Asbestos Is Still Mostly Legal In The U.S.

… But Don’t Punish Yourself If You Thought It Wasn’t

The other day, as far as you know, we saw a dude in a nearby parking lot walking around, muttering, and punching himself in the face.

Now, in some parts of town, this is common behavior.  In fact, in those parts of town, it’s weird not to see stuff like this.  But we don’t go to those parts of town.  No, this was happening right in the heart of a nice part of town which we won’t mention, but which rhymes with “Cherry Creek.”

“Whoa, whoa, hang on, Fella!” we said, attempting to come to his aid if necessary.  “What gives?  Do you need help?  Why the self-punishment?”

“I believed a lie!” he said, between punches.  “I thought (POW!) that asbestos (WHAM!) was illegal (ZOWIE!) in this country!”

Lucky for him, he was now in the company of asbestos experts!

“Well, it’s true,” we said, “that is a lie.  (POW!)  Hey, could you stop that for a minute?”

“Why should I?” Fella said.  “I deserve it.  I deserve to be punished.  My house was built in 1975, which really isn’t all that long ago, but I’m sure it’s just loaded with asbestos, since it’s still legal (POW!), and it sure was in 1975.”

After gently restraining his punching arm, we calmly explained to Fella that, while it was true that many people have been led to believe (falsely) that asbestos is totally illegal in the United States, there was no immediate cause for alarm.

We informed him that, while many asbestos-laden materials were used in home construction in 1975, due to the desire to make things more flame-retardant, they weren’t dangerous unless they were “disturbed” by something like a basement flood, a house fire (even a small one), or a DIY project gone bad.

If that were to happen, we continued, then yes, the asbestos mineral could disintegrate into microscopic airborne shards which, with prolonged exposure, could cause incurable diseases like mesothelioma.  But before he could free his fist for another punch, we quickly moved on to the good news.

“The good news is that, even if you suspect there’s a problem with airborne asbestos at your place, it just so happens that we can refer you to an expert who can test your air, so you’ll know for sure.  And if there is a problem, it just so happens that we can help you solve it, and for less than you might think.”

(We said this, knowing full-well that anyone who thinks it’s a good idea to walk around in nice public places like Cherry Creek, boxing with themselves, is likely to think – who knows what? – about the surprising cost of asbestos abatement.)

If this is your first time reading this blog, shame on you, but don’t punch yourself in the face.  There are several key take-aways you can glean from this story, made-up though it is:

 

• Despite recent baby-step advancements at the federal level, asbestos is still legal in the U.S., at least to be imported, and it still might be all around you.

 

• Yes, people still sometimes say “Fella” and “What gives.”

 

• Speaking of baby-step advancements at the federal level, now that the Environmental Protection Agency is under new administration, even those baby steps might be shelved.  This wasn’t in the story, but it’s a good take-away nonetheless.

 

• When someone is punching a face, even their own, you can imagine cartoon graphics that say things like “POW” and “ZOWIE,” just like they had in the old Batman TV show, if you’re old enough to remember that show, which aired back when people said things like “Fella” and “What gives.”

 

• Prolonged exposure to airborne asbestos can lead to incurable diseases such as mesothelioma, but if asbestos-containing products are not disturbed, they’re not dangerous.

 

• Many people think 1975 is not that long ago, but it is half a century.  Still, by ’75, “Fella” had been replaced by “Dude,” and Batman had been replaced by the much more civil Rockford Files.

 

• You can get your air tested to know for sure whether you have a problem with airborne asbestos.  We didn’t mention it in the above story, but we don’t do the testing ourselves – that would be a conflict of interest.  But we know excellent professional testers to whom we can refer you.

 

• “Cherry Creek” rhymes with “Cherry Creek.”

 

• The cost of asbestos abatement ain’t nothin,’ but it’s less than many people think, and it’s certainly less than the cost in health and lifespan of having an asbestos contamination which is not abated.

 

If you think asbestos is totally illegal in America, you’re mistaken.  But don’t punch yourself in the face.  We would never advocate such a thing.  Well, almost never.  At any rate, the thing to do if you fear you might have a problem with airborne asbestos is to reach out to the friendly, attractive experts at Asbestos Abatement, Inc. for a referral to a top-notch tester.  A good tester can definitely tell you what gives, Fella.