According to a recent study in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, it is a well known fact that people who work in asbestos plants are at an increased risk for mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure. Now, a new study reveals that even living close to one of these plants may up the risk of developing the disease. Leftover waste from asbestos facilities is a major contributor to as many as ten additional cases of mesothelioma each year in neighbouring communities.

Since, mesothelioma is rather rare, it is of great significance that one can increase the risk of contracting the condition by living near an asbestos plant.

Previous research has already established a link between on-the-job asbestos exposure and mesothelioma, with workers of shipyards and other facilities processing asbestos facing a higher risk for the cancer than the general population.

In 2003, the local government launched the Clean Up Asbestos Act in an effort to reduce asbestos exposure by removing any remaining asbestos from the soil in contaminated areas. It is believed cleaning up asbestos pollution should eventually reduce the number of mesothelioma cases in the areas studied. However, the results of the clean-up effort will not be visible for decades as mesothelioma emerges decades after exposure to asbestos.

A naturally occurring mineral, asbestos is known for its durability and fire-resistant properties, including its toxic effects on humans and animals. It is used in a wide variety of building materials insulation products, siding, cements, flooring and roofing, to name just a few.

Damaged or disturbed asbestos-containing materials release toxic asbestos fibres into the air, which when inhaled or ingested result in the development of potential illnesses, including lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma.

When asbestos fibres lodge themselves in the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), heart (pericardial mesothelioma), or abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma), the condition develops. Testicular mesothelioma is another type of asbestos cancer.

Taking anywhere between 20 to 50-years to develop, one also experiences difficulty while breathing and swallowing, extreme weight loss as side effects of malignant mesothelioma cancer. Asbestosis, another asbestos-related disease also causes scarring of the lungs, which develops typically after someone has experienced prolonged exposure to airborne asbestos.