2022 From Russian Academic: Give Asbestos Another Chance
While researching some of the asbestos science aspects this past week, I ran across an asbestos use and safety analysis by Russian pathologist and author Sergei V. Jargin who has a biography at https://novapublishers.com/writer/sergei-v-jargin/. Although much of his scholarly discourses involve the overestimation of medical consequences of low-dose exposure to ionizing radiation (think: Chernobyl Nuclear Plant), Professor Jargin takes on low dose asbestos health claims in Asbestos-Related Diseases and Policies: an Update in a 2022 article without Peer Review that I have linked at https://theasbestosblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2022-Asbestos_Related_Diseases_and_Policies_a.pdf.
In summary, in a paper which endeavors to be academic, including 150 footnotes, Professor Jargin claims that asbestos should be looked at anew as:
“Asbestos-related risks have been estimated on the basis of data from the past, when professional exposures were higher.”
Why is this claim critically important? Follow the links:
(1) Russia is the leading producer and exporter of asbestos in the world, and making hard core efforts to increase their exports given the need for funds in general. https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/RUS/year/2021/tradeflow/Exports/partner/ALL/product/252400
(2) President Trump, during his first administration and earlier, claimed that asbestos was not that dangerous (Laurie Kazan-Allen at IBAS just provided an excellent history on this issue at http://www.ibasecretariat.org/lka-donald-trump-and-asbestos-a-global-perspective.php) including Trump instructing the EPA to loosen the restrictions on asbestos. https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/how-trumps-epa-keeping-asbestos-legal
(3) President Trump very much likes his positive relationship with Russia. https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/10/30/enduring-mystery-trump-relationship-russia/, and
(4) The type of article written by Professor Jargin could be used as a support by the incoming EPA and Trump to claim that the health hazards of asbestos should be re-examined.
I have read Professor Jargin’s paper and he raises some good points that should be addressed by society on a global basis. As an example, he states that “asbestos-related science must be separated from economical and political interests.” I fully agree with that statement, as those of you who read my weekly asbestos-related blogs have already noticed. In fact, most countries have already done that, other than those who continue to export or import asbestos. To the extent that a review has not happened, then it should.
Professor Jargin also makes a number of unsupported statements such as “The traffic is safer with asbestos-containing brake linings.” My conversations with the former Ford Motor Company friction material inhouse expert over a cup of coffee and fresh made cookies at his home in the early 2000s, lead me to believe otherwise. But scientific testing, not personal observations should address these types of claims.
Presuming that I am fortunate enough to be admitted to a History PhD program, I plan to analyze this article within my dissertation focused on asbestos history. That is, all 150 footnote plus assumptions without cited supports. Until then, we just need to be aware that it exists and the claims being made.
I would like to see Professor Jargin’s paper get an appropriate peer review by experienced professionals who work in this field. With such a review, then the article may form the foundation of a dialogue in the context of other such articles and scientific studies that say otherwise. Without peer review, it is just an interesting outlier that, in ordinary times, should be filed away. However, given the incoming administration, the article is at risk of being accepted as authoritative and as a foundation for turning back the clock.
Don’t get me wrong — not every article needs to be, or can be, peer reviewed. However, an article that is at odds with the current scientific literature should be peer reviewed at a minimum before it becomes part of the dialog. Also, new scientific studies, such as the 2024 publication at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-83239-0 discussing the recovery of magnesium and silicon from chrysotile asbestos waste, should continue to be encouraged and, when possible, discussed in terms of reproducible results.
I hope that 2025 will become an excellent year for advancing knowledge, study, and history considering asbestiform fibers, especially as they involve laborers and occupational settings. Let me know what you think either by leaving a comment or by sending me an email to TheAsbestosBlog@gmail.com. Thanks. Marty
3 Responses
Hi Marty hope this finds you doing great and happy new year..as we pray. As a victim of asbestos exposure.,living and breathing the deadly air of libby mt..watching hundreds suffer till death..years of pain and human suffering I have grown to learn and involve my life and being to asbestos, what it is..what it does and who it does it too. Not quite like your life with asbestos..education and sharing your knowledge to help others to understand the life of asbestos..which makes you a very honorable man and I thank you endlessly for all you have and continue to do..for those we leave behind.
I could also write a book but I would like to share my take on this subject which only touches the surface of this reality.
As you know also..asbestos has been around and millions if not billions of lives have paid a horrible price till death. What overwhelmed me the most is cost to study asbestos to death..over and over for centuries..study this study that..test this test that with a hell of alot of people who have made millions from what is known..what it is and does and to whom with the same old storys..results..all of it and here we are knowing and allowing yet doing nothing..not much..to save peoples..generations as money is all that matters. We know schools and homes and towns..etc etc are full of asbestos and yet no one is forced to leave to healthier environments where asbestos don’t exist..we allow this continued asbestos holocaust to continue and kill more generations of life..and death as if we don’t matter and asbestos is excepted as a way of life..and it is because it’s everywhere and is impossible to change or stop. I call it makeing a killing off of killing us. Asbestos is a trillion dollar business..all over the world. The victims are big money even when case in point..wr grace exposes millions with their asbestos..knowingly and have ownership of many insurance cos collecting the trillions to treat all those they exposed and they get away with it..it allowed. You know marty..I shall end my rant for now as I got so so much to chat about. You get the idea I know. Sending love and chat soon. And thank you
Mike, never be silenced. Just do your best to post personal observations and your experience.
Thank you Marty we all got storys to tell and share. Some of the things I have learned are
Children born and raised in a asbestos contaminated environment…libby mt..are more at risk of developing mesothelioma, children must be the priority to protect. Libby sold as safe only kills those being lied to.
Dr.Alan Whitehouse..everyone from libby will die from asbestos if they live long enough and don’t die from something else first.
Study done proving exposure to asbestos in dead fetuses shows unborn exposed from exposure to mother. Why wouldn’t it as the mother supply’s the unborn to oxygen..blood and food with asbestos.
Info for thought. Take care