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(03-25-2024, 10:56 PM)JOM Wrote:
yes. Back in the day, I would drive, fly, take trains with a yuge scary-looking aluminum suitcase which held air sampling pumps, canisters, Draeger tubes to sample unknown compounds and use a variety of reagents to determine at least what the class of the compound was, if not the specific chemical. Emergency response was fairly crazy, but exciting. I had credentials which allowed me to carry this suitcase of tubes and pumps and wires and all other manner of frightening-looking stuff on an airplane. Probably couldn't do that anymore. Hell, probably couldn't even get in on checked baggage.
Asbestos mitigation was monitored onsite by several players with air monitoring equipment, using PCM -- Phase Contrast Microscopy analysis. That measured a mean average of ALL fibers, so a person could fairly assume that if all fibers were under the allowable limit, that certainly the asbestos fibers were. On all jobs, TEM -- Transmission Electron Microscopy -- was necessary to clear a job and certify it as well below the standard. Those samples had to be rushed to an analytical lab and donkey years ago cost about $350 per sample. It wasn't a job for people who needed much sleep. I could never do that now. These days, I need at least a solid six.
There was a lot of ACBM - asbestos containing building materials -- that flooded the market after the manufacturing ban. There was about 15 years after that where an astute contractor had his or her "on sale" building materials tested. California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania all had asbestos mines, along with Canada, Rhodesia, South Africa etc. Again, I believe that very specific applications, it is the perfect mineral, as long as it isn't rendered into a state which makes it respirable. I would guess that well more than half of the U.S. states have naturally occurring Serpentine Crystal/Chrysotile/Chrocidolite (might have flubbed the spelling -- it's been a very long time)
(03-26-2024, 07:57 PM)Maxmars Wrote: Don't fall for that narrative. It really didn't. They have known of the danger since pretty much the start (at least about the same time you all did in Europe and elsewhere.) Industrial entrenchment in regulatory political appointments ensured that they never had to bear the economic burden of 'keeping the public safe.' Big business in this country has been hurting people that way for many decades... and then, when it becomes intolerable some politician holds up a sign that reads "Who knew?" Others posture virtuous and use the tragedy as fodder for vote or access pandering. It's a sad thing... but we are catching on... finally...
Exactly right. Same with lead in the water pipes, leaking hydrocarbons into the groundwater/water lenses, Radon and just about every other kind of systemic poison or toxin OMG PCBs!!!!!! Safety level 5 parts per billion!!! That's like a dozen drops in an Olympic pool!
You're right Maxmars. Authorities knew far longer than before the warnings came out. Look at cigarettes. It's one thing to know and choose to do it, but quite another to have a dangerous product dressed up like a prom queen, and sold for its sparkle.
