Asbestos has been discovered in the “Big Tex” industrial compound along the San Antonio River outside San Antonio, Texas. The area, which was undergoing environmental cleanup, was scheduled to have all cleanup efforts finished by the end of December. The discovery of extensive asbestos contamination however, has now put that date in doubt.
This discovery highlights that the hazard that asbestos still presents across the country, even as most asbestos products were banned in the late 1970’s by the Environmental Protection Agency and Consumer Product Safety Commission.
More disturbing, with regards to the San Antonio case, is that much of the asbestos found is known to have come from the W.R. Grace & Co. vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana. The company, a specialty chemical company, is now facing criminal charges for the asbestos-related sicknesses and deaths among those who worked at the Libby mine, where asbestos was known to be mined within vermiculite ore.
Asbestos in still common in industrial and residential fixtures across the United States. In fact, asbestos is known to exist in nearly 80% of structures built prior to 1978. As these fixtures become older, they become much more hazardous. Disturbing or pulverizing asbestos fixtures can release the asbestos fibers into the air and make them available for inhalation.
Inhaled asbestos fibers have been conclusively linked to the rare cancer mesothelioma. In addition to asbestos cancer, the mineral can greatly damage the internal body tissue and cause chronic respiratory complications, such as asbestosis.
The Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center commends the cleanup efforts in San Antonio and urges similar asbestos removals in further industrial cleanups.
The Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center has long been recognized as the web’s leading resource for information concerning asbestos, asbestos-related health complications, and asbestos exposure sites. For more information, please visit the organization website at www.maacenter.org.
