Uses of Asbestos: Examples from the 50s and 60s

Clips showing uses of asbestos products in the 1950s and 1960s taken from government and industrial films. The films are available from the Internet Archives.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• asbestos
• carcinogen
• toxic
• products
• health
• construction

[DevilGirl1987]

asbestos killed our country!!!

cmb

[markdcatlin]

Sadly, the use of asbestos in products, such as brake shoes, gaskets, floor tiles and roofing materials, continues in the US. Senator Murray, from Washington State, has proposed a ban.  We wish her success.

[NoSkraelings]

I hate asbestos. I hate breathing in asbestos, and I hate what may now happen due to stupid selfish people who refuse to deal with the problem.

A friend works for asbestosis sufferers- a truly horrible and incurable disease.

[Izakokomarixyz]

yay asbestos!!!

*cough*

[redneckrollercoast1]

@markdcatlin brake shoes or gaskets no more.

[Ihateirans]

Better living through Asbestos. Remember, asbestos does so much for us, so isn't it worth living with in spite of a few disadvantages?

[lrd9999]

@hiewy It may be impossible to mine black & blue asbestos safely; I should add that many companies didn't even try. I can't imagine a way to mine or smelt lead, arsenic or most other heavy metals safely either, unless done by robots in an abandoned area. None of that means everything made with asbestos is automatically a hazard; if all the $ spent on ripping the stuff out of buildings had instead gone to protecting the workers who mined and installed it, far more lives would have been saved.

[hiewy]

@lrd9999 yes your right "lrd' but asbestos is by far the worst of all hazarsous material asbestos like the blue crocidolite asbestos like the one mined in Wittenoom western Australia ,It killed all the miners and even locals who did not even work at the mine

The grave yard is full of people 40 and under ..not many over 40 years of age in the graveyard..most died of asbestos related disease

[lrd9999]

@hiewy It has definitely been mishandled in the past, but it's just another hazard. It even occurs naturally in some places and blows into the air during dry weather. Thousands of workers were harmed by it, but it usually took years while people have died after a few weeks of exposure to microwave popcorn flavoring. Weather it's asbestos, lead, the poison they add to pressure treated wood or any other hazard, it just has to be handled with some respect for its dangers.

[ericsz6]

Dear Mark,

We are producing a documentary for PBS about Superfund sites and are tyring to find archival films about asbestos from the 30s-60s. Can you help us locate the films you have posted in high resolution?

Thank you!!!! Eric E-Mail: eschult@njn.org

[MrMortgage1]

many people suffer mesothelioma from unwitting exposure to asbestos. how would you like to find out in 30 years that the keyboard you use contained chemicals that are now killing you - incurably!

If you are suffering from this insidious disease you may be entitled to compensation to help with your treatment, or improve your quality of life.

mesothelioma-lawsuits. info

gives you info to help with this and start you on your path.