• Asbestos was once known as the “miracle mineral.” It’s a type of silicate composed of hair-like fibers. It can be woven into cloth or mixed with other substances to strengthen them and imbue fireproof properties.
• Asbestos is not only flame-resistant but also resistant to chemicals. Flexible fibers make it easy to work with, and its insulating properties are unsurpassed. When twisted into a wick, the wax burns but leaves the wick untouched. This led to its name, as “asbestos” comes from the Greek word meaning “inextinguishable.”
• The first use of asbestos dates back 4,500 years, when potters mixed it with clay to make their vessels stronger, thinner, and more durable. Asbestos-laden pottery can withstand fire, boiling water, and molten metal. But even in ancient Roman times, it was noted that slaves who worked with asbestos died young.
• The world’s first commercial asbestos mine opened in Quebec, Canada, in 1870, followed by mines all over the world. As the industrial age ramped up, uses for the material skyrocketed. It was made into fireproof uniforms, used as insulation in vehicles, factories, homes, and ships, turned into shingles, floor tiles, and siding, used as cigarette filters, and woven into blankets.
• By the turn of the century, it was hard to ignore the fact that people who worked with asbestos died young. In 1906, a doctor in London was the first to do a post-mortem exam of an asbestos worker, noting that microscopic fibers in the man’s lungs were identical to the fibers at the asbestos factory.
• The death of Nelly Kershaw in England in 1924 was pivotal. She worked in a textile mill spinning asbestos into yarn and died after seven years. Her husband demanded compensation for her death. This was the first case in history that resulted in an inquest.
• Although it was proven that asbestos dust contributed to Nelly’s death, the factory never paid anything. Still, notes on her case swept through the medical establishment and got the attention of the British government. An investigation found that 25% of asbestos workers were ill. The longer the contact, the worse the illness. The illness was dubbed “asbestosis.” In 1931, the first laws that protected workers were passed.
• The issue with asbestos is that its fibers break down into dust particles that can be inhaled. Once in the lungs, they act like miniscule needles. They do not degrade, but remain in the lungs forever. They repel water and cannot be surrounded by mucus and coughed up, so they cannot be excreted. Instead, the lungs form a protective layer of scar tissue around each razor-sharp speck. As more dust is inhaled, more scar tissue forms, compromising the lungs. The constant irritation also causes a type of lung cancer called mesothelioma.
• Asbestos dust travels and clings. Children who hugged their fathers daily or wives who laundered their husband’s clothing also suffered. Wind carried dust from factories and mines to fields, playgrounds, and streets.
• During World War II, asbestos use jumped. In 1942, the U.S. consumed 60% of the world supply, up from just 37% five years earlier.
• Then the tide shifted in favor of environmentalism. In 1970, OSHA, the EPA, and the Clean Air Act were formed. Laws were passed to control exposure to the fibers. By the 1980s, use of asbestos fell off.
• The last asbestos mine in the U.S. closed in 2003; Canada followed in 2011. Today, 66 countries have banned it, though it is still used widely in third-world countries. 53% of asbestos produced today is mined in Russia, and 70% of asbestos products are made in China.
