Louisville residents may have heard that Johnson & Johnson is being accused of selling talc-based baby powder containing asbestos. A new report from the Wall Street Journal reveals that the corporation rushed several laboratory tests in the effort to show that its product was free of asbestos contamination.
Mesothelioma: symptoms and risk factors
Louisville residents should know that mesothelioma is a rare cancer but also one of the most aggressive. It occurs in the thin layer of tissue called the mesothelium, which covers the heart, lungs and other internal organs. The two major types are pleural, occurring in the lining of the lungs, and peritoneal, occurring in the lining of the abdomen.
Mesothelioma statistics point to continued risk
After the public was informed that exposure to asbestos leads to a rare, devastating form of cancer called mesothelioma, regulations were put in place in order to protect workers in Louisville and across the country. Changes were made to how workers can use carcinogenic products like asbestos and to their use in consumer products and public buildings. While science and medical technology have advanced considerably since the discovery of the carcinogenic nature of asbestos, mesothelioma continues to devastate victims. Studies show little improvement in the rate of mesothelioma development or in the chances of victims' survival.
Asbestos exposure a safety risk for jewelers
Though asbestos use has been limited over the past few decades, it can still be found in various industries. Louisville residents should know that one of those industries is the jewelry industry. The first jewelry-related mesothelioma case was reported on back in 1992 by the American Journal of Industrial Medicine, so the issue has been known for a while.
Vintage household items may contain asbestos
Many of us prefer the feel and look of vintage clothes, cars and other "classic" items over their newer, often less durable counterparts. In fact, we've all heard someone say "they just don't make them like they used to" with a disappointed tone, remembering when this or that product was sturdier or better in some way. It's true — very few products of any kind are still manufactured with the same processes and materials used in previous decades.
