for you to learn all that you can about the options available to you. Contact us to find out more about the risks of asbestos containment.