Glassbestos
Glassbestos is a type of insulation that contained a distinct combination of glass and asbestos. This made it a very strong product that could hold up under the most intense weather conditions. Since asbestos is perhaps the strongest fire retardant material on the planet, it also helped ensure that the insulation could help to contain and prevent the spread of any blaze.
An accompanying type of Glassbestos tape was also created to further insulate pipes and vents in buildings all across America. These products were highly sought after because they worked well and lasted for many years. It was the strong and durable asbestos mineral that made these goods so effective, but sadly it was the same material that made them a severe health hazard.
While Glassbestos is basically safe, if it is cut, sanded, broken or damaged in any way, microscopic bits of asbestos can be released into the air. These seemingly insignificant particles can be killers. They are quite poisonous, and if they are allowed to enter the human respiratory system they will promote decay and lead to diseases. Most prominently, asbestos is known to develop into Mesothelioma, a form of cancer that carries a poor prognosis and has claimed hundreds of lives. There are different types of mesothelioma including pericardial mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma. The number of mesothelioma survivors is low because there is no cure for the disease and the latency period is long. Mesothelioma doctors have more advanced treatment options to work with today, but life expectancy for mesothelioma patients is still typically short. Browse our mesothelioma treatment guide for more information.
Sadly, the knowledge about the dangers of asbestos and the fact that it was one of the causes of mesothelioma was not widespread until the late 1970's. By then it was used in thousands of different products, all of which posed a threat to the health of anyone who helped make them or purchased them. As this information was dispersed to manufacturers, most stopped using the toxic material immediately, but others chose a path of greed and refused to seek out alternatives. They also failed to warn their employees of the dangers involved, and were therefore responsible for many more people becoming sick and even dying. Had they so much as notified workers of the presence of asbestos, people could have worn gear that would have protected them from exposure, and lives would have been saved.
Every company that produced asbestos based products was hit with multiple lawsuits by mesothelioma attorneys. They were all finally forced to stop using it, and most of them declared bankruptcy. This did not generally drive them out of business, however, as they were allowed to create trust funds to pay off incoming claims and reorganize their companies to escape the massive debts they were under.
Products that contained the toxic material were removed, but older buildings may still contain Glassbestos insulation and tape. If you suspect that you have these goods on your premises, do not touch or disturb them in any way. Chances are that they have become brittle and frail with age, and even the slightest disturbance could allow asbestos particles to escape. Only a certified professional should ever deal with asbestos for any reason. They are trained to properly remove and dispose of these materials in a safe and environmentally secure manner.
If you have been subjected to Glassbestos, you may be interested in additional mesothelioma resources. Also you can get more information about your legal rights by requesting one of our free information packets. They cost nothing, and can be mailed to you immediately.
