The following is a guest post from Jennifer Miller, Awareness and Outreach Coordinator with Mesothelioma.com The issues that California residents face after any serious wildfire are vast – between cleaning up damaged property, filing insurance claims, and salvaging personal belongings, there is no shortage of frustration following this kind of disaster.
But personal frustration is not the only issue at hand – after a wildfire, there are other problems to consider, including environmental damage and health concerns. One worry that many California residents have in the wake of a wildfire is exposure to asbestos, which can become airborne during and after a fire. If exposed, the likelihood of one day developing mesothelioma cancer is significantly increased, as previous exposure to asbestos is the only confirmed cause of this disease.
Nearly 35 million U.S. residences that were built before the institution of asbestos usage laws in the mid-eighties contain harmful levels of asbestos within attic insulation, roofing tiles, floor and ceiling tiles, stucco, drywall, acoustical plaster, and other construction products. When these items are damaged by the extreme heat of a fire, asbestos fibers can become friable and may be released into the air, where they may be inhaled. If asbestos fibers are inhaled, they can situate themselves within the mesothelium or lining of the body’s internal organs for decades and may eventually cause malignant mesothelioma tumors.
After a serious fire, asbestos fibers can be continuously released into the air as rubble and debris cool, and, if fire fighters, homeowners and volunteers are moving rubble during the overhaul and cleanup phase following a fire, asbestos is even more likely to become airborne.
What can be done to protect our health? Following a fire, it is crucial that residents wear a mask that covers their nose and mouth when returning to their fire-damaged property to prevent inhalation or ingestion of airborne asbestos fibers. It is also important that residents wear disposal outerwear (such as a haz-mat suit or equivalent) or change clothes before leaving damaged property for another location to prevent transfer of asbestos fibers on clothing or shoes. By taking these simple precautions, residents can protect themselves from one day developing mesothelioma, which has no cure.
In addition to asbestos exposure after a fire, there are other concerns in regards to other environmental pollutants that are released into the air – for example, carbon monoxide and sulfur. Because there may be airborne pollutants lingering in the atmosphere for days, weeks, or even months following a large-scale fire, residents should be very cautious to avoid inhaling potentially dangerous chemicals that could cause long-term health problems, such as asthma or lung cancer.
But personal frustration is not the only issue at hand – after a wildfire, there are other problems to consider, including environmental damage and health concerns. One worry that many California residents have in the wake of a wildfire is exposure to asbestos, which can become airborne during and after a fire. If exposed, the likelihood of one day developing mesothelioma cancer is significantly increased, as previous exposure to asbestos is the only confirmed cause of this disease.
Nearly 35 million U.S. residences that were built before the institution of asbestos usage laws in the mid-eighties contain harmful levels of asbestos within attic insulation, roofing tiles, floor and ceiling tiles, stucco, drywall, acoustical plaster, and other construction products. When these items are damaged by the extreme heat of a fire, asbestos fibers can become friable and may be released into the air, where they may be inhaled. If asbestos fibers are inhaled, they can situate themselves within the mesothelium or lining of the body’s internal organs for decades and may eventually cause malignant mesothelioma tumors.
After a serious fire, asbestos fibers can be continuously released into the air as rubble and debris cool, and, if fire fighters, homeowners and volunteers are moving rubble during the overhaul and cleanup phase following a fire, asbestos is even more likely to become airborne.
What can be done to protect our health? Following a fire, it is crucial that residents wear a mask that covers their nose and mouth when returning to their fire-damaged property to prevent inhalation or ingestion of airborne asbestos fibers. It is also important that residents wear disposal outerwear (such as a haz-mat suit or equivalent) or change clothes before leaving damaged property for another location to prevent transfer of asbestos fibers on clothing or shoes. By taking these simple precautions, residents can protect themselves from one day developing mesothelioma, which has no cure.
In addition to asbestos exposure after a fire, there are other concerns in regards to other environmental pollutants that are released into the air – for example, carbon monoxide and sulfur. Because there may be airborne pollutants lingering in the atmosphere for days, weeks, or even months following a large-scale fire, residents should be very cautious to avoid inhaling potentially dangerous chemicals that could cause long-term health problems, such as asthma or lung cancer.
