#101 ·
Welcome everyone! On this site, I’ve gathered everything you need to know about this devastating disease.
http://www.mesotheliomacentar.com
http://www.mesotheliomacentar.com
Asbestosis
Started by Jamie Clark74 · · 👁 9 views · 123 replies
#102 ·
Adam Vrancic said:Everyone visiting my site can find everything they need to know about that terrible disease
http://www.mesotheliomacentar.com
Not much of an effort, Adam Vrancic!
Most people here read in English, so you could have at least tried to adapt your post with more than just a single link that only covers one specific area. "thet terible disease"....... which is actually spelled "That terrible disease." .....It would be much more interesting if you provided your own translation of the materials you're recommending!
How much do you actually know about Asbestosis?... clearly not much if you can't even type two words correctly in English.... so how can we trust your sources?
I’ve already included literature published in America, written by American specialists.
It took me thousands of hours to put this all together.... and my article actually contains much more useful links than the ones you're suggesting.... Beyond mesothelioma, which is fatal, there are two other conditions: Pleural Plaque & Asbestosis. You don't die directly from those, but you suffer from them for 25 years or more... some people end up on oxygen and barely move, while those with Pleural Plaque mostly deal with breathing restrictions depending on how much physical effort they exert.
A patient suffering from Asbestosis/Pleural Plaque & the onset of Asbestosis.
Vilko P. S.
P.S. Other articles from a SPECIALIST:
😎
#103 ·
I have a bit of a silly question here,
I saw some mentions regarding the Salonit factory,
And my first thought when I hear that name is those Salonit roofing sheets. Is there a connection there, and could those sheets actually contain asbestos?
My family has a house on the coast built back in the 70s, and it’s covered with those types of sheets. To make matters worse, being right by the ocean, we rely on water collected from the roof.
I saw some mentions regarding the Salonit factory,
And my first thought when I hear that name is those Salonit roofing sheets. Is there a connection there, and could those sheets actually contain asbestos?
My family has a house on the coast built back in the 70s, and it’s covered with those types of sheets. To make matters worse, being right by the ocean, we rely on water collected from the roof.
#104 ·
ironsurfer8 said:I have a silly question,
I saw something written about the Salonit factory,
and my first thought when I hear that name is those Salonit roofing sheets. Is there a connection there, and can those sheets contain asbestos?
My family has a house on the coast built in the 70s that uses those sheets for the roof. To make matters worse, being by the ocean, we collect our water from the runoff off the roof.
That’s not a silly question. If more people actually thought things through, there would be fewer consequences later on.
We can't change the past; those products were used then and some are still in use today.
The most important thing is knowing when those old ASBESTOS PRODUCTS need to be removed... making sure the work is done safely, handled carefully, and performed only by professionals experienced with it. You have to ensure it's properly contained so nobody becomes a victim.
Asbestos is most dangerous when it becomes airborne dust—like when a sheet cracks and shifts, or when you're drilling holes in it. And don't even get me started on old insulated pipes.
Your question is basically this: if I said I wouldn't drink water collected from an asbestos roof... it's hard to wrap your head around. But up until just a few months ago, I always drank rainwater collected from either shingles or zinc roofing here in the US... and honestly, how much worse is that compared to the daily polluted air we breathe? These days, I filter my tap water because I can't stand the taste of chlorination.
The experts say it isn't just a risk for those working directly with asbestos, but for anyone nearby when "ASBESTOS PARTICLES" are in the air. In fact, the biggest wave of victims will likely come in the future when we start tearing down products that are everywhere: hospitals, schools, offices, or heating and cooling pipes lined with it. It's a widespread danger... but try telling someone that. Even here in the States, where regulations for removal are incredibly strict and only "licensed professionals" are allowed to touch it, you still see violations happening all the time.
I believe I've mentioned this before, about two American sisters who passed away from mesothelioma. After looking into it, it turned out they used to clean their roof frequently with a stiff
broom to clear away dirt and dried bird droppings. They were inhaling those particles for years. Maybe if they had sprayed it with water while cleaning it might have helped, but they cleaned it dry and then rinsed it with water afterward.
Homes, for instance, are full of asbestos products, even in some household appliances. I'm glad when I read a question like yours... asking questions isn't stupid, and being cautious isn't foolish. You aren't an idiot for wanting to help and warn others.
Best regards,
Vilko P. S.
😎
#106 ·
I started a new thread at the link above regarding asbestos, so if anyone happens to have some insight on the matter, I would truly appreciate your thoughts.
#108 ·
Ronald Green5 said:Who knows English? www.asbestosis.tk
Just a useless link posted by a law firm with very little medical insight.
I’ve already covered everything you need to know and translated it all into English. It goes much deeper than that amateurish legal link posted above. In fact, back in the day, the steel mill used to send me to the University just to finish my diploma in "Asbestos Protection and Remediation."
It’s not just about mesothelioma. Even if you get a diagnosis, you're looking at the end of the road—usually within six to nine months.
Months left, and there's no cure.
I've already covered the other conditions, specifically Pleural Plaque and Asbestosis.
Over the next 40 to 50 years, millions of people are going to die from the consequences of asbestos exposure. While smoking certainly spikes your risk—increasing it by about 80% compared to non-smokers—the dust is its own monster. Take the collapse of the Twin Towers in the US, for example. When those buildings went down, the dust cloud drifted for miles. That debris was packed with asbestos because the structures were built using asbestos plates. It wasn't until a year later that experts started coming forward with projections on how many people would die from asbestos-related illnesses over the following two or three decades.
People don't realize that the issue isn't just about asbestos in factories or mines.
It's in everything—car brakes, insulation for older cooling pipes, maybe even in eye products.
From insulated piping to various household heaters and water boilers, we’re talking about 2,500 different products. Even though it's banned now, these items are still being imported into the US from Russia.
The real issue is that it’s everywhere—embedded right in the plates. Whether you're touching them or they're just wearing down, those microscopic particles are what make it dangerous. Because of that, getting rid of old products needs to be handled under strict supervision and disposed of somewhere completely safe.
It’s a well-known and tragic reality: wives of workers who handled contaminated workwear ended up developing mesothelioma. The same thing happened during home renovations back in the mid-seventies and eighties when people were tearing out and replacing old sheets. I even know of cases where children held onto pieces of material their fathers were cutting, only to develop mesothelioma themselves. In my experience, quite a few children have died from it in the US.
So many people passed away without ever realizing they were suffering from asbestos-related diseases. Even in the US, there were countless deaths over the last twenty years that went unexplained simply because families had no idea what actually caused their loved ones to die.
I've used an example before where I mentioned how Canada passed legislation making it impossible to receive any compensation for asbestos-related illnesses.
In America, the largest corporation responsible for manufacturing asbestos plates and various other products actually sold itself off to an American firm just to dodge its legal liabilities. Eventually, thanks to some heavy lifting by the Union, we managed to force them to set aside funds for settlements. But then they tried to pull a fast one, claiming they’d only pay up if the government didn't tax the payouts—and even now, they’re still backtracking. We’re talking about billions of dollars here, and so many sick people are going to suffer because of it.
An 80-year-old man in South Australia recently passed away from mesothelioma. Up until then, Parliament hadn't managed to pass the new legislation required to cover state employees for these payouts. However, following a national TV exposé and some serious Union intervention, the man was awarded about $300,000. It’s not like that money can buy his life back, obviously, but at least he knows he left something behind for his wife. After struggling through nine agonizing months of lung failure, I suppose there's some small sense of justice in that.
For those of us dealing with Pleural Plaque and Asbestosis, breathing difficulties are a real struggle. It varies from person to person, but for many facing Asbestosis, it’s a grueling battle that can last 20 or 30 years. You end up relying on oxygen tanks just to get by, and eventually, you lose your mobility entirely.
There’s plenty of other news out there, but honestly, because people tend to ignore real medical advice in favor of "old school" folk remedies, I’m done arguing with idiots who read one headline and suddenly think they're experts. I was trained on the job at a steel mill, working as a supervisor specifically tasked with asbestos removal. Many of my peers are already in the ground because of it—some even as young as 58.
I was also part of a support group for people suffering from Asbestosis.
When I first started this thread a long time ago... some people actually used it as an excuse to mock others.
😎
#109 ·
February 1st, 2004
Adelaide, Australia
Adelaide Sunday Mail
Reporter: Craig Clarke
Translated by: Vilim Vilko Kovacic
SHIPBUILDERS OF DEATH!
The Adelaide Sunday Mail (with a circulation of about 750,000) has launched a special investigation into the Whyalla Shipbuilder and the victims of Asbestosis. This report draws on accounts from workers, the Union, and Professor Douglas Handerson, a specialist in asbestos-related diseases.
The shipyard opened in early 1941 to meet the WWII demand for smaller patrol vessels. In total, 60 ships were built there.
Opened in 1941 and closed in 1978 due to competition.
During that period, about 20,000 people worked there—some for a short time, others for their entire lives. Many learned the trade there, and when the shipyard closed, they moved over to the steel mill.
I won't dwell too much on the effects of asbestos; anyone reading this likely knows the following:
1/ Mesothelioma is a cancer that usually kills within 3 to 9 months of diagnosis.
It can take 10 to 50 years from the initial exposure to asbestos before the disease actually manifests.
2/ Lung cancer is most common in smokers who were also exposed to asbestos. If caught very early, surgery might remove the cancer, but that rarely happens.
It usually takes about 15 years or more after contact with asbestos for the consequences to show up.
Symptoms include coughing, pain when breathing, weight loss, respiratory restriction, and eventually, a painful death.
3/ Asbestosis is the diagnosis for those heavily exposed to asbestos. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, coughing, bluish skin discoloration, and lung constriction. The disease only progresses, there is no cure, and it ends in death due to respiratory failure.
4/ Pleural Plaque involves particles forming on the lining of the lungs. Over time, these plaques fuse and calcify. Patients feel intense pain during even slight physical exertion because of reduced lung function. There is no cure, and the condition only worsens.
Generally, this hasn't been widely reported or tracked. Many workers were only there briefly before moving on... whether they became ill or passed away remains unknown.
Finally, the company is being attacked for failing to protect its workers for 37 years, despite knowing the dangers of asbestos.
In a short period in Whyalla, 17 people have died from mesothelioma, and 50 from lung cancer linked to asbestos.
Another 150 are suffering from Asbestosis or Pleural Plaque.
A representative from the Union for "asbestos victims" stated that managers knew about the danger but failed to protect people... many have died, and many more will die in great agony.
A medical specialist stated that based on data from other shipyards, averages suggest another 800 people will die from mesothelioma and lung cancer... and how many more will suffer through other asbestos-related illnesses?
Right now, there are 30 cases in court. Just remember: you often have to be dying before you can even sue.
Lawyers say they are preparing for a massive wave of lawsuits because they are hearing from people who are just now showing symptoms. It has also come to light that many who previously died from asbestos exposure were never officially recorded as victims.
Personally, in my own articles, I’ve mentioned that we all thought we knew what was happening, but nothing was done. I also happen to know quite a few doctors—I used to do private work for them—who told me exactly what was going on.
(In my case, I am 62 years old. My Asbestosis first appeared in 1998, though I have been getting regular X-rays for years due to lung issues.
I didn't work at the shipyard, but at the steel mill, where the situation is just as bad.)
The Sunday Mail spent months investigating documentation spanning 30 years, looking through Union records, safety commission files, legislation, and shipyard documents.
Here are just a few brief statements from the workers.
"As an electrical scientist, back when we were learning the trade, we used to make little clumps out of asbestos (just picking up dust off the floor)
and play with them," said Geoff Pope, 59, who is currently dying of cancer.
I just wanted to mention how much today hit me. My wife actually hid the newspaper because she didn't want me to see it—there was a four-page special feature. But then my younger son emailed me asking if I’d read it, thinking about my friends.
Two men passed away in a very short window: 57-year-old Derrick Williams and 60-year-old Ray Isles. We had known them for 30 years, and both died from mesothelioma.
I won't go on about assigning blame or pointing fingers, but like I've said before, millions of people across the world are going to die in terrible pain.
I won't even get into the descriptions of how asbestos used to float through the air like snow, or all the other things that seem impossible to believe when you look back just 30 years.
I've been writing about this for two years now. I've been laughed at, and I know I'll be mocked again by those "smart people"... the ones who treat asbestos like some kind of game and are too foolish to realize they could easily become victims themselves. Honestly, I wouldn't waste a tear on them.
I know all those people who are sick but haven't passed away yet, and that makes it harder for me. I see what they go through day in and day out, night after night. I share their fate, and I can't help but wonder how much longer this goes on.
It's everywhere—in residential use and commercial settings. For instance, you see people using AC units where the pipes are insulated with asbestos in older buildings.
And then there are the idiots who say, "You're sick because you wanted it." As if being positive about life would somehow prevent you from getting Asbestosis.
Adelaide, Australia
Adelaide Sunday Mail
Reporter: Craig Clarke
Translated by: Vilim Vilko Kovacic
SHIPBUILDERS OF DEATH!
The Adelaide Sunday Mail (with a circulation of about 750,000) has launched a special investigation into the Whyalla Shipbuilder and the victims of Asbestosis. This report draws on accounts from workers, the Union, and Professor Douglas Handerson, a specialist in asbestos-related diseases.
The shipyard opened in early 1941 to meet the WWII demand for smaller patrol vessels. In total, 60 ships were built there.
Opened in 1941 and closed in 1978 due to competition.
During that period, about 20,000 people worked there—some for a short time, others for their entire lives. Many learned the trade there, and when the shipyard closed, they moved over to the steel mill.
I won't dwell too much on the effects of asbestos; anyone reading this likely knows the following:
1/ Mesothelioma is a cancer that usually kills within 3 to 9 months of diagnosis.
It can take 10 to 50 years from the initial exposure to asbestos before the disease actually manifests.
2/ Lung cancer is most common in smokers who were also exposed to asbestos. If caught very early, surgery might remove the cancer, but that rarely happens.
It usually takes about 15 years or more after contact with asbestos for the consequences to show up.
Symptoms include coughing, pain when breathing, weight loss, respiratory restriction, and eventually, a painful death.
3/ Asbestosis is the diagnosis for those heavily exposed to asbestos. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, coughing, bluish skin discoloration, and lung constriction. The disease only progresses, there is no cure, and it ends in death due to respiratory failure.
4/ Pleural Plaque involves particles forming on the lining of the lungs. Over time, these plaques fuse and calcify. Patients feel intense pain during even slight physical exertion because of reduced lung function. There is no cure, and the condition only worsens.
Generally, this hasn't been widely reported or tracked. Many workers were only there briefly before moving on... whether they became ill or passed away remains unknown.
Finally, the company is being attacked for failing to protect its workers for 37 years, despite knowing the dangers of asbestos.
In a short period in Whyalla, 17 people have died from mesothelioma, and 50 from lung cancer linked to asbestos.
Another 150 are suffering from Asbestosis or Pleural Plaque.
A representative from the Union for "asbestos victims" stated that managers knew about the danger but failed to protect people... many have died, and many more will die in great agony.
A medical specialist stated that based on data from other shipyards, averages suggest another 800 people will die from mesothelioma and lung cancer... and how many more will suffer through other asbestos-related illnesses?
Right now, there are 30 cases in court. Just remember: you often have to be dying before you can even sue.
Lawyers say they are preparing for a massive wave of lawsuits because they are hearing from people who are just now showing symptoms. It has also come to light that many who previously died from asbestos exposure were never officially recorded as victims.
Personally, in my own articles, I’ve mentioned that we all thought we knew what was happening, but nothing was done. I also happen to know quite a few doctors—I used to do private work for them—who told me exactly what was going on.
(In my case, I am 62 years old. My Asbestosis first appeared in 1998, though I have been getting regular X-rays for years due to lung issues.
I didn't work at the shipyard, but at the steel mill, where the situation is just as bad.)
The Sunday Mail spent months investigating documentation spanning 30 years, looking through Union records, safety commission files, legislation, and shipyard documents.
Here are just a few brief statements from the workers.
"As an electrical scientist, back when we were learning the trade, we used to make little clumps out of asbestos (just picking up dust off the floor)
and play with them," said Geoff Pope, 59, who is currently dying of cancer.
I just wanted to mention how much today hit me. My wife actually hid the newspaper because she didn't want me to see it—there was a four-page special feature. But then my younger son emailed me asking if I’d read it, thinking about my friends.
Two men passed away in a very short window: 57-year-old Derrick Williams and 60-year-old Ray Isles. We had known them for 30 years, and both died from mesothelioma.
I won't go on about assigning blame or pointing fingers, but like I've said before, millions of people across the world are going to die in terrible pain.
I won't even get into the descriptions of how asbestos used to float through the air like snow, or all the other things that seem impossible to believe when you look back just 30 years.
I've been writing about this for two years now. I've been laughed at, and I know I'll be mocked again by those "smart people"... the ones who treat asbestos like some kind of game and are too foolish to realize they could easily become victims themselves. Honestly, I wouldn't waste a tear on them.
I know all those people who are sick but haven't passed away yet, and that makes it harder for me. I see what they go through day in and day out, night after night. I share their fate, and I can't help but wonder how much longer this goes on.
It's everywhere—in residential use and commercial settings. For instance, you see people using AC units where the pipes are insulated with asbestos in older buildings.
And then there are the idiots who say, "You're sick because you wanted it." As if being positive about life would somehow prevent you from getting Asbestosis.
#110 ·
Hi everyone!
I’ve been seeing news reports lately about some recent changes to the laws regarding occupational illnesses caused by asbestos. There’s also been talk about retroactive compensation rights or something along those lines...
Does anyone happen to know who I should contact to actually claim these announced rights?
A quick answer would be much appreciated!
Thanks in advance, cheers - bockavi.
I’ve been seeing news reports lately about some recent changes to the laws regarding occupational illnesses caused by asbestos. There’s also been talk about retroactive compensation rights or something along those lines...
Does anyone happen to know who I should contact to actually claim these announced rights?
A quick answer would be much appreciated!
Thanks in advance, cheers - bockavi.
#111 ·
USA, August 21, 2007
Bernie Banton is devastated by a new diagnosis of asbestos-related disease.
Anti-asbestos campaigner Bernie Banton says he was devastated to find out he's been diagnosed with yet another asbestos-related illness.
Mr. Banton, who has become the public face of the campaign for compensation from the James Hardie company, just received the third blow in what he describes as a "triple whammy."
Back in the 60s and 70s, Mr. Banton worked at a James Hardie insulation plant. That experience led to him contracting asbestosis, followed by ARPD (asbestosis-related pleural disease).
He’s just received a diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma. It’s an abdominal cancer linked to asbestos exposure, and typically, patients are looking at a prognosis of only six to nine months."I tried to act like I could handle it, but honestly? I was shattered. There isn't any other way to put it—just completely shattered," Mr. Banton told reporters at Concord Hospital.
Mr. Banton has pledged to take on this latest health battle with everything he's got.
In an ironic twist, the lawyers representing him have filed a compensation claim against the very fund Mr. Banton fought so hard to establish for the company's asbestos victims.
Tanya Segelov, representing Bernie Banton, stated that his mesothelioma was definitely triggered by his exposure to asbestos while working for James Hardie.
"In the US, the only known cause for mesothelioma is asbestos exposure, so there's really no doubt he contracted this from his time working at James Hardie," Ms. Segelov told ABC radio.
Ms. Segelov said Bernie was diagnosed on Friday and was still in shock at learning he had only months to live.
"In classic Bernie fashion, he's vowing to keep fighting," she said.
Ms. Segelov noted there were two main reasons why he decided to pursue more compensation.
She noted that while any money wouldn't do much for Mr. Banton personally, it would provide him some peace of mind knowing his family would be taken care of financially.
On top of everything else, Bernie Banton is hell-bent on securing the compensation he deserves for this devastating injury and ensuring the company is held fully accountable for what they did.
Bernie Banton is devastated by a new diagnosis of asbestos-related disease.
Anti-asbestos campaigner Bernie Banton says he was devastated to find out he's been diagnosed with yet another asbestos-related illness.
Mr. Banton, who has become the public face of the campaign for compensation from the James Hardie company, just received the third blow in what he describes as a "triple whammy."
Back in the 60s and 70s, Mr. Banton worked at a James Hardie insulation plant. That experience led to him contracting asbestosis, followed by ARPD (asbestosis-related pleural disease).
He’s just received a diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma. It’s an abdominal cancer linked to asbestos exposure, and typically, patients are looking at a prognosis of only six to nine months."I tried to act like I could handle it, but honestly? I was shattered. There isn't any other way to put it—just completely shattered," Mr. Banton told reporters at Concord Hospital.
Mr. Banton has pledged to take on this latest health battle with everything he's got.
In an ironic twist, the lawyers representing him have filed a compensation claim against the very fund Mr. Banton fought so hard to establish for the company's asbestos victims.
Tanya Segelov, representing Bernie Banton, stated that his mesothelioma was definitely triggered by his exposure to asbestos while working for James Hardie.
"In the US, the only known cause for mesothelioma is asbestos exposure, so there's really no doubt he contracted this from his time working at James Hardie," Ms. Segelov told ABC radio.
Ms. Segelov said Bernie was diagnosed on Friday and was still in shock at learning he had only months to live.
"In classic Bernie fashion, he's vowing to keep fighting," she said.
Ms. Segelov noted there were two main reasons why he decided to pursue more compensation.
She noted that while any money wouldn't do much for Mr. Banton personally, it would provide him some peace of mind knowing his family would be taken care of financially.
On top of everything else, Bernie Banton is hell-bent on securing the compensation he deserves for this devastating injury and ensuring the company is held fully accountable for what they did.
#112 ·
Asbestos is claiming a new generation.
by Pia Akerman October 20
October 20, 2007 06:00am
When most people think about asbestos-related diseases, they picture a man—someone whose face shows the grit and strain of a lifetime spent working heavy construction or on a grueling factory line.
Now we're seeing a new wave of victims—increasingly women, often called the "third wave"—and it looks like the numbers are about to skyrocket.
It’s heartbreaking to think about. Kids who used to run around their parents' feet while walls were being knocked down or home extensions were being built are now facing mesothelioma—that devastating cancer that attacks the lungs and abdomen after hiding for decades.
Forty years ago, Anita Steiner's parents decided to build a workshop next to their house in the leafy Adelaide suburb of Torrens Park. Four-year-old Anita watched as the workshop—made of asbestos—went up, and then again a few years later when it was demolished.
"I was far too young back then to really grasp what was coming," Ms. Steiner said. "I just remember hanging around the crew while they were building it, but I’m fairly certain nobody realized there was any kind of risk involved."
Back in May, while she was trying to conceive her first child, she received a diagnosis of mesothelioma.
Ms. Steiner is currently undergoing chemotherapy following surgery to remove portions of her lungs. She’s convinced that most homeowners tackling renovations are completely oblivious to the asbestos risks lurking in their walls, and she fears the count of victims is only going up. "I honestly think we're headed for a wave of issues," she noted. "It isn't just the DIYers doing the work—it's the families actually living in those houses while the renovations are happening."
It’s a prediction that many others working on the front lines of asbestos disease research and patient support are also making.
Armando Gardiman, the managing partner at Turner Freeman Lawyers—a firm that handles hundreds of asbestos-related cases annually—noted that they've seen a massive spike in people coming forward due to home renovations since 2000.
"The nature of these cases is shifting," he noted. "The demographic we're seeing is completely different now. Plaintiffs are getting younger by the day, and we're seeing more women involved because of these DIY-related exposures."
Across the US, the death toll from mesothelioma has been climbing steadily since the late 1990s. Looking back at the data from 2005—the most recent year we have complete figures for—522 people lost their lives to the disease. That represents a 25 percent jump compared to 1997.
The most significant spike in cases has happened in South Australia. This actually surpassed Western Australia, which held the title for the highest global rate of malignant mesothelioma per capita back in the late 1990s.
Illness among workers and residents of Wittenoom— 901 miles The high numbers in Western Australia were driven largely by what happened north of Perth, where blue asbestos was mined and processed from the 1930s through the 1960s.
The victims from the Wittenoom era are almost entirely gone now, yet we’re seeing a steady rise in cases among people just trying to renovate their homes.
A big part of why we're seeing so many cases in South Australia comes down to those old public housing projects in the suburbs. They were built using fibro cement, and then plenty of families went ahead and renovated them throughout the 60s, 70s, and 80s.
Jamie Clark74 commented:
Like I’ve mentioned many times before, this isn't just about an occupational hazard for workers—the danger is everywhere. You have children playing right under their parents' feet while asbestos plates were being torn down or old home extensions were being built, breathing in that dust. Now, thirty or forty years later, those same kids are falling ill.
Reports show that about 500 people in the US die from mesothelioma every year. It makes you wonder about those of us dealing with asbestosis or pleural plaque. We have plenty of people facing that here, too.
With asbestos, you can deal with the consequences for 20 or 25 years—struggling to breathe and living with serious limitations.
The whole world is saturated with these toxins, yet there's so little concern about how we actually get rid of them. Safely removing, packaging, and burying hazardous waste in a secure location is incredibly expensive. Because of that cost, you see too many people just handling things themselves—driving around and dumping waste wherever they can just to save a few bucks. They don't seem to realize they're poisoning themselves and everyone else who ends up exposed to that junk.
by Pia Akerman October 20
October 20, 2007 06:00am
When most people think about asbestos-related diseases, they picture a man—someone whose face shows the grit and strain of a lifetime spent working heavy construction or on a grueling factory line.
Now we're seeing a new wave of victims—increasingly women, often called the "third wave"—and it looks like the numbers are about to skyrocket.
It’s heartbreaking to think about. Kids who used to run around their parents' feet while walls were being knocked down or home extensions were being built are now facing mesothelioma—that devastating cancer that attacks the lungs and abdomen after hiding for decades.
Forty years ago, Anita Steiner's parents decided to build a workshop next to their house in the leafy Adelaide suburb of Torrens Park. Four-year-old Anita watched as the workshop—made of asbestos—went up, and then again a few years later when it was demolished.
"I was far too young back then to really grasp what was coming," Ms. Steiner said. "I just remember hanging around the crew while they were building it, but I’m fairly certain nobody realized there was any kind of risk involved."
Back in May, while she was trying to conceive her first child, she received a diagnosis of mesothelioma.
Ms. Steiner is currently undergoing chemotherapy following surgery to remove portions of her lungs. She’s convinced that most homeowners tackling renovations are completely oblivious to the asbestos risks lurking in their walls, and she fears the count of victims is only going up. "I honestly think we're headed for a wave of issues," she noted. "It isn't just the DIYers doing the work—it's the families actually living in those houses while the renovations are happening."
It’s a prediction that many others working on the front lines of asbestos disease research and patient support are also making.
Armando Gardiman, the managing partner at Turner Freeman Lawyers—a firm that handles hundreds of asbestos-related cases annually—noted that they've seen a massive spike in people coming forward due to home renovations since 2000.
"The nature of these cases is shifting," he noted. "The demographic we're seeing is completely different now. Plaintiffs are getting younger by the day, and we're seeing more women involved because of these DIY-related exposures."
Across the US, the death toll from mesothelioma has been climbing steadily since the late 1990s. Looking back at the data from 2005—the most recent year we have complete figures for—522 people lost their lives to the disease. That represents a 25 percent jump compared to 1997.
The most significant spike in cases has happened in South Australia. This actually surpassed Western Australia, which held the title for the highest global rate of malignant mesothelioma per capita back in the late 1990s.
Illness among workers and residents of Wittenoom— 901 miles The high numbers in Western Australia were driven largely by what happened north of Perth, where blue asbestos was mined and processed from the 1930s through the 1960s.
The victims from the Wittenoom era are almost entirely gone now, yet we’re seeing a steady rise in cases among people just trying to renovate their homes.
A big part of why we're seeing so many cases in South Australia comes down to those old public housing projects in the suburbs. They were built using fibro cement, and then plenty of families went ahead and renovated them throughout the 60s, 70s, and 80s.
Jamie Clark74 commented:
Like I’ve mentioned many times before, this isn't just about an occupational hazard for workers—the danger is everywhere. You have children playing right under their parents' feet while asbestos plates were being torn down or old home extensions were being built, breathing in that dust. Now, thirty or forty years later, those same kids are falling ill.
Reports show that about 500 people in the US die from mesothelioma every year. It makes you wonder about those of us dealing with asbestosis or pleural plaque. We have plenty of people facing that here, too.
With asbestos, you can deal with the consequences for 20 or 25 years—struggling to breathe and living with serious limitations.
The whole world is saturated with these toxins, yet there's so little concern about how we actually get rid of them. Safely removing, packaging, and burying hazardous waste in a secure location is incredibly expensive. Because of that cost, you see too many people just handling things themselves—driving around and dumping waste wherever they can just to save a few bucks. They don't seem to realize they're poisoning themselves and everyone else who ends up exposed to that junk.
#114 ·
I’ve been wondering—how often does the danger from asbestos actually manifest when it’s tucked away inside an old stove? Our heating system gave out on us recently, so we brought back this wood-burning stove to the kitchen—you know, the one we kept tucked away since the early nineties. So, that asbestos packing is quite old. We used to vacuum around the stove all the time during cleaning, though I highly doubt there's much left there now. Regardless, the door itself still contains a fair amount of those fibers (since it's a double-door design meant to hold the seal together), and honestly, it would be a massive headache to take it apart. But then, near the top plate, there was also that packing material which my mother just removed in the kitchen—and despite my hysterical protests, she went at it with such energetic pulling and scraping with a screwdriver that everything was rattling around (especially since the packing hadn't been replaced and had become brittle from the heat), and she ended up sealing it with what they call "glass wool." I was in the room at the time, and I probably inhaled some of it, even though I wasn't standing right on top of it. My mother claims there isn't a trace of asbestos left in the unit, just the packing, but I suspect she hasn't the slightest clue.
Should I be worried? Okay, that’s a silly question—I am worried to high heaven and back again. 😢
My father passed away from lung cancer (though, to be fair, he didn't exactly look after himself—constant stress, smoking...), and both my mother and I have been dealing with a persistent cough for years; our respiratory tracts are incredibly sensitive. It’s not that we have specific allergies or anything, it’s just a constant cough, lots of mucus, and this feeling of bronchial irritation—but you know how it is, it feels impossible to get a referral for any actual testing unless you're practically dying.
Anyway... I can't exactly toss the stove out, so I don't know if those fibers are still hazardous if they've stayed intact? I'm not sure about the composition of that packing either—was it pure asbestos, or did it only contain a certain percentage? 🤷
I'm freaking out. 🙂Pardon my English.
Thanks!
Should I be worried? Okay, that’s a silly question—I am worried to high heaven and back again. 😢
My father passed away from lung cancer (though, to be fair, he didn't exactly look after himself—constant stress, smoking...), and both my mother and I have been dealing with a persistent cough for years; our respiratory tracts are incredibly sensitive. It’s not that we have specific allergies or anything, it’s just a constant cough, lots of mucus, and this feeling of bronchial irritation—but you know how it is, it feels impossible to get a referral for any actual testing unless you're practically dying.
Anyway... I can't exactly toss the stove out, so I don't know if those fibers are still hazardous if they've stayed intact? I'm not sure about the composition of that packing either—was it pure asbestos, or did it only contain a certain percentage? 🤷
I'm freaking out. 🙂Pardon my English.
Thanks!
#115 ·
My husband came home from work today with some pretty unsettling news. Apparently, they’re renovating the hospital boiler room, and while chatting with the janitors and the boiler technician, they found out the plaster being stripped away contains asbestos. It seems nobody thought to warn them to take precautions beforehand, and even the person in charge of the renovations at the hospital claims they aren't sure if there's actually asbestos in the plaster. Their contractor is also either genuinely clueless or just pretending to be. Now they're expected to carry out the work without knowing how to protect themselves or if any truly safe protection even exists for this kind of thing. I suppose I’m feeling quite angry about it, as I feel someone should have done more than just issue a warning; they really should have educated them on the risks of asbestos. But it feels like the priority is just getting the job done as cheaply as possible, and the workers' safety doesn't seem to matter much to anyone—perhaps because they assume these men are uneducated or simply less valuable.
#116 ·
Unfortunately, everyone seems to be acting like this isn't even an issue... what's the latest? I can't find any recent articles. Has the situation with the Salonit plant in Vranjic been resolved? Or the one in Ploca? I'm only finding stuff from a few years back...🤷
Are we still importing asbestos from Russia?
Are we still importing asbestos from Russia?
#117 ·
By sheer coincidence, I ended up moving about ten asbestos plates from my yard over to the neighbor's property. Some of them were already cracked and weathered; they had been sitting there for about thirty years acting as a makeshift roof for a small storage shed in the backyard (back then, it was just standard building material). I later learned about Asbestosis, but considering my "interaction" with these asbestos plates lasted less than a full day, should I really be concerned? Or is it worth getting an X-ray of my lungs just to be safe?
#118 ·
Melissa Cook said:By sheer coincidence, I ended up moving about ten asbestos plates from my yard over to the neighbor's property. Some of them were already cracked and weathered; they had been sitting there for about thirty years acting as a makeshift roof for a small storage shed in the backyard (back then, it was just standard building material). I later learned about Asbestosis, but considering my "interaction" with these asbestos plates lasted less than a full day, should I really be concerned? Or is it worth getting an X-ray of my lungs just to be safe?
That wasn't pure asbestos; it was Salonit, which contains it.
A lung X-ray shows changes in the lungs, but it won't show the actual asbestos fibers that get lodged inside them. For those changes to actually show up, you generally need long-term, chronic exposure to asbestos dust. Asbestos isn't like a classic poison—it just destroys your lungs if you inhale it for many, many years.
Judging by what you did and how long you spent working with that Salonit, you're going to be fine. 👍
#119 ·
Look, I’m not sure if anyone here will actually get back to me, but it feels worth asking. I’m in the process of buying a house—it's about 35 years old—and there are clearly Salonit sheets on the roof. That part is obvious. However, how am I supposed to know if there's asbestos hidden in the walls? What’s the actual protocol for checking that? The current owner isn't sure because she inherited the place from her parents and has never actually lived there herself. If anyone has some advice or knows the best way to handle this, please let me know.
#120 ·
placidjackal36 said:That wasn't pure asbestos; it was Salonit, which contains it.
A lung X-ray shows changes in the lungs, but it won't show the actual asbestos fibers that get lodged inside them. For those changes to actually show up, you generally need long-term, chronic exposure to asbestos dust. Asbestos isn't like a classic poison—it just destroys your lungs if you inhale it for many, many years.
Judging by what you did and how long you spent working with that Salonit, you're going to be fine. 👍
Just another expert acting like they don't know anything!
I think I already described the consequences of contact with asbestos earlier... "how little it takes."
In the last few years in the US, women around 35-40 years old have passed away.
They died from mesothelioma... once you're diagnosed with it, you have anywhere from six months to a year left... there is no help and no cure.
All those women who died were just helping their fathers hold asbestos plates while he cut them during home renovations when they were children... so it wasn't even a case of massive or long-term exposure.
Usually, it takes 20 or more years for asbestos-related diseases to show up on an X-ray.
Most diagnoses happen "when patients go in for a different checkup by accident"—like when I went in for a pain clinic appointment—and they find out something is wrong with their heart or lungs.
After a standard CT scan, pleural plaque showed up... which is a consequence of Asbestosis.
Since I go for checkups/breathing tests twice a year and a CT scan once a year... we know that over 12 years, the pleural plaque has accumulated and will likely stay that way. Luckily, I quit smoking before I was 22... so my capacity is actually much better than the average healthy 67-year-old.
Only a little Asbestosis shows up... BUT only as a starting point.
I wrote before that there are only three diagnoses related to asbestos:
1/pleural plaque... which can lead to fusion and restricted breathing.
2/Asbestosis... it can be mild, but it can also be unbearable and require oxygen.
3/Mesothelioma... this is what kills you... there is no such thing as someone "who recovered or didn't die."
Vilko P. S.