Although it is commonly believed that asbestos exposure and asbestos problems are mainly problems of the past, a new study shows that the asbestos public health tragedy will continue to affect thousands of Americans into the next decade. The results of the study were released after the organization examined industry data obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.
According to the study, more than 43,000 Americans have died from asbestos-related diseases since 1979. Surprisingly, the study estimates that 100,000 Americans will die over the next decade from asbestos-related diseases, an average of 10,000 per year.
Asbestos exposure is responsible for approximately one in every 125 deaths of men more than 50 years old. Most of these diseases are caused by exposure to asbestos from 20 to 40 years ago, since asbestos diseases typically occur many years after the asbestos exposure takes place. |
