Asbestos In Your Area

Asbestos in the State of Idaho

Asbestos Exposure in Idaho

Asbestos has been in use since the Greek and Roman times. In the late 1800's it was discovered in North America and both Canada and the USA began to mine it. It's most often used as a fireproof insulator and the use of it in America grew dramatically as the Industrial Age got rolling. Asbestos was used heavily in everything from floor and ceiling tiles to the brake pads for your car.

Asbestos is a mineral made up of a bunch of small, thin fibers. These fibers are fireproof and can easily be used in the manufacture other products. The problem is, when these fibers break loose and float through the air, they can easily be inhaled or swallowed by anyone in the area. These fibers can have serious consequences for the human body, especially with higher levels of exposure. Unfortunately, this wasn't discovered until after asbestos had been in use for some time. There were many industries in Idaho and across the nation that used asbestos extensively and unwittingly exposed hundreds to asbestos fibers.

At-Risk Occupations and Locations in Idaho

In the northern part of Idaho, particularly the panhandle, where the mountains cross state lines, you will find an old asbestos mine or two. Miners were particularly susceptible to injury and illness from breathing asbestos. The air in the asbestos mine was full of airborne fibers and there was almost no ventilation. Miners are at extreme risk of suffering from asbestosis or mesothelioma, both of which are briefly described a little later.

There are not a lot of industries that had heavy asbestos use in Idaho. There are, however, several industries that are common across the nation that use asbestos. Many power plants use products containing asbestos as insulation and there are several paper production plants and chemical plants that have been found to use asbestos. One of the number one occupations in Idaho that comes into contact with asbestos on a regular basis is the construction industry. Asbestos is still used in some construction materials, such as wall board and some adhesives, but the most exposure comes from demolition of older homes and buildings. Most of the asbestos containing products that are still in use today mix the asbestos fibers with another substance that will hold the fibers in place and not let them become airborne.

Asbestos-related Deaths in Idaho

Between 1979 and 1999 there were 180 deaths attributable to asbestos in Idaho. 84 of them were from Asbestosis. Asbestosis is damage that lungs and even the throat can be sustained from the prolonged breathing of asbestos fibers. The victims of this injury typically have extreme trouble breathing because their lung capacity had been lowered. Basically, scar tissue in the lungs has diminished lung capacity.

The other 96 asbestos related deaths involved mesothelioma. Asbestos is a carcinogen that can cause cells in the mesothelium, or the lining around the organs inside the body, to become cancerous. These tumors are most often malignant and can spread to many different areas of the body. Most often occurring in the lungs, mesothelioma can also often be found near the heart and stomach and intestines.

Legal Resources for Idaho Residents

Idaho is one of the few states that do not have any laws on their books regarding asbestos. The EPA handles all asbestos inspections and abatements in Idaho and started doing that in November of 1997. They follow the guidelines set out in the federal Clean Air Act. The EPA certifies and contracts with companies to perform asbestos inspections and removal in older buildings. The demolition has to have specific safeguards in place to prevent asbestos fibers from becoming airborne.

A quick internet search does not turn up any current cases that mention asbestos or mesothelioma in Idaho. Of course, this doesn't mean that these kinds of cases don't exist in Idaho, just that they are neither frequent nor controversial enough to garner a lot of media attention.

As mentioned above, Idaho does not have any laws regarding asbestos and asbestos related injuries, so if you wish to bring a suit against someone, it must be done as a personal injury suit. One important piece of information to note is the statute of limitations for personal injury is two years from the initial diagnosis.

Show Your Support

Get Your Own Asbestos      Awareness Wristband
Attention Veterans
Related News