Unusual Sources of Asbestos Exposure That Can Cause Mesothelioma
Just because you didn’t work in a shipyard, steel mill, or power plant doesn’t mean you couldn’t be exposed to asbestos. There were thousands of products containing asbestos used by Americans for decades. If the diagnosis of an asbestos-related disease comes as a surprise, it may be due to the fact you inhaled or ingested asbestos fibers without knowing it.
There are many unusual circumstances where you may have been exposed to asbestos, including the ones named below.
Cosmetics Containing Asbestos
Cosmetic products containing talcum powder could be contaminated by asbestos, including:
- Baby powders
- Face powders
- Blushes
- Eye shadow
- Foundations
- Body powders
- Makeup kits
Major cosmetic manufacturers have switched from talcum powder to corn starch, so this shouldn’t be a problem with modern products. But it may be if you have older cosmetics in your home.
The country’s failure to regulate and adequately test talc-containing personal care resulted in the sale of these dangerous products, according to an article in the journal Environmental Health Insights. Consumers’ asbestos exposure is “poorly characterized and likely underestimated.”
The article published the results of a study that used electron microscopy to find that three of 21 powder-based cosmetic products researchers tested were contaminated with asbestos. One of them was marketed to children. “…(T)alc-based cosmetics may be an overlooked and difficult to characterize source of exposure to asbestos, a known carcinogen.”
Appliances Containing Asbestos
Up until the 1980s, asbestos was used in some household appliances as gaskets, insulation, or fire-proofing. If the asbestos products remained intact, it shouldn’t be a problem.
However, issues arise if the appliances are repaired and asbestos is released. You should be very wary of vintage appliances because, as time passes, their asbestos products may deteriorate and release fibers into the air.
Some appliances that contained asbestos include:
- Broilers
- Coffee pots
- Clothes dryers
- Cookstoves
- Coolers
- Cooktops
- Deep fryers
- Ranges
- Refrigerators
- Irons and iron rests
- Toasters
- Electric heaters
- Ovens
- Popcorn poppers
- Vacuum cleaners
- Washing machines
During its peak use, asbestos’ low price, easy availability, and resistance to heat, fire, chemicals, and electricity made it a common part of products that surrounded people where they lived and worked, in offices, schools, hospitals, vehicles, and aircraft.
Wood Stoves Containing Asbestos
Wood stoves and fireplaces built before the 1980s may use asbestos in several ways and pose a potential health risk if the products used are disturbed and fibers are released. Asbestos was used because of its strength and fire and heat resistance in:
- Door gaskets would create a tight seal around openings in wood stoves
- Refractory cement was used in fireplace construction or repairs
If these asbestos-containing materials are disturbed during use or while performing maintenance or repairs, fibers may be released into the air, where you could inhale or ingest them.
Over time, asbestos components in a fireplace or wood stove can deteriorate. Fibers can be released into the air without you disturbing them, and cracks or breaks in the materials can worsen this risk.
Water Containing Asbestos
Your water may contain asbestos fibers because it’s from a well in an area with naturally occurring asbestos, or it comes into your home through cement pipes containing asbestos.
It’s estimated that about 630,000 miles of these pipes are in the US. Some of them were installed in the early 1900s and are nearing the end of their useful lifespan, according to the BBC.
The World Health Organization doesn’t consider swallowing asbestos fibers in drinking water a severe health risk. Some epidemiological studies show a correlation between contaminated drinking water and stomach and gut cancers. Other studies, including those involving animals, fail to find such a link.
One scientific review published in 2023 stated large numbers of asbestos fibers can accumulate in the colon. Other research has shown links between high levels of asbestos exposure and colorectal cancer, though there could be other causes.
Clothing and Textiles Containing Asbestos
Asbestos fibers were once used in manufacturing fabrics to make them fire resistant.
This includes firefighting uniforms with asbestos-lined gloves, fire-resistant coats, and protective suits. Even some household products like ironing board covers and oven mitts contained asbestos. So anywhere wearing or handling these items could have released fibers.
There have all been claims of secondhand exposure to asbestos fibers through clothing.
A worker in a shipyard or construction site where asbestos was present can have those fibers passed to their family when mixed in the laundry. It’s possible that the spouse of a worker could inhale dangerous asbestos fibers while laundering their clothes.
Call Us Today For A Free Consultation
Those diagnosed with asbestos-related conditions may be entitled to compensation. Satterley & Kelley, PLLC attorneys are your boots on the ground if you or a family member in Kentucky has mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease. Call us at 855-385-9532, locally 502-589-5600, or contact us online to arrange a free initial consultation with a Satterley & Kelley PLLC lawyer.