Asbestos Not Banned in Iraq

The Mesothelioma Cancer Center is trying to create awareness amongst the Iraqi people and American veterans about the dangers of asbestos exposure in Iraq. Asbestos currently still is not banned in Iraq, and a bomb or even a partial demolition of a house can send the toxic asbestos fibers airbourn. Currently more American veterans die from asbestos exposure each year than die in Iraq! I have added Mesothelioma to my list of Sites to Ponder in the sidebar.

"Documents from 2003, which is the latest year such figures are available, show asbestos imports to Iraq amounted to $194,000 (U.S. dollars). To make matters worse, there are no known regulations concerning health and safety for those working in Iraq that are processing and handling asbestos.

The entire Middle East has been steadily increasing their incoming asbestos supply, except for Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which are the only two countries that have placed bans on asbestos. To demonstrate the amount of consumption that is taking place, Iran alone has been reported to order 30,000 tons of asbestos each year.

The War in Iraq has created a multitude of concerns for Iraqi citizens as well as U.S. troops, and asbestos exposure should not be left to the wayside. When asbestos-containing buildings are damaged or disturbed by various munitions, it is highly likely that the asbestos construction materials are also damaged. This presents a hazard for all soldiers in the area. Even soldiers that are stationed nearby can be affected by asbestos because the fierce winds in Iraq can carry dessert sands and asbestos dust for miles.

Exposure to asbestos is known to cause a wide variety of terminal diseases-- including asbestosis, lung cancer, and malignant mesothelioma. Exposure also exponentially increases the risks of gastrointestinal, colorectal, throat, kidney, esophageal, and gallbladder cancer.

For a complete list of mesothelioma doctors, mesothelioma treatments, charts and diagrams about how to spot asbestos in the home, and what to do if you have received a mesothelioma prognosis—please visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center." --The Mesothelioma Cancer Center