Asbestos In Talcum Powder And Its Effects On Health And The Planet

Although asbestos is banned in many countries, many products sold today still contain asbestos: cosmetics, baby powders, and foot powders are but a few. Although these products remain popular, there are actually several hidden dangers in products that contain talcum powder. For instance, asbestos in talcum powder is a threat to human health and the environment.

Educating yourself about asbestos and its effects on human health and the natural environment can help you, particularly if you find yourself experiencing the dangers of asbestos as summarized in this article.

The serious health issues caused by asbestos in talcum powder is the responsibility of companies and manufacturers of asbestos-containing products. In fact, you can receive the right compensation and support if you suffer from these conditions, particularly if, with the help of asbestos or mesothelioma lawyers, these conditions are proven as caused by asbestos.

If you want to know more about the dangers of asbestos in talcum powder, this article presents a summary of how your health and the environment can be damaged.

Asbestos-Related Diseases

Inhaled asbestos fibers can get stuck in the lungs and cause lung irritation. The health risks associated with asbestos can be affected by a variety of factors: the amount of asbestos in the air, length of exposure, other lung conditions, smoking, and more. The diseases that you can develop from asbestos exposure include asbestosis, pleural disease, mesothelioma, and lung cancer.

These conditions are not curable. The medical costs of treating these conditions are high. For instance, mesothelioma treatments require surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation that can cost at least $12,000. For worst cases requiring mesothelioma specialists, the costs are much more expensive.

If you’ve been exposed to a lot of asbestos at home or in your work environment, have a medical consultation immediately; asbestos cannot be permanently removed from the lungs. You can only stop them from causing further harm to your respiratory system. On the other hand, if you’re suspecting that your condition is caused or aggravated by asbestos found in talcum powder products, you have the right to sue these companies. You can specifically ask help from lawyers specializing in asbestos litigation.

In addition, if you or your family use talcum powder every day from many years back to the present, consider a medical check-up if you experience the following symptoms:

• Dry cough
• Chest tightness and pain
• Shortness of breath
• Crackling sound when breathing
• Wider and rounder fingertips

Destroys Natural Habitats

Talc is mined from the earth alongside asbestos. This explains asbestos contamination in talc products. In the process of mining talc, natural habitats are destroyed. Dynamite is used for blasting mining areas. As a result, the surrounding area is left with huge blocks and mining waste.

For instance, several reports show that talc mining is threatening tiger sanctuaries in India. A few years back, there were about 20,000 tigers in India but, because of these mining ventures that supply talc to Western cosmetic companies, even conservation efforts could not stabilize the tiger population.

Unilever, a leading consumer goods company, was reportedly one of the biggest companies that source their talc supply from mines in tiger sanctuaries such as the Sariska Tiger Reserve and Jamwa Ramgarh Wildlife Sanctuary.

Despite environmental laws to protect these tigers, they are now nearing extinction. These companies should practice environmental responsibility, yet they failed not just on your health, but the environment too.

Air and Water Pollution

Asbestos doesn’t easily dissolve or evaporate. The places with the most aggravating effects of asbestos exposure have heavy asbestos contamination that can travel to surrounding air and bodies of water. When natural deposits and asbestos products such as talcum powder are blown in the wind, these can remain the air and water supply.

Smaller asbestos particles can remain in the air for quite some time, and they’ll be carried into wind currents and water bodies. Animals inhale asbestos particles in the air or ingest these from water. As well, marine animals ingest asbestos in bodies of water. Since asbestos cannot decompose, the danger remains for long periods of time. Health consequences follow.

Takeaways

Asbestos content in talcum powder has many repercussions on your health. Even the mining and production of these products harm the environment. For instance, some animal — and perhaps even some plant — species have been endangered to the point of extinction.

By knowing the consequences of using talcum powder on your health, you can determine probable cause for filing an asbestos lawsuit against irresponsible companies and receive the right compensation.