Posted on February 22, 2018 — UPDATED ON AUGUST 2, 2018

Top Ten Asbestos Facts (2018)

  1. Top Ten Asbestos Facts (2015) Asbestos a known carcinogen that kills as estimated 40,000 Americans every year. All types of asbestos cause lung cancer, mesothelioma, cancer of the larynx and ovary, and asbestosis (fibrosis of the lungs).

  2. The United States is the last western industrial nation not to ban asbestos.

  3. Nearly 40 years ago, the International Agency for Research on Cancer declared asbestos to be a human carcinogen.

  4. The Word Health Organization (WHO) estimates “there are approximately 125 million people in the world who are exposed to asbestos in the workplace.”

  5. The Word Health Organization (WHO) states “more than 107,000 people die each year from asbestos-related lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis resulting from occupational exposures.”

  6. The Word Health Organization (WHO) states, “one in every three deaths from occupational cancer is estimated to be caused by asbestos. In addition, it is estimated that several thousands of deaths can be attributed annually to exposure to asbestos in the living environment.

  7. USGS: “In 2017, asbestos consumption in the United States was estimated to be about 300 metric tons.”

  8. USGS: In 2017, the “chlor-alkali industry accounted for an estimated 100% of U.S. consumption.”

  9. USGS: “Numerous materials substitute for asbestos.”

  10. Russia is the leading producer of asbestos worldwide, followed by China, Brazil, and Kazakhstan.