Asbestos is a group of naturally-occurring minerals that has been used in products such as roofing materials, cements, floor tiles, patching and spackling compounds, brake pads and lining, toasters and other heat-related household items, and furnaces and furnace doors. Inhaling asbestos fibers can lead to serious health problems, including lung cancer, throat cancer and malignantmesothelioma, a fatal cancer that is almost always attributed to asbestos exposure. Asbestos use within the United States has been limited since the 1970s, but the toxic mineral is still widely used in other parts of the world, including many countries in Asia. Despite the asbestos regulations that have been in place in the U.S. for several decades now, American men and women continue to die from mesothelioma at a rate of nearly 2,600 people per year (based on CDC data for the years 1999 – 2005). If you or a loved one has received a mesothelioma diagnosis or suffers from another asbestos-related illness, learn about your legal rights from an experienced mesothelioma attorney.
A study published last summer in Respirology, the journal of the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology, suggests asbestos-related deaths will surge in Asia during the next 20 years. According to the study, from 2001 to 2007, 64 percent of the world’s asbestos use occurred in Asia, an almost five-fold increase over the period 1920 to 1970. Because asbestosis,mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses can take 30 to 50 years to develop, Asian countries with an upsurge in asbestos use during the past couple of decades can anticipate seeing a similar upsurge in the number of asbestos-related diseases in the coming years. In fact, according to an article in The New York Times about the anticipated increase, Dr. Ken Takahashi, lead author of the study and director of a World Health Organization occupational health group, warns that “Asian governments must brace themselves for an ‘asbestos tsunami.’” In the U.S., patients suffering from an asbestos-related disease can turn to a qualified mesothelioma lawyer for help protecting their rights.
According to The New York Times article, Japan, South Korea and several other Asian countries have already responded to increases in asbestos-related deaths within their borders by banning the substance. As the number of asbestos-related deaths climbs in Asian countries where the mineral is still widely used, it will be interesting to see if those countries will follow in the footsteps of the United States, passing regulations to limit asbestos use; if they will follow the lead of Japan and South Korea, banning the substance altogether; or if supporters of a global ban will eventually prevail and decide the asbestos issue for all nations.
Without a global ban, asbestos use will continue to harm workers and consumers worldwide, with victims of asbestos exposure developing illness symptoms up to decades later. If you or a loved one suffers from mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness, contact a knowledgeableasbestos attorney today. An experienced asbestos lawyer can help you understand your rights and fight for the fair and just compensation you deserve.