Based on overwhelming evidence, it is generally understand that the vast majority of asbestos-related diseases caused by asbestos exposure occur when airborne fibers are inhaled. For this reason, the majority of asbestos victims are workers who were exposed to asbestos when asbestos-containing materials used for industrial purposes were disturbed.
Nearly every study conducted on mesothelioma and the harms of asbestos bear out these findings, but asbestos can also be a danger due to old pipes and California disasters as well.
Asbestos Could Be Caused by Ingestion, Not Just Inhalation
Ingesting asbestos is rare by comparison to the relatively commonplace occurrence of inhaling asbestos fibers in an industrial workplace, California has become increasingly concerned over its citizens ingesting drinking water that is contaminated by asbestos.
Federal standards set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Act requires that asbestos be limited to 7 million fibers per liter to remain safe for drinking purposes.
According to the EPA, drinking water that is consumed with more fibers than that trace amount over an extended duration could lead to the development of intestinal polyps, albeit benign ones. Other studies are more pessimistic, however, providing research that suggests drinking water containing asbestos may lead to mesothelioma.
One of the more commonly cited studies comes by way of Italian researchers who argue that merely drinking asbestos-contaminated water can lead to a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Recent California Wildfires Raise the Possibility of Contaminated Drinking Water
As California wildfires blazed across the California counties of Sonoma and Marin in late 2017, asbestos and other toxins were left behind in the debris and aftermath. Rain was forecasted shortly thereafter, leaving the EPA and HazMat teams scrambling to make sure asbestos did not enter the county water supplies.
For its part, Sonoma County’s water agency said that the drinking supply was safe, but also promised to monitor water quality throughout the rainy season.
Asbestos Can Also Exist in Old, Asbestos-Contaminated Pipes
Before asbestos was banned in the 1970s, asbestos was regularly used in pipes at jobsites and older homes. These old pipes may contain asbestos, and indeed a small Texas town was found to have asbestos pipes as part of the town’s water delivery system.
Arp — the town in question — was found to have drinking water containing asbestos that exceeded the EPA’s maximum contaminant threshold. Old pipes containing loose asbestos fibers can exacerbate these public safety concerns.
If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease but never worked at a jobsite that exposed you to asbestos, it may be possible that asbestos in drinking water was the cause of your exposure.
The Ledger Law Firm will review the facts of your case to get to the bottom of what caused your asbestos-related illness. If a legally responsible party caused the exposure, you may be entitled to legal compensation.
Contact us online today to discuss the facts of your asbestos-related diagnosis to find out whether you are entitled to legal compensation.
