NC vets still endure long-term effects of asbestos exposure

NORTH CAROLINA — Asbestos has a long-standing history in modern industrialization, and its use increased exponentially near the start of the First World War and continued to rise until the 1990s. By 1970, when the Occupational Health and Safety Agency (OSHA) issued its first regulations, 1,400 million pounds of asbestos were being used annually in America, even though evidence linking asbestos with various lung cancers had existed since the 1940s. WWII increased asbestos use as the military industry picked up pace to supply the Armed Forces with equipment. Manufacturers recognized the unique profit-making opportunity and forgone warnings about the material’s toxicity, exposing veterans of all military branches to inhaling asbestos fibers.

Although the vast majority of asbestos-related diseases, including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma, occurred among industrial workers, including those working in shipyards, a significant yet often overlooked portion of those affected were military personnel. Veterans, particularly those who served in the Navy, were routinely exposed to asbestos dust, a common occurrence in shipyards, onboard ships, and barracks housing troops in camps. Additionally, many veterans were also employed in asbestos-related industries after service, thus being exposed for years on end. It is why asbestos diseases still are a concern for all veterans who might have asbestos fibers in their lungs, including those in Anson County’s and Wadesboro’s veteran communities.

Permanent health damages after exposure

For several decades, there was an ongoing debate in the scientific community about the effects of asbestos on human health. Notably, a link between asbestos and the subsequent development of disease required longitudinal studies, as lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis have a latency period spanning decades. Hence, a person exposed to asbestos in 1940, for example, would develop either of these conditions decades later. By this time, veterans would already have developed an advanced stage of these illnesses. Moreover, as the sharp-edged microscopic fibers cause irreversible tissue damage, cancer is more likely to occur. Thus, a connection between exposure and the development of illness is more complicated to make.

As a result of the lack of knowledge on asbestos-related disease in the 1940s, it took another 30 years for sufficient evidence to influence a policy change. However, at the time of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, hundreds of thousands of service members were exposed to asbestos-containing materials. North Carolina hosts eight active military bases from all the branches except the Navy. Among them is Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base, an infamous case of decades-long unabated contamination. Even if the toxins in the water aren’t related to asbestos, the hazardous mineral insulated facilities throughout the base.

The sumber asbestos legacy Although, according to the latest data from the CDC, the rate of mesothelioma has been steadily declining, the incidence rate is still high among those aged 85 and older at 6.6 (out of 100,000). This sharp decrease corresponds to both OSHA regulations and subsequent stringent regulations on asbestos use in the military. However, around 15,000 people die each year in the U.S. as a result of asbestosis, asbestos-related lung cancers, and mesothelioma. From around 3000 new cases of mesothelioma diagnosed each year, 900 are found in veteran populations. Survival rates for these patients are often measured in a few months, with an increased severity of symptom burden, even under medication. The rarity of this condition significantly impairs early diagnosis and treatment. Research and development in these areas is, therefore, slow to progress. In the meantime, the quality of healthcare for those with a diagnosis is limited. Considering these aspects, the legacy of asbestos exposure among U.S. veterans remains a haunting reminder of the long-term costs of delayed regulation and insufficient protection. Though regulations have since curbed widespread use, the effects continue to ripple through the aging veteran population, with many still developing terminal illnesses decades after their service.

Compensation and benefits for veterans with service-related disability

The VA, aware of the health crises, urges veterans with known asbestos exposure to attend regular health check-ups and to file claims with asbestos trust funds or apply for disability compensation and possibly free health care from the VA if they have been diagnosed with a malignant asbestos disease.

Former service members who suspect they’ve been exposed should attend regular clinical, radiographic, and ancillary tests like X-rays, CT scans, PET scans, and biopsies to identify asbestos in the body. These tools can hugely improve the diagnoses of asbestos-related conditions and increase their treatment options, increasing survival rates.

Since 2022, the disability compensation application process with the VA has been more straightforward with the passage of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act (PACT Act), and more than 1.4 million veterans have been approved for benefits nationwide. As thousands of veterans who sacrificed so much for our nation’s security continue to suffer and die each year from asbestos-related diseases, the new law offering extended VA benefits is a tremendous and timely help. Former military members should claim what is rightfully theirs by accessing information at https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/.