A form of loose asbestos insulation used in the Australian capital of Canberra, Mr. Fluffy has caused problems for the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and homeowners alike since a sole contractor used the insulation in territory homes beginning in 1968, myMeso previously reported.
A new study by the Australian National University showed more than 80 percent of homeowners in Fluffy-contaminated houses had renovated their homes, greatly increasing the risk of asbestos exposure to occupants and renovation crews, according to The Canberra Times.
“Well under half of the residents wore a mask or other protective gear when they did their own renovations, and of those who knew whether their builder had worn protective gear only half said they had,” the news source reported.
Asbestos, a group of silicate minerals used in insulation and other building materials, is now a known human carcinogen and heavily regulated—even banned—in many countries. It is linked to deadly mesothelioma, which can affect the lining of the lungs, heart or abdomen; lung cancer; and other asbestos-related diseases after just brief interaction.
Though the study only surveyed 567 residents, 363 were recent residents and 204 were residents some time in the past. Of the recent or current residents, one had been diagnosed with lung cancer, one had a spouse die from mesothelioma and two were diagnosed with pleural plaques. Of the past residents, 10 reported health problems associated with asbestos exposure, including one with mesothelioma and another with lung cancer.
The report noted, according to The Times, it is likely many residents were exposed to the fibers when more than half entered the roof space and almost two-thirds entered the subfloor, which contained the loose asbestos-tainted insulation, at least once. It was “impossible to quantify” the effects potential exposure had on the health of the construction crews involved in the renovations, the study concluded.
Chief investigator Martyn Kirk stressed the rarity of contracting an asbestos-related illness “…even amongst people who have had high levels of exposure and have worked in it,” but noted a third of the study’s participants said they were concerned or extremely concerned about their health due to living in a Fluffy-tainted house.
SOURCE: myMeso › Homeowners often renovated homes containing Mr. Fluffy asbestos-tainted insulation, study says © 2008-2018 myMeso.org This RSS Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact web@beasleyallen.com so we can take legal action immediately.