Page 59 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - September 2009

55 Asbestos causes a deadly cancer 55 Asbestos causes a deadly cancer Asbestos exposure at attacks, at least 62% of people report trouble was exposed to the dust and debris near ground Asbestos exposure at Ground Zero after 9-11 breathing and other respiratory complications. zero, or if you were a first responder or worker Ground Zero after 9-11 at the site, it is extremely important that you For more information on lung and asbestos cancer please see the resources at Asbestos.com. visit your physician promptly for a health On September 11th, 2001, terrorists While the use of asbestos in buildings screening and testing. Inform your doctor that attacked the World Trade Center in New York has been banned in most cases for many years, you may have been exposed to asbestos. When City. Thousands of lives were lost as the towers it can be difficult to understand why there were asbestos-related ailments are caught early, the collapsed rapidly, and our nation watched in so many toxins released into the air after possibility of treatment is much greater and horror as their friends and family members were September 11th. When the New York Port your disease can be more easily managed. claimed by one of the most devastating blows Authority first began building the World Trade Today, both first responders and our nation has ever experienced. As the towers Center, the lower 40 floors of the building were workers who helped to remove the debris from collapsed, they left nothing but debris and originally supposed to be crafted using 5,000 ground zero have the option of participating in rubble, later to be known as "ground zero". tons of asbestos fireproofing to help support the the World Trade Center Medical Monitoring Rescue teams were quickly formed of buildings. However, as the health hazards and Treatment Program. Completely policemen, firefighters and volunteers, who associated with asbestos exposure became confidential and free, this program has been worked to save as many lives as possible after better known, builders decided to not to created to help those who were exposed to the the attacks. construct the building using the amount of dust and rubble to be tested for health problems However, while the heroic efforts to asbestos they initially had planned to. Later on related to their exposure. Please visit The rescue those trapped in the debris were of the after the buildings were completely erected, Asbestos and Mesothelioma Center for more bravest our nation has ever seen, few realized more than half the asbestos originally used was information on mesothelioma and lung cancer. that deadly toxins, like asbestos, were released replaced with safer materials. Today, it has been [] into the air after the towers collapsed. These suggested that the twin towers may not have poisonous air pollutants have been known to collapsed as rapidly as they did had there been a cause lung cancer and the deadly mesothelioma. larger amount of asbestos used in their Thousands of people were exposed to construction. However, using a greater quantity the airborne toxins after the attack on the World of asbestos would only release greater quantities Trade Center, including those who survived the of the asbestos fibers into the air, making illness collapse, first responders, those who lived near and disease even more common. the towers, and even the workers who were Though much of the asbestos initially hired to help clean up the rubble left behind. used during building was removed from the Additionally, as the debris and damaged World Trade Center, it was still one of the most buildings found at ground zero burned for common materials used in the erection of the several months after the attacks, thousands of towers. Because of this, the attack caused over heavy metals and carcinogens such as barium, 2,000 tons of microscopic asbestos fibers to be mercury and asbestos, were released into the released into the air. Workers were advised that atmosphere. the fibers are invisible to the naked eye, and to Countless people exposed to the wear protective equipment which would help pollution are suffering from symptoms of keep them safe from exposure. However, many respiratory illnesses today, years after the of those who were at ground zero, including attacks, like difficulty breathing, coughing, volunteers, on lookers, first responders and asthma, and even lung cancer and rescue workers, were not wearing safety mesothelioma. As the years pass, more and equipment and were exposed to asbestos fibers more it has become obvious that more and more without their knowledge. of our citizens have been infected with cancer When ingested or inhaled, asbestos and respiratory disease. fibers become lodged in the mesothelial tissue While still considered to be rare, in the body, or the protective membranes that instances of mesothelioma have undoubtedly line the body’s internal organs. While increased in number. Asbestos, an organically mesothelioma is most commonly found in the occurring mineral, is the only known cause of lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), it mesothelioma. Once mined and used can also affect the lining of the heart industrially because of its resistance to heat and (pericardial mesothelioma), and the lining of the flexibility, the health effects of the mineral were abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma). When not fully understood until the later part of the exposure to asbestos occurs, the fibers enter the twentieth century. Because of this, asbestos was body and act like splinters in the mesothelial used throughout the 1900's in building and membranes. Over time, as scarring and irritation construction materials, shipyards, and occur, symptoms of respiratory illness will also automobiles. Additionally, because asbestos is a become present. These symptoms include mineral found on most continents worldwide, difficulty breathing, coughing, fever, and chest very small quantities exist in our atmosphere pain. naturally. However, after the World Trade However, mesothelioma has an Center collapsed, the levels of airborne asbestos extremely long latency period, meaning that the found in New York City were approximately disease oftentimes has no symptoms 93,000 times higher than the typical amount of whatsoever for 10-15 years after the initial asbestos found it the air, making the risk of both exposure to asbestos occurred. Even worse, exposure and illness extremely high. mesothelioma can be difficult to diagnose The New York State Department of because of the vagueness of the symptoms, and Health released a study in the beginning of because patients fail to inform their physicians 2008, stating that in the seven years since the of exposure to asbestos. For more information attacks on the World Trade Center, on pleural mesothelioma and mesothelioma approximately 200 of those initially exposed to treatment please see the resources at the pollutants at ground zero have passed away. Asbestos.com. The study also states that at least 55 of these Every year, over 10,000 people in the workers were victims of lung cancer, and of all United States die from complications related to those exposed to the dust and debris after the asbestos exposure. If you or someone you know