Reinstein: "Asbestos: The Cost in Dollars and Lives”

Editor's Notes

1. Physical – Worker unable to help around the home or with necessary responsibilities Financial – Often, workers are primary earners for family, and when on disability, income may not be enough to support their familyEmotionally – Family members must deal with constant feelings of grief, anger, etc, which can impact their lives negatively in ways not covered Pyscho-social – Worker and members of their family may become detached from their social circle
2. Often, when a worker is diagnosed with an occupational disease, it can feel like there is a “perfect storm” that must be battled. With occupational diseases caused by asbestos, there is the problem of a late onset period. Mesothelioma and other asbestos-caused diseases typically do not present until 30+ years after exposureFew treatment options are available, which only buy more time, rather than provide a cureProof that the occupational disease in question is truly the responsibility of the company paying benefits is a difficult process to navigate. Asbestos is a mineral than cannot be seen, tasted, touched, or smelled, which places the onus of a large burden of proof on the victim, who has many other problems to deal with and cannot often afford the time and energy needed to provide all the necessary documents. A long waiting period for benefits causes more stress and sadly, many patients never live to see their benefits realized. Small amounts of money are given and one must first deal with bureaucratic red tape before even seeing a minor amount.
3. The United States imported 1,100 metric tons of asbestos between July 2010 – July 2011. 92% of this asbestos comes from Canada. Though this figure is the lowest amount of asbestos imported by the U.S. since 1909, consumption increased by 6% over this last calendar year. By continuing to allow asbestos to be imported and used within the United States, more and more people will be exposed through everyday products, such as roofing materials
4. “The Lancet Medical Journal report is the first comprehensive cancer study of New York City Firefighters after 9/11. This federally funded study shows firefighters working at the site had ten percent more cancers than the general public and 19 percent more cancers than firemen not involved. In all, there were 263 cancers among almost nine thousand exposed firefighters.”[2]“The study clearly shows that World Trade Center exposure in these firefighters led to an increase in all types of cancer,” said David Prezant, FDNY chief medical officer and one of the co-authors of the study published Thursday in The Lancet. “But this is not an epidemic — thank God.”[3]http://www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org/archives/6712