Clay

Clay has a variety of different purposes. It is used as a construction material, a sealant, for art projects and as a children's toy. There are many different ingredients that can be used to create clay, and for several years asbestos was among them. At the time this didn't seem to be a problem - asbestos is a very pliable mineral that can be shaped into most anything - but eventually it was found to be toxic and a primary cause of mesothelioma. One type of clay that contained the hazardous mineral was a children's toy made by the Milton Bradley Company. It was produced and distributed between the years of 1967 and 1975, and there is no way to track how many children and adults handled the clay. The product, which was known as Fibro-Clay, was officially recalled in 1983. Since it was popular at homes and schools, adults were advised to very carefully transfer the clay into a plastic bag which would then be sealed and thrown away.

Asbestos contains minute fibers that can easily be ingested. They often break apart and float in the air where they cannot be seen by the human eye and are often breathed in by people who don't even realize this has happened. Anytime clay was handled by people, they were put at risk of ingesting these fibers. Children have been known to eat clay, which makes it even easier for the poisons to get into their bodies. However the asbestos is taken in, it can cause a large amount of internal wreckage. This meant that even the simple disposal process described above was a potentially dangerous scenario.

Mesothelioma (including peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma) is probably the most well known result of asbestos exposure. It is a cancer with a low life expectancy rate, and those living with the disease are made very ill and suffer with immense pain. Even the simple act of breathing becomes very difficult for people who have been subjected to this hazardous substance. Those diagnosed with disease, including men and women alike, often do not receive a favorable prognosis from their mesothelioma doctor. Because there is no cure for mesothelioma, the number of survivors is small.

Art schools have used clay in their classrooms for decades, and unfortunately some of it did contain asbestos. Schools were advised to dispose of any clay that could be dangerous, but some of it was kept around even after these warnings were given. In recent history, some schools have been found to still be using the contaminated clay. This puts students, teachers and anyone else who gets near the sculpting tool in danger of inhaling asbestos fibers.

Construction workers were also put in harm's way when they dealt with professional grade clay. Skilled trades and union workers such as plumbers and pipe fitters were most likely to use clay in their jobs, and were therefore put at the most risk.

Any person who worked or played with any type of clay that included asbestos may have unknowingly ingested asbestos fibers, and should set up an appointment with their healthcare provider for a respiratory checkup. You may also have legal rights to a claim against the manufacturers who produced the tainted products. We offer a free mesothelioma information kit that describes your rights and what you can do if you or a loved one were afflicted by clay containing this poisonous mineral. Order your kit today for rush delivery.