Aging water pipes could put you and your family at risk of contracting the deadly cancer, mesothelioma.
Asbestos cement was used for decades in the United States to make many products including water pipes. In fact, the Asbestos Diseases Awareness Organization estimates that there were millions of miles of asbestos cement pipes installed in the country between the 1960s and the 1980s, and several of them are now reaching the end of their 50 to 70 year lifespan and are beginning to break down.
There is now concern that if the pipes are not handled properly they could release the asbestos fibers into the atmosphere which not only is a risk to residents and those working on them, the asbestos could even end up in drinking water.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration have established strict guidelines for the handling of asbestos cement by workers but they are not always followed. And according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), decay of asbestos cement water mains is the one of the biggest sources of mesothelioma as the asbestos contaminates the drinking water.
If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos related disease, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. Contact the Law Office of Brayton Purcell, LLP at (800) 598-0314 immediately, or contact us online for a free consultation.
