Asbestos Found in Spackling Compounds

Do you live in a house that was built in the years between 1930 and 1980? Did you help build a house in the said period? If yes, you may be at risk of developing asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, and others. The reason is that asbestos was used in most products that were a part of the construction industry then. Spackling compound is one such product. It was used to patch and repair plaster walls and ceilings and also used as a decorative plaster coat on ceilings and walls.

Asbestos Exposure from Spackling Compounds

Many spackling compounds contained high levels of asbestos. As a result, renovating or remodeling a house dating back to that period releases dust from deteriorating spackling compound and causes exposure to asbestos that is a known carcinogen. Asbestos fibers are friable, which means that its fibers easily become airborne. But as long as the products with asbestos remain intact, there is no appreciable health hazard. Owing to this aspect, it is generally advised that spackling compounds be left undisturbed.

Spackling Compounds Containing Asbestos Fibers

The process of using Spackling Compound was to procure it in powder form and mix it on site. As a result, workers who mixed the plaster and others in the area were exposed to high concentrations of asbestos-containing dust. With the passage of time, trends changed and renovations were performed during which the workers sanded the spackle plaster down in order to provide a different finish. This again released asbestos fibers into the air that was inhaled and led to the deadly forms of asbestos-related diseases as we know them today.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that is caused almost exclusively by inhaling asbestos fibers. More and more cases are being diagnosed each year; in fact, by a conservative estimate, 10,000 deaths occur due to the disease each year in the U.S. The reason is always exposure to asbestos in the workplace, particularly in the construction, shipbuilding, and HVAC industries where products containing asbestos are most commonly used.

Even today, the full extent of the damage caused by the asbestos industry's disregard of public and worker safety cannot be gauged. Owing to the long gestation period of the disease that spans 20 to 50 years, the last of those who were exposed to asbestos dust in the period when it was used the most will only be diagnosed by around 2020 or 2030.