Asbestos Pollution in the City of Portland - Research Paper Example

Asbestos Pollution in the of Portland Pollution in the of Portland The Willamette river in Portland is a principal tributary of River Columbia as it is comprised of the greatest share for the flow of the main river. The alteration of the drainage basin occurred as a result of volcanic and erosion activities in a period dated thirty million years ago. In addition, the city of Portland sits at the mouth of the Willamette where the city started having inhabitants at least ten thousand years ago. To date, the river has at least fifty bridges crossing the river and fifteen dams where the Army corps from U.S.A manages thirteen of the dams. Over time, the river has experienced pollution from a number of harmful substances that have made the water unfit for human consumption. In essence, the material gained popularity in the construction industry where the U.S still uses the material in the manufacture of cement asbestos pipes. Despite the discouraged use of asbestos, many buildings built in the past in Portland still contain traces of asbestos despite the health risks involved. In this regard, this essay will delve on the population of the Willamette River in the City of Portland, especially in relation to asbestos. Traditional uses of asbestos in construction in Portland Arguably, asbestos is a mineral that occurs naturally in many world parts that include Canada, South Africa, and the US. Further, a larger percentage of the mineral comes from Canada and the use of the mineral started in ancient Greece due to the ability of the material to resist heat. However, speculations are high that a master of part of the waters in the US has this mineral present due to naturally occurring asbestos (Lamond, 2006). As per the Administration of Environmental Protection, a larger number of the US building industry used the material in the insulation of commercial and public buildings. The use of the material increased after world war II where the manufacturing of this product became drastic. In essence, asbestos is a preferable material because of the ability of the material to pass on the insulation properties to the other material when fused. In the past, asbestos was an inclusive material in the locomotive industry in the manufacture of steam engines in their boilers for insulation. This was because of the indestructible nature of the material as it does not decompose, has poor electrical conduction properties, and does not corrode because of chemicals and water. This meant that despite the harmful side effects of the material, there was no way that the construction industry could avoid the use of the material. Current usage of asbestos in construction in Portland Currently, asbestos has a number of applications in the building and construction industry varying from rust prevention to sound proofing. In the past, the construction industry in Portland relied on cement for their construction because of the expansion ability in the product. This means that cement would expand as it dries to fill in the cracks and spaces created by concrete and other building materials. However, the fusion of cement and asbestos occurred in 1905 when the United States produced the first asbestos-cement products. In essence, these materials were (Hanley, 2011) resistant, durable, low on cost of acquisition, and were easy to install. In addition, the incorporation of asbestos-cement products was initially in the repair industry especially in the repair of roofs (Gooch, 2010). With time, the use of these products evolved into aspects as they became applicable in beautifying ceilings and bathroom ceramic tiles (Hanley, 2011). Moreover, the material is also a principal component of furnace cement, concrete and cement products from Portland. Additionally, the use of asbestos is also in making paints, fire doors, texture applications on walls, drain pipes and plastering (Hanley, 2011). In some instances, spraying of asbestos is crucial in the protection of steel materials from rust and corrosion to prolong the life of materials used in construction. On the contrary, asbestos may be applicable in the non construction industry like in the manufacture of brake linings for elevators and in clutch pads. Additionally, asbestos forms a basic component in the manufacture of heat proof gloves, heat resistant plastics, and fire blankets. Remarkably, the use of the material is visible in some paper products, stove tops with heat resistance capabilities, and protective clothing. Asbestos exposure during construction in Portland Ideally, the production of these products continued till the 1970s when health care experts sounded alarms over exposure to asbestos (Gooch, 2010). On the contrary, records proved that manufacturers of these products had prior knowledge of the hazards of coming into contact with these materials. However, they did not share the information with their workers hence exposing them to unknown hazards. Subsequently, the manufacturers of asbestos-cement products faced intense lawsuits that stemmed from workers that had developed asbestos related cancer from exposure to the material. As a precaution, workers involved in the manufacture of these products needed to protect their faces to avoid inhalation of the asbestos present in the products. In essence, the workers experienced exposure to asbestos dust through cutting, grinding, drilling or sawing of asbestos fibers released into the air. Subsequently, the workers developed asbestos related complication years later after exposure as a result of not using proper prevention gear against inhalation. Moreover, allegations of traces of asbestos in the hydroelectric power stations built on the Willamette River have also been in the limelight. Allegedly, many insist that the use of the material was during the construction of these stations as a way of preventing them from the high voltage produced at the power stations. The presence of asbestos was in wire coating, ceilings and on electrical breakers where workers experienced exposure on a daily basis through light inhalation. Subsequently, workers in Portland have reported asbestos related illnesses such as Mesothelioma and asbestosis. Historically, some occupations presented higher chances of exposure to asbestos as compared to others. For instance, naval workers in shipyards had a high likelihood of experiencing this exposure as compared to other workers. In essence, the exposure rates were high during the World War II period where the workers served as asbestos insulators hence developing lung cancer (Bartrip, 2006). Ideally, the workers worked in areas like pipe fitting, boilers, incinerators, and the piping departments within the ships. In essence, the economy of Portland depended on River Willamette because of the link that it has with the Pacific ocean. This meant that ship manufacture business thrived making the town a regional center for shipping and to some extent the farming industries. To date, Portland is one of the chief terminals for exportation of large chunks of export products because of the fact that the city is at a central point. Therefore, employees working in these areas could not abate exposure to asbestos due to the use of the material in making of various ship equipments. Essentially, mesothelioma is a type of asbestos related cancer commonly found among those exposed to the material. The sites cited as possible areas for asbestos exposure in Portland include the Portland Shipyard, Willamette Shipyard, Oregon Steel Mills among a list of many others. Therefore, the alarming number of areas that have this exposure has forced medical experts to increase awareness of the existence of this mineral and communication of the health hazards presented by the material. Adverse health effects of asbestos in Portland Ideally, exposure to asbestos is chiefly through the inhalation of asbestos dust that collects itself at certain points within a building exposed to the material. This means that miners of this mineral also stand on the harmful path of this substance, especially if they do so without proper protective gear. Primarily, miners of this mineral are the initial casualties to illnesses related to it followed by those living in buildings constructed using this substance. Studies have also proven that family members of those working in asbestos prone areas also have slight chances of developing such health complications due to prolonged minimal exposure. For instance, the estimated number of years for these complications to occur is at least fifteen to forty years as they present little signs and symptoms. Other researchers have also found direct skin exposure to asbestos facilitates harmless growth of epidermis. Additionally, ingestion of water contaminated with asbestos increased risk of obtaining asbestos related cancer through water pipes. Other than cancer, asbestos exposure may also lead to health complications that include multiple sclerosis, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. This means that the mineral suppresses infection killers produced by the body bringing about systemic autoimmunity. According to other studies, asbestos factory workers and their spouses also had damaged DNA and gene transcription as a result of this exposure. This meant that these individuals suffered genotoxic effects from this exposure that could lead to death of cells and cell modulating errors. Additionally, exposure to asbestos has the likelihood to cause irritation to the lungs and bronchioles of an individual. Sequentially, this mineral causes scarring of the lung tissue because digestion and absorption of the materials are impossible. In some instances, cancers of the digestive system may also draw relevance to the ingestion of food contaminated with asbestos although the connection is not substantive. Further, cigarette smokers exposed to this substance also intensify their chances for acquiring lung cancer because cigarettes made their lungs susceptible to the effects of the substance. This trend is also visible in neighboring regions like the Oregon. However, pollution levels tend to vary according to the type of asbestos present making it minimal or severe. For instance, crocidolite and amosite asbestos are the most harmful forms of this mineral as their residues tend to cling onto lung tissue because of their nature to resist natural body self-cleaning functions. This form of exposure may be fatal despite a ban put against mining of the substance in past years. On the other hand, chrysotile asbestos is less toxic that forms the common asbestos applied in the US. This is because of the less persistence nature of the mineral, which many consider as a lesser health risk. Therefore, many health care experts consider asbestos a less harmful substance unless there are sufficient exposure levels to it over a prolonged time. This makes it a lesser cause for health alarm. How does the hazardous nature of asbestos apply to the city of Portland In essence, fire fighting is the riskiest occupation in the world today due to the fact that fire fighter presents themselves in harms way continually. Some of the dangerous substances that these firefighters find themselves exposed to include carbon monoxide, lead and most of all asbestos especially in areas with Portland in Oregon region. This mainly attribute to tremendous use of the material in the construction of buildings in the early twentieth century (Lamond, 2006). In essence, asbestos fibers become active once they become airborne due to any slight disturbance. In this regard, firefighters have the mandate of using all precautionary measures in ensuring minimal asbestos exposure. This means that firefighters are at a high risk of asbestos related exposure in Portland as compared to an average citizen. As a mandatory precaution, fire fighters in Portland fit themselves with self-carried the breathing apparatus designed as a protector from exposure to dust, fumes and some toxic inhalants like asbestos. On the other hand, employees in the ship manufacture industry in the war period have sought compensation from the government because of shipyard exposure to asbestos. However, this process is strictly an out of court affair under the legislative piece referred to as the Feres Doctrine. This process remains elusive as it may not be uneasy to prove that ones cancer was a result of exposure during their working at the shipping yard. Therefore, lawsuits based on the health risks presented by asbestos are a common occurrence where compensation totals in millions of US dollars. The basic argument that builds up the case is the sole reason that the company holding asbestos through their employees failed to make them aware of the dangers of the substance. With the threat of Mesothelioma in the offing, residents of Portland who have had prior exposure to asbestos have had to seek the services of lawyers specializing in cases related to this cancer. These lawyers provide adequate advice on the possible appropriate steps that an individual living in Portland and has potential of developing this cancer may do precautionary. However, residents of Portland are unaware of the facts that they are living in hazardous environments as this material is hard to recognize. Essentially, recognition of this substance may be by authorities that specialize in the asbestos professionally. However, the easiest way to ascertain whether a house in Portland has traces of asbestos is by establishing the age of the building. This is to mean that building as old as fifty years have a likelihood of having asbestos presence. Moreover, water from the Willamette river should have minimal domestic use in homes within Portland as the material is evidently present in the water due to natural causes. Therefore, this precautionary measure is effective in that it helps in minimizing widespread exposure to the mineral for these residents. Conclusion Evidently, asbestos is a substance that many may want to do away with but have not managed to because it has helped shape civilization. This is because the material has applications in modern day building and construction industries especially in Portland and other parts of the Oregon region. As it turns out, many residents of this region tend to be unaware of the health risks exposed to them because the effects of asbestos appear at a later stage in life. However, contamination and exposure to asbestos is of different levels depending on the area of employment. For instance, a fire fighter in Portland is at a higher risk of coming into contact with asbestos as compared to an individual living in a house decorated with asbestos. This is because asbestos tens to be active when airborne meaning that it remains inert as long no disturbance comes to the substance. On the contrary, the onset of Mesolothioma and lung cancer comes at a later stage in life making individuals to working in asbestos handling industries (Mehra, 2009). However, manufacturers prefer asbestos material because of the insulation capabilities present in the mineral that gave birth to a flourishing economy in Portland. Irrespective of the economic advantage presented by asbestos, the health risks that arise come with hefty expenses that may lead to fatality. This results from the fact that lung cancer detection occurs when the cancer has progressed into later stages where treatment is not an option. On the contrary, fatalities are preventable in that individuals living in risk prone areas should try and maintain the asbestos levels to be inert and also access medical check up from time to time. Therefore, the inhalation of asbestos dust in Portland is a health hazard as it tends to have adverse effects. References Bartrip, P. W. (2006). Beyond the factory gates: Asbestos and health in twentieth century America. London [u.a.: Continuum. Gooch, J. W. (2010). Encyclopedia dictionary of polymers. Berlin: Springer. Hanley, D. G. (2011). Toxicological Profile for Asbestos (Update). Diane Publishing: Pennsylvania. Lamond, J. F. (2006). Significance of tests and properties of concrete and concrete-making materials. West Conshohocken, Pa: ASTM. Mehra, R. M. (2009). The Healthy Office. Excel Books India. Read More