The scientific journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine recently published a report concerning the contraction of mesothelioma, a rare but aggressive form of cancer that can be caused by asbestos products, following a long period of research which was conducted by four separate medical institutions. The report collected data about the health of miners who had worked in the Balangero mine, formerly the largest open pit asbestos mine in Europe, in an attempt to better understand the long term implications of workplace asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma is known for its long latency period, that is, the time that it takes from an initial exposure to asbestos until the disease becomes detectable. In many cases mesothelioma’s latency period can exceed several decades, which greatly lends to the obscurity surrounding its correct diagnosis and the difficulty of its early detection.

Asbestos contamination occurs most frequently through the inhalation or ingestion of the microscopic, needle like asbestos fibers. The fibers are small enough to pass easily through the body’s normal defenses against foreign particles. After passing through either the lung, stomach or intestinal walls, the fibers become lodged in the protective tissue around our organs known as the mesothelium. This process causes scarring of the mesothelium, which, after years or even decades, can lead to the development of malignant tumors. Mesothelioma is incurable and fatal; mesothelioma patients rarely live eighteen months beyond diagnosis.

Asbestos products were used liberally throughout the twentieth century in a variety of commercial and industrial applications. The substance’s incredible heat resisting and insulating properties as well as its ability to be fabricated into materials of just about every shape, density and texture made it popular as a fire retardant, building raw material, pipe insulator and much more. Restrictions and regulations concerning the use of asbestos began to appear in developed nations during the latter half of the twentieth century as its hazards to human health became more widely known and accepted. Today asbestos production and use is either illegal or strictly regulated in the vast majority of developed nations.

The study published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine concluded that there was a higher than average death rate among the former Balangero miners, from both mesothelioma of the lungs and chest cavity. Every case of mesothelioma noted occurred 30 years or more after the patient’s original exposure to asbestos.

While asbestos regulations are helping to reduce the rate of mesothelioma contraction in the United States, the European Union, and other developed areas of the world, exposure to the dangerous substance continues to be a threat in developing nations.

A bridge in Tampa, FL has been re-opened to the public after undergoing major renovations which began around the middle of last year. The Cass Street Bridge, an important route to some 12,000 drivers that drove on it daily, was used primarily for accessing Tampa’s highly trafficked downtown area. It was closed last July in preparation for its repair work, causing some frustration for those who were used to its presence and would need to adapt to new detour routes over the next several months.

The bridge is almost a century old. It was originally built during the 1920’s and has been serving Tampa commuters nonstop without any major repairs, renovations, or modifications excepting an overhaul that was completed in the mid 1940’s. The recent repairs aimed to replace some steel components of the bridge that had become corroded and weakened, remove harmful asbestos products of yesteryear, and apply new coats of sealant and paint to help the bridge withstand the harsh daily grind of coastal weather conditions.

Asbestos removal has been a fairly common part of industrial, commercial, residential and infrastructure renovations since the late twentieth century when the United States Environmental Protection Agency originally passed the Asbestos Ban and Phase Out Rule. The new law was based on medical findings beginning as early as the 1930’s that conclusively linked asbestos exposure to a variety of harmful and even fatal diseases such as the aggressive cancer Mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a result of either the ingestion or inhalation of microscopic asbestos fibers. The fibers, too small and sharp to be processed by our bodies like the day to day dust that we unintentionally breath and ingest, pass through the lungs, stomach, or intestines and become lodged in a soft tissue called the mesothelium that encases our bodies’ vital organs. The fibers eventually cause internal scarring which after decades of lying dormant can lead to the development of malignant tumors that invariably cause death - often in less than 18 months.

The Asbestos Ban and Phase Out Rule which was passed to completely ban the use of asbestos was overturned in 1991, possibly due to the fact that asbestos fabrication was a profitable and critical element of many of America’s industries at the time. In its place, strict rules and regulations were brought forth at both federal and state levels that enforced safe handling and disposal practices of the substance, as well as mandated removal of unsafe asbestos products during renovation efforts.

The Cass Street Bridge re-opened at the beginning of this year after nearly two million dollars of repairs and renovations, easing thousands of Floridians’ daily commutes.