Packing Materials

How are Packing Materials Dangerous?

Every type of merchandise or equipment that is transported should be throughly secured along they way by being wrapped up securely with packing materials. They help keep goods in one piece, even during tumultuous journeys over harsh terrain. Some packing materials are even called upon to keep items safe from excessively cold and hot temperatures. Over the years companies that create these protective products have used a variety of materials in an attempt to produce the most effective goods possible. During the late 1800's, a mineral called asbestos was discovered that featured all of the traits these manufacturers were seeking.

Asbestos Lends Itself to Use in a Variety of Products

Asbestos is a very strong substance, but it can also be molded into most any shape or form. It is used in everything from cloth to concrete, and will make any kind of product tougher, more resilient to the elements and even resistant to fire. To make it even more appealing, the mineral was found in huge deposits that were easy to mine, making it an inexpensive option. Not much time passed between the discovery of asbestos and it being turned into a key ingredient in a multitude of items, including packing materials.

There are several different types of asbestos, and they are all comprised of crystal fibers that are packed tightly together. This bond makes them incredibly strong, but the fibers can become detached. When the fibers are separated, they generally float in the air, where they can be inhaled by anyone near them. When this occurs, a person who has breathed in even a trace amount of the mineral can be made sick. Bits of asbestos attach to the tender tissues of the human respiratory system, and cause scarring and a breathing disorder known as asbestosis. These conditions are extreme, and very detrimental, but the situation can even get worse. In some cases, the fibers will produce a type of cancer known as mesothelioma. This disease has no cure, and is often deadly. Mesothelioma doctors are staffed at some of the best mesothelioma cancer centers in the country and now have more advanced treatment options to offer including mesothelioma multi-modality therapy, brachytherapy and immunotherapy. There are also some newer approved drugs available including Navelbine, Onconase and Alimta®. Despite these advances, mesothelioma life expectancy still tends to be short and the number of survivors of mesothelioma low.

Symptoms from Asbestos Exposure can Take Years to Develop

Illnesses brought on by asbestos often take many years to develop, so people who are infected may not know about it until many years later. Individuals who worked with packing materials that contained the hazardous substance were put at great risk, because while the items they were covering were in transit, they would be likely to move around and potentially even collide into walls or each other. Transporting the goods could cause the release of millions of asbestos particles, which could then be inhaled by the workers unloading the trucks, opening up the packaging or even setting up the merchandise in retail locations. Fibers that came to rest on one of the products could even be unknowingly taken to a customer's home.

Packing Materials Containing Asbestos

The following partial list of packing materials were known to contain asbestos:

Find Out What your Legal Rights Are

These days we know the dangers of asbestos, and it hasn't been used for many years. Packing materials are now made from other resources that are safe, but there are likely thousands of people out there who have been harmed by the older products that were not. Have you been made ill following an unexpected exposure to this dangerous mineral? Find out what your rights are by requesting a copy of our free brochure. You may be eligible for compensation from the manufacturer who created the products that made you ill.