ASBESTOS IN NUMBERS

4 Jan 2016

A lot of people seem to think that the reactions to the issues caused by asbestos are exaggerated, but unfortunately, it is not the case. Since 1989, when the HSA decided to imposeasbestos regulations in Ireland in order to protect workers that have to work with this material, more and more conditions related to it have been discovered. The issues that surround asbestos are incredible. In order to shed a little light on the topic, we studied some statistics related to this mineral, to the problems it causes and to the people that it has affected over the years. Here is some of the information we found:

 

  • There are about 4800 people diagnosed with cancer caused by exposure to asbestos every year only in the United States of America.
  • The second most common cancer caused by this mineral is mesothelioma.
  • There are 4 types of cancer that are caused by asbestos: lung cancer, laryngeal cancer, ovarian cancer and mesothelioma.
  • The first case of lung cancer caused by asbestos was confirmed in the early 1940’s.
  • In the United States of America, at least 4% of the cases of lung cancers are caused by asbestos exposure.
  • From initial asbestos exposure, lung cancer can take between 15 and 35 years to develop.
  • There were about 12000 cases of laryngeal cancer in USA in 2011.
  • In the case of laryngeal cancer, patients are usually diagnosed at approximately 65 years of age.
  • In 1982 was discovered that women that used talcum powder in their genital areas hadthree times more chances to have ovarian cancer, because back then, these powders contained asbestos.
  • The first case of mesothelioma caused by exposure to this mineral was diagnosed in 1964.
  • The average age of patients diagnosed with mesothelioma is 62.

 

These numbers are real, unfortunately. Today, asbestos removal and disposal methods are extremely important, particularly for the safety of the workers carrying out this work. The dangers of carrying out any works where the presence of asbestos is suspected must be approached with absolute caution and all asbestos regulation s much be fully adhered as this is the only way to reduce the high levels of asbestos related cancers we live with today.



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