OPINION — Asbestos exposure stands among the most widespread, destructive and persistent occupational health disasters of the 20th century.
Once extensively incorporated into insulation systems, shipbuilding components, automotive parts, construction materials and armed forces’ barracks, asbestos was initially favored for its cost-effectiveness and ability to withstand heat before its carcinogenic properties were fully understood.
Yet what makes this crisis particularly consequential is not only its pervasive scale but also its delayed tolls, with related illnesses, such as lung cancer, manifesting up to 40 years later.
