HISTORY OF ASBESTOS
Asbestos
is found in nearly 700,000 businesses, over 200,000
public buildings, and over 5 million homes. It is one
of the most prevalent potential hazards in the United
States, and is definitely one of the most regulated.
In its time, it was the best material known for fire
protection, chemical isolation, electrical insulation,
and literally thousands of other uses. It was so widely
trusted that it was heavily used to protect infants;
being woven into their blankets, pajamas, and crib mattresses
for fire retardation. It would not react with chemicals,
so was used heavily in laboratories and universities.
It has a higher tensile strength than steel, making
it economic for floor coverings, piping, building siding,
and a host of other construction materials.
Asbestos
is a naturally occurring mineral that has been mined
for commercial purposes for nearly 3,000 years. United
States manufacturers alone were using in excess of one
million metric tons of asbestos each year at its height
of use during the 1960’s. Remarkably, the serious
and potentially deadly consequences of breathing asbestos
fibers were first documented thousands of years ago,
as well. Both the early Roman and early Greek civilizations
documented the increased health problems and high death
rates of asbestos miners and weavers. However, despite
this ancient data, the industrial benefits of asbestos
made it impossible to replace until recently.
In
addition to the difficulties involved in finding a suitable
alternative to asbestos use, published data concerning
asbestos health effects was deliberately suppressed
during the period from 1924 until the 1960’s.
One of these reports was prepared by physicians on behalf
of the Johns-Manville Company, the undisputed asbestos
industry leader, in 1927. The company’s suppression
of this report formed the basis of final decision in
a class action lawsuit that had originally been brought
against the firm for inadequate protective measures
by the citizens of the town of Manville, New Jersey.
This community was home to the primary processing facility
operated by Johns-Manville. Discovery of the intentional
suppression of health effects data, as well as the devastating
effect of that suppression, contributed heavily to the
final settlement made by the courts. An ultimate award
of over 5.5 billion dollars was made to the victims
of asbestos exposure, not just in the initial community,
but nationwide. The Johns-Manville Corporation was forced
into bankruptcy, selling off most of their assets to
meet the initial costs of the suit. The remaining asset,
Manville Insulation Corp., was required to make payments
into a trust fund until the balance of the settlement
was paid.
This
decision and its effect had far reaching consequences.
Due to the public nature of this trial, a vast amount
of research data was compiled. As the true health effects
were discovered, the public grew more aware of the risks
of exposing themselves and their children to asbestos,
and demanded action. Regulatory agencies, most particularly
OSHA and the EPA, began adjusting their regulations
to the new awareness of asbestos dangers. As more data
became available, the regulation of asbestos grew more
and more stringent. Asbestos use was steadily phased
out, with its final elimination as a building material,
manufacturing component, or clothing material during
the late 1980’s.
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