Asbestos

A hairdresser, Pauline Kirby, who cleaned hair dryers that contained asbestos in the 1970s died from mesothelioma. Kirby’s diagnosis came in 2016, decades after her exposure to the carcinogenic material. Her husband, an electrician, said in her hearing that he didn’t realize that they had been exposed to asbestos while cleaning and repairing the hair dryers. About 90% of hair dryers manufactured through the late 1970s contained asbestos. Many hairdressers were exposed to the material consistently in the course of their employment. Her family also stated Covid lockdowns had ill effect on her health as she could not participate in […]

A Missouri court jury heard opening statements for a lawsuit from a former mechanic, Bill Trokey, exposed to asbestos from Ford Motor Company’s auto parts from 1960 to 1968. Mr. Trokey was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2020. Mr. Trokey stated on the witness stand that he worked at two auto repair stations doing brake installations, tune-ups, and clutch work using Ford parts. Ford did not provide any warnings about asbestos on their products despite knowing the risks. After two weeks, the jury returned a $20 million verdict in favor of the mechanic. For years, Ford has been named in thousands […]

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a new proposed rule to finally ban the use of all asbestos. Asbestos is a carcinogen that is still used in the U.S. and kills many thousands of Americans every year. The proposed rule would ban the use of all asbestos, including chrysotile asbestos, under a 2016 law that overhauled rules governing tens of thousands of toxic chemicals in everyday products, from household cleaners to clothing and furniture. Chrysotile asbestos is the most common type of asbestos used in products, from brake linings and gaskets to floors and roofs, and used to manufacture other […]

There was a time when asbestos was in nearly everything. It was inexpensive, relatively easy to find, and falsely believed by consumers and workers to be safe. Even today, there are still times when products you use every day could contain asbestos. Here’s what you should know about products that could contain asbestos. Remaining intentional uses While there are dramatically fewer places where you will encounter asbestos, it still has some very common uses, such as: Building and roofing materials Automobile parts (primarily clutches and brakes) Thermal Insulation Many other products Chalk Baby powder Makeup Crayons You may not handle […]

While many people generally link asbestos exposure to mining, shipyards, factory work, construction or heavy industry, the unfortunate reality is that companies used the material in countless occupations and consumer products. Due to the heat-resistant nature of asbestos, organizations manufactured numerous products using the material. Unfortunately, as the product ultimately broke down and deteriorated, the asbestos fibers became small enough to inhale or ingest leading to deadly conditions such as mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer. For hundreds of years, builders used asbestos fibers to enhance thousands of products eventually leading to mass production including steam pipes, flooring tiles or roofing […]

The FDA recently published a paper on asbestos testing in cosmetics written by the Interagency Working Group on Asbestos in Consumer Products (IWGACP), an agency they created. It was inspired by a public meeting on the subject in February of 2020, some two years ago. The length of time matches the length of the group’s name the document’s title, “IWGACP Scientific Opinions on Testing Methods for Asbestos in Cosmetic Products Containing Talc (including Talc Intended for Use in Cosmetics).” Proposed improvements in testing methods The objective of the white paper is to develop standardized testing methods that would make future […]