Mesothelioma Cases Caused by Environmental Factors are Increasing: This includes Household and Neighborhood Exposure to Asbestos. Be Careful out There.
The February 2023 scholarly article published by Junjie Huang, PhD and twelve co-authors lays out a very convincing argument that Mesothelioma cases caused by occupational exposures to asbestos are decreasing in the developed countries while Mesothelioma cases caused by environmental cases, including household and neighborhood exposures, are increasing. As stated by those thirteen authors at the very end of their article: “environmental exposure to mineral fibers might become the dominating risk factor of mesothelioma.“
That is a pretty strong statement which, if accurate, is something for us all to consider.
This analysis has some pretty significant ramifications to those involved in asbestos related businesses. Let’s start off with the lawyers filing or defending lawsuits arising from such exposure in the United States. Clearly, those attorneys filing lawsuits on behalf of Mesothelioma Warriors will need to shore up their exposure analysis from collectable sources, such as occupational exposures. This is especially true for secondary claims by people that could either be take home occupational exposures from their family members or, alternatively, exposures from environmental factors. At the same time, those attorneys and insurance carriers representing corporate defendants should be taking a hard look at the potential environmental exposures involved in the particular case. Given the current values of each Mesothelioma case in the United States, the ramifications to the case valuations could be significant.
Then, we have those involved in determining asbestos issues for houses, schools, factories, and other buildings. Those professionals need to ensure that their inspections and reports are complete and comprehensive. That costs money but, as we see from the Huang article, saves lives.
How about exposures from activities in the area, such as shipbuilding in Seattle or mining in Libby, MT? What about naturally occurring asbestos that gets airborne? All of these are important and should be considered if you have a lawsuit, investigation, or other interest in a particular situation. The 1974 EPA analysis which sets the baseline for naturally occurring asbestos exposure by state, and by region within each state, might be useful bedtime reading for those who have an interest in this area.
There has been at least one other article that discusses the Huang analysis. In that article, Michael Carbone, M.D. and three others who collectively tend to be associated with asbestos lawsuits in the United States weigh in with their thoughts. Of course, their position should also be seriously considered.
In conclusion, you need to deep dig the facts, report your analysis based on those facts, and be careful out there.
Let me know what you think by providing a comment or with an email to me at TheAsbestosBlog@gmail.com. Thank you. Marty
2 Responses
Government can write all the rules they want, but unless there is inspection of enforcement, most things will slip through the huge cracks in the system. I remember in the old days, demolition permits were often written after the demolition. I wonder if that still happens?
Henry, all very good comments. Where there is money to be made or saved, testing requirements are the best way to verify.
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