Owens Corning Cement
By the time the general public had been made aware of the dangers presented by asbestos, it was already too late for millions of individuals. Vast numbers of people had been made seriously ill after simply being around the mineral that was used as a prime ingredient for hundreds of products, and for many their lives were cut short.
When asbestos was first discovered in large deposits within the US, it was looked upon as a miracle material. companies dug it up as quickly as they could in an attempt to meet the large, ongoing demand from manufacturers all over the nation. The mineral was inexpensive, suitable for use in almost every type of product and it came with the added benefits of enduring the coldest or hottest conditions, and working as a natural fire retardant. Products that contained asbestos were stronger, longer lasting and very profitable.
The insistence for more and more asbestos began during the late 1800's, and continued until about the 1970's. It was around that time when the companies who used the material started to be informed of the dangerous qualities it possesses. Every product that included the mineral also contained poison. Anyone who worked in factories where goods were created with asbestos, or who spent time around the finished products was subjected to the possibility of inhaling small dust particles of the material, and therefore taking the toxins internally. Since these particles are so diminutive, the victims would not even realize they had ingested a hazardous substance until many years later when they began to develop serious health conditions as a result. After being exposed, individuals would often experience trouble breathing and some developed a respiratory disorder called asbestosis while others developed mesothelioma, an often terminal type of cancer as there is no mesothelioma cure. Today, doctors at some of the top mesothelioma cancer clinics offer treatments to help improve quality of life including mesothelioma immunotherapy, brachytherapy, multi-modality therapy and photo-dynamic therapy. They also have newer drugs available to them including Alimta®, Gemcitabine, Onconase and Navelbine. Unfortunately the mesothelioma survival rate is still low. Our mesothelioma treatment guide offers more facts on this subject.
Sadly, even though companies produced items that were demonstrated to be a health hazard, many of them did not want to give up their miracle material. Some continued to utilize it, without so much as even letting their employees know of the danger. These workers could have easily been protected by wearing some simple protective gear, but they were not afforded that opportunity because often management was only concerned about the bottom line. As a result, companies that made products out of asbestos were soon hit with many lawsuits.
Owens Corning is a manufacturer that is most famous for their bright pink insulation that is represented by the legendary Pink Panther cartoon character. They currently produce a line of goods that are safe and efficient, but in the past many of their products contained the toxic mineral asbestos. One such product was their signature brand of cement which was very popular due to its superior strength and ability to withstand extreme temperatures.
The cement was discontinued when the news about the dangers of asbestos was revealed, but the company was still faced with thousands of personal injury claims. They attempted to work with other manufacturers to pay off these lawsuits in a group effort, but by 2000 they followed the lead of so many other businesses and sought out bankruptcy protection. In exchange for creating the Owens Corning/Fibreboard Asbestos Injury Trust Fund to settle all valid cases, the company was allowed to restructure and continue operating without the massive debt that they had incurred.
Today there are still new instances of people discovering they have been made ill by products such as Owens Corning Cement. If you count yourself among that number, you may be eligible for compensation from the trust fund. Find out how to go about doing this, as well as other important information regarding asbestos and mesothelioma cancer, by ordering our free brochure online.
