January 2nd, 2008

Many people think that asbestos is a banned substance in America. Unfortunately, the material is not banned, and is regularly imported from other countries is items used every day. One Senator wants to change that.

A US Senator wants to continue the push for a ban on asbestos, a material that many people think is already banned in America. The material is not banned, and is still imported in everyday items like insulation and brake pads for cars. The ban would prohibit the manufacturing and importation of items that contain the deadly material, a move that mesothelioma victims deem overdue. One victim, a woman that contracted mesothelioma from washing the clothes of her foundry worker husband, accompanied the Senator when proposing the Bill.

Mesothelioma is a terminal form of lung cancer that is directly linked with asbestos exposure. The cancer results from asbestos fibers being breathed into the lungs, where the fibers become lodged. The fibers keep the tissue in the lungs from absorbing oxygen, killing the tissue and slowly suffocating the victim. At the time of diagnosis, mesothelioma victims can normally expect to count their remaining lifespan in months, not years since the conditions can take decades to manifest.