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| Oklahoma volunteers may be at risk from asbestos exposure. |
Volunteers from all over the country continue to head to
storm-ravaged Oklahoma for the cleanup effort. But while their hard work and
passion to helping others are hailed, they are however, warned against the
threat of mesothelioma cancer. According to the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), a lot of damaged homes and buildings in Moore, Oklahoma have been found to
be exposed to different toxins. That includes asbestos, the number one cause of
malignant mesothelioma.
While asbestos has long been phased out as among the
construction materials, it is still present in large quantities in insulation,
caulk and joint compound, floor and ceiling tiles, and shingles of old houses
and buildings. In fact, a lot of establishments damaged by the hurricane are
those that had been built between the late 50s and 1970s. This was the time
when asbestos was the leading construction material. Although asbestos may not
pose harm when buildings were intact, the risk, however, comes for anyone who
unintentionally comes in contact with the hazardous material.
