| Asbestos is an organic substance. It is made of | | | | asbestos but what makes this cancer different is |
| strong flexible fibres. Asbestos was used during | | | | the fact that is almost entirely attributable to |
| post war building because of it's heat and fire | | | | asbestos unlike other forms of cancer that have |
| resistant properties. This fact alone made | | | | numerable cause factors and influences. |
| asbestos a cheap favoured material for any | | | | During the 1980's the deadly effect of asbestos |
| product that was required to be fireproof. | | | | was fully understood and this has led to |
| Thousands of products were manufactured during | | | | widespread removal of the substance from office |
| the 1940's and onwards that contained asbestos | | | | buildings, factories, private homes, building |
| while scientists were ignorant of the lung damage | | | | materials and products used in fire and safety. But |
| that exposure could have on people. | | | | the effect that asbestos had already had on |
| It is often thought that asbestos was used mainly | | | | those living and working around it is still presenting |
| for insulating lofts and for factory buildings to | | | | itself in litigation cases and injury claims today with |
| keep the risk of fire damage to a minimum but | | | | no real idea of when this trend will tail off. |
| asbestos was used in more personal items such | | | | The terrorist attacks on New York in 2001 left |
| as race car helmets and it is thought that the film | | | | many people debating the extent of the asbestos |
| star Steve McQueen died of mesothelioma lung | | | | inhalation during the immediate aftermath but as |
| cancer due to his use of racing helmets. In fact, | | | | for the predicted number of mesothelioma claims |
| any product that was used in a fire risk nature | | | | which will follow it is anyone's guess. Some are |
| was probably made partly from asbestos before | | | | predicting a litigation time bomb but in a country |
| the deadly nature of the material was fully | | | | like the US this would seem like a contradiction in |
| discovered. It can take 50 years before | | | | terms. |
| mesothelioma cancer develops after exposure to | | | | |