Decades after legal restrictions on asbestos went into effect, the material is still in use in the United States and the risk of developing cancer from asbestos is still very real.

Asbestos had its heyday in the middle years of the 20th century, when it was used in a slew of different industrial applications.

In the 1970s, federal agencies began banning certain uses of asbestos, such as a component of the felt used to line subflooring or as insulation for pipes.

But while these bans put an end to the manufacture of some asbestos-containing products, many asbestos products that had been sold and installed before the ban were not affected. To this day, many of these older asbestos-based products are still in place all over the country.

Even many residential buildings that were constructed in the 1970s or earlier still contain asbestos-based construction materials. Disturbing these older materials that are still in place is the most frequent source of asbestos exposure.

Removing these materials improperly could contaminate the entire house with asbestos. Do-it-yourself homeowners who don’t check for asbestos before beginning demolition may be putting themselves at risk for cancer from asbestos.

These older asbestos-containing materials can be removed safely, however. The EPA has partnered with state regulatory authorities to provide training and certification for contractors who specifically deal with asbestos removal. OSHA also enforces regulations designed to keep workers safe when handling asbestos or working near it.

Today, despite significantly more restrictions on new uses of asbestos, it’s still used in a limited number of applications. Asbestos is still used to make products including floor tiles, automotive brake parts, caulk, and insulating materials.

Typically, these materials shouldn’t create a significant asbestos cancer risk if they’re used properly. Asbestos exposure is more likely to result from older materials that have been physically disturbed in a way that releases asbestos fibers into the air.

Cancer from Asbestos

These inhaled fibers are what create an asbestos cancer risk. Once these fibers are inhaled, they tend to stay in the lungs. Over time they can cause irritation and scarring that impairs breathing and increases the odds of developing cancer.

Persons so exposed are at risk for developing mesothelioma, a type of cancer that’s almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure. This type of cancer affects the pleura, the double-layered membrane that separates the lungs from the inside of the chest wall.

Exposed persons are also at risk for developing asbestos lung cancer. Asbestos cancer risk is compounded if the person is also a smoker, as smoking and asbestos exposure work together synergistically to increase the risk of cancer. That’s why physicians strongly encourage exposed persons to avoid smoking as much as possible.

Asbestos cancer may not appear until several decades after exposure. Typical victims of asbestos cancer are diagnosed later in life, after having worked many years before in shipbuilding, construction or other industries in which asbestos was frequently used. But once the signs of asbestos cancer appear, the disease is usually well established. For that reason, the cure rates for asbestos cancer are very low.