For a presentation that I have coming up, I decided to undertake a deep dig into the use of asbestos prior to the industrial revolution. Many journal articles contain partial lists, but I decided to be more comprehensive. My list is as follows: •Many different names including asbestus, asbestinon, and amiantus •Stone Age – Used…
Read more
Typically, when someone asks about the year in which asbestos became useful, the answer given is “the late 1800s.” That answer is somewhat accurate, but I have found a number of historical asbestos related documents to believe that asbestos was widely known in society much earlier. I have already blogged on such early use as…
Read more
Every few weeks, I provide a summary of the prior 200 plus blogs including the the topic, date, and cite. My hope is that such a summary is useful to my readers as they get involved in historical asbestos research. Also, let me know if you want a particular asbestos history topic covered. Blog Title…
Read more
I like dealing with smart people who make a different. The below is from one of such person about changes in the law that are geared towards helping Bangladesh Shipbreaking Laborers. For the old rules and conduct in which beach shipbreaking activities are called the most dangerous job in the world, see my prior blogs…
Read more
I like to give credit to companies when deserved, even those which manufactured asbestos-containing products or mined asbestos. This includes Johns-Manville in the depth of the depression. You may remember my earlier blog discussing statements by Manville, in which I quoted New Jersey residents who refused to sue Johns-Manville for illnesses arising from asbestos exposure;…
Read more
I apologize for the terrible condition of the February 26, 1970 letter from Irving Selikoff at Mount Sinai School of Medicine to William Pierson of the Ford Motor Company Chemistry Department, Scientific Research Staff, but the attached is the best that I have. I can read my copy with some effort, but the scanned document…
Read more
Asbestos exposures can occur even in unexpected locations. A recent journal article titled “Marble Waste Dump Yard in Rajasthan, India Revealed as a Potential Asbestos Hazard” is an excellent example. A copy of the full article is at https://theasbestosblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/2025-India.pdf. The article acknowledges that asbestos studies and regulations focusing on mining and buildings are readily available…
Read more
My research thesis on the involvement of asbestos and potential asbestos substitutes in the Challenger tragedy is discussed at https://theasbestosblog.com/?p=10618. I first posted my full research project discussing this Internet myth during January 2022 in the blog located at https://theasbestosblog.com/?p=9723. The full blown 75 page research paper with footnotes and bibliography can be read at https://theasbestosblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Space-Shuttle-Challenger-Thesis-1282022.pdf. If…
Read more
Researching asbestos history is difficult — lots of mistakes (especially about the science), experts and attorneys with private data/document silos, significant paywalls to get articles, inconsistent claims trying to reconcile studies that have been undertaken in the Global South to those using the countries of the Global North, and on and on and on. This…
Read more
I learn new things every day. As I was searching for some asbestos-related information, I accidentally spelled “chrysotile” as “chrysolite” and got some weird search hits completely unrelated as asbestos. I figured that if it happened to me, then others of you out there may make the same mistake. Please note the following: Chrysolite, unlike…
Read more
Recent Comments