A French study implemented for the International Agency for Research on Cancer examined almost 63,000 men from 13 different countries who worked for at least a year in the pulp and paper industry between 1945 and 1996. Approximately 36 percent of the men had been exposed to asbestos and of those exposed, 14 passed away due to pleural mesothelioma. In the unexposed group, which many have been exposed to asbestos-like fibers, ten died from the same type of cancer.

The rate of mesothelioma deaths in the exposed group was almost three times as high as the rate of mesothelioma in the unexposed group. Ironically, prior to this study, asbestos exposure had not been considered a serious risk in the pulp and paper industry.

Many machines utilized in the pulp and paper industry contained a type of asbestos known as chrysotile. Many companies have claimed that chrysotile asbestos is much less dangerous than other types which can cause the development of serious illnesses. However the results of some studies indicate that this may not be the case. Chrysotile asbestos is capable of causing serious diseases including asbestos cancers such as mesothelioma. Exposure to even a small amount of any kind of asbestos can be dangerous.

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that has high tensile strength, and is very resistant to chemical and thermal degradation. Prior to the 1980s, asbestos was often added to construction products, to provide strength, stability, and thermal insulation to the materials.

Due to these important chemical and physical properties, asbestos was added to many of the moving parts in paper and fabric mill machines. The addition of asbestos provided extra thermal stability and insulation for high-friction, high-heat moving parts. The addition of asbestos also put machine operators at risk of exposure, and the development of asbestos-related diseases.

In addition, asbestos was also used in machinery and plant insulation, particularly in locations where a high risk of fire was present. The use of volatile chemicals and high-heat processes necessitates the use of insulation and construction materials that have a low fire risk and asbestos was ideal for use in pulp and paper industrial plants due to its inability to burn or conduct heat.

Working around machinery that contains asbestos presents a health risk because the movement of the parts that contain asbestos can cause the tiny fibers to break off and become airborne where workers could inhale or ingest them into the body. Asbestos fibers present an exposure risk because when inhaled or ingested as they can be transported to the lungs, where they cause chronic inflammation and irritation. Over time this causes asbestosis, due to the build-up of scar tissue in the lungs. Asbestosis, which is characterized by painful breathing and reduced lung function, is incurable.

Another serious asbestos-related diseases is a type of cancer called mesothelioma. Unfortunately there is no known cure for the cancer, though treatment options do exist for patients diagnosed with mesothelioma. Please click here to receive a complimentary packet with additional information about mesothelioma.

One major problem in diagnosing and treating asbestos-related diseases, and mesothelioma in particular, is the long latency period between asbestos exposure and the onset of the first disease symptoms. In the case of mesothelioma three to six decades may elapse between exposure and the appearance of symptoms. In the mean time the person in question may feel and appear healthy, without realizing that cancer is developing within their body.

This means that not only are the diseases difficult to treat, but also that the true effects of the massive amount of asbestos exposure that occurred last century are yet to be seen. It's been estimated that 27.5 million people experienced occupational asbestos exposure in the 20th century, including thousands of paper mill workers.

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