01. Asbestos Use
Why Was Asbestos Used in Consumer Products?
Asbestos was widely used in many consumer products in the United States from the early 1900s until the 1980s. The mineral was known for its natural heat resistance, strength and chemical durability.
Different consumer products contained asbestos at various times. For instance, many heat-powered hair styling devices used asbestos filters in the 1960s and 1970s, and some cigarettes had asbestos filters in the 1950s.
Most asbestos-contaminated consumer goods fall into the following categories:
- Children’s products and art supplies
- Cosmetics and beauty products
- Household appliances
- Kitchen items
- Personal care products
- Talcum powder products
- Textiles
- Wall paints
Asbestos Consumer Products History at a Glance
- Years of Manufacture: Early 1900s – Present
- Places Used: Cosmetics, heating elements, household appliances, textiles
- Asbestos Use Banned: No
- Noteworthy Brands: 3M™, Conair™ Corporation, Hamilton Beach®, Johnson & Johnson
Beginning in the late 1970s, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enacted laws to regulate asbestos. These laws reduced asbestos use but did not eliminate the risk of exposure. Individuals may still encounter asbestos in consumer goods.
Today, asbestos exposure typically occurs in one of three ways:
- Contact with asbestos-containing products manufactured before the 1980s
- Contact with goods still allowed to contain up to 1% asbestos
- Contamination of minerals that co-occur in nature with asbestos, such as talc or vermiculite
Consumers should be aware of the risks associated with asbestos exposure. Risks include developing asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma and lung cancer.
Dangers of Asbestos in Consumer Products
Everyday household items made from or contaminated by asbestos can be dangerous to consumers. Any amount of asbestos exposure may result in serious health issues.
Exposure to asbestos through consumer products may lead to the development of:
- Asbestosis
- Asbestos lung cancer
- Laryngeal cancer
- Mesothelioma (pleural, peritoneal and pericardial)
- Ovarian cancer
Researchers have studied the risks of asbestos exposure in various consumer products. For example, a 2020 study explored the link between mesothelioma and talcum powder. The authors identified 75 cases of mesothelioma in individuals who had been exposed to cosmetic talcum powders contaminated by asbestos. These individuals had no other known exposures to asbestos fibers.
Difficulty Diagnosing Asbestos Diseases Related to Consumer Product Exposure
Diagnosing asbestos diseases can be difficult when exposure comes from consumer products. Many individuals are unaware of their exposure risks. For this reason, some mesothelioma cases appear without a clear exposure source.
Mesothelioma and other asbestos-related conditions have a long latency period. Symptoms can take between 10 and 50 years to manifest. This delay complicates pinpointing the exact source of exposure. Once diagnosed, experienced asbestos lawyers can assist patients in determining when exposure occurred.
02. Product List
List of Asbestos Consumer Products
Asbestos has been used in consumer products for various reasons. For items like slow cookers and hair dryers, asbestos provided a cheap option for heat resistance and fireproofing.
Some of these goods may still contain asbestos. Products made in the United States before the 1980s, or those currently made overseas, are not included in current U.S. asbestos regulations.
Asbestos has also appeared in consumer goods because of cross-contamination. Some products contaminated in this way include fertilizer, insulation and talcum powder. Asbestos naturally forms with minerals like vermiculite and talc, causing them to be laced with asbestos fibers. These contaminated minerals are then used in various products.
Consumer products made with or contaminated by asbestos include:
- Aprons
- Ashtrays
- Automotive parts
- Baby powder
- Baking mats
- Bath mats
- Bicycle brake pads
- Bottle warmers
- Chainsaws
- Cigarette filters
- Clothes dryers
- Clothing irons
- Coasters
- Coffee pots
- Cooking ranges
- Crayons
- Curling irons
- Dishwashers
- Fabrics and textiles
- Fake snow
- Felt flooring and roofing
- Fertilizer
- Fryers
- Gloves
- Greenhouse planter tables
- Grills
- Hair dryers
- Heaters
- Heat guns
- Household appliances
- Ironing boards and covers
- Lawn mowers
- Makeup
- Mittens
- Oven mitts
- Ovens
- Paint
- Paper goods
- Plastics
- Popcorn poppers
- Pot holders
- Potting soil
- Pyrometric cones
- Respirator masks
- Slow cookers
- Stove mats
- Stoves
- Talcum powder products
- Toasters
- Toys
- Treadmills
- Washing machines
Products used in construction and automotive repair could have exposed non-occupational users during DIY projects, updates or repairs. These products were made and sold by various asbestos companies.
Many of these products were marketed under different brand names, making it even harder to track exposure and health risks. Mesothelioma lawyers have access to databases to research when client exposure could have occurred.
Many of these companies knew about the health risks of asbestos exposure. They chose not to take proper precautions and did not warn employees and consumers. As a result, thousands of people may have been exposed to asbestos in consumer products.
03. Exposure Risks
Who Is at Risk of Asbestos Exposure From Consumer Products?
Many jobs have involved the handling of asbestos consumer products, putting these workers at risk of exposure. Occupational exposure is a common way to come into contact with asbestos. People exposed to asbestos-contaminated products may risk developing related conditions.
Secondary asbestos exposure is a type of non-occupational exposure that may cause mesothelioma. This type of exposure occurs when someone with direct asbestos exposure inadvertently exposes others. Family members of someone exposed may come in contact with asbestos while handling contaminated clothing or cleaning.
04. Lawsuits
Asbestos Lawsuits, Settlements & Other Compensation
People diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness may be eligible to seek compensation for exposure to contaminated consumer goods. Compensation may come from asbestos trust funds, mesothelioma lawsuits or settlements. It can help cover medical expenses and recover lost wages.
Compensation Following Exposure From Consumer Products
Notable mesothelioma lawsuits related to asbestos exposure from consumer goods include:
- Several multimillion-dollar verdicts have been decided against Johnson & Johnson for asbestos-contaminated talc products, including a tentative $700 million settlement in January 2024. As of July 2024, the company faces over 50,000 lawsuits, many of which claim contaminated J&J baby powder caused ovarian cancer.
- In April 2021, a Los Angeles jury awarded $4.8 million to a Vietnam War veteran with pleural mesothelioma. The plaintiff had used Old Spice Talcum Powder daily for 22 years. Whittaker, Clark & Daniels Inc., the defendant, supplied the talc used in Old Spice products.
To seek compensation, individuals affected by asbestos should contact a mesothelioma lawyer. Lawyers help clients choose the best legal recourse for their circumstances. Then, these lawyers manage all aspects of the case, including research, filing and litigation.
