Lebanon Continues to Face Mesothelioma Worries

Because asbestos use hit its peak in the United States more than 30 years ago, it may be difficult for some people to remember just how commonly used the fibers were. However, the current situation involving widespread asbestos exposure in Lebanon may serve as something of a reminder.

While importing asbestos products has been banned in Lebanon since 2006, there have been signs throughout the country in recent years that the country’s asbestos problem is not getting much better. Asbestos products that are already in the country have not been regulated at all, while various “environmental disasters” have also raised worries about asbestos and the risk of developing mesothelioma.

Lastly, places where asbestos products have been dumped are not properly covered either, leaving them as a potential risk for asbestos exposure to those nearby, Green Prophet reported.

Dr. Joseph Kattan, a doctor of hematology and oncology at the Hotel Dieu Hospital, told a Lebanese newspaper recently that despite the asbestos ban, much of the population is still being exposed to asbestos on a daily basis and therefore increasing their risk of eventually developing mesothelioma.

“Unlike various speculations on other types of cancers, there is clear and strong evidence on the cause and effect relationship between asbestos contamination and malignant mesothelioma,” Kattan said. “If one type of asbestos is less aggressive, it doesn’t mean that it is not dangerous.”

He added that to make matters worse, some Lebanese companies had ignored the initial 2006 asbestos ban and imported irrigation pipes from Turkey that contained asbestos as recently as 2008.

While asbestos exposure may one day be a thing of the past in Lebanon, and the U.S., that is unfortunately still not the case. If you’ve been exposed to asbestos and later developed mesothelioma, call Sokolove Law for a free legal consultation regarding a mesothelioma claim. For legal help, call (800) 581-6358.

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