Asbestos Death Rate in Baltimore Nearly Double National Average
While the national rate of deaths from asbestos disease is 4.9 per every 100,000, in Baltimore County, the rate nearly doubles to 9.0, according to a report by EWG Action Fund.
Washington, D.C. – While the national rate of deaths from asbestos disease is 4.9 per every 100,000, in Baltimore County, the rate nearly doubles to 9.0, according to a report by EWG Action Fund. The neighboring counties of Carroll and Harford have higher rates than both the state and nationwide averages as well, with 7.5 and 6.4 respectively. The statewide rate is 5.1....
Washington, D.C. – While the national rate of deaths from asbestos disease is 4.9 per every 100,000, in Baltimore County, the rate nearly doubles to 9.0, according to a report by EWG Action Fund.
The neighboring counties of Carroll and Harford have higher rates than both the state and nationwide averages as well, with 7.5 and 6.4 respectively. The statewide rate is 5.1.
Researchers with the organization estimate more than 1,000 residents of Baltimore County died from asbestos-triggered disease between 1999 and 2013.
Across the entire state, more than 4,200 Marylanders have lost their lives to asbestos-related disease in that stretch of time, including 185 in Carroll County and 228 in Harford County.
The analysis combines federal records of deaths from mesothelioma and asbestosis from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with a formula developed by international cancer researchers with the World Health Organization for estimating lung cancer deaths from asbestos.
Asbestos use in the United States has dropped significantly since the late 1970s, after the serious health risks associated with the fiber were made clear. However, it was once a mainstay component in a number of industries and professions with substantial footprints in Maryland, including shipping and shipbuilding, rail, mining and construction.
Many of Baltimore’s aging homes, schools and other buildings almost certainly contain asbestos-laced materials that can present risks to those who live, work and go to school in them. In fact, any building built before 1980 was likely constructed with materials made with asbestos.
“While asbestos is no longer used at the levels it once was, it is still legal and remains a threat to many in Baltimore,” said Alex Formuzis with EWG Action Fund. “Even the smallest amounts of asbestos can cause deadly diseases later in life.”
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) warns that there is no “safe” level of asbestos exposure, adding that, “[a]sbestos exposures as short in duration as a few days have caused mesothelioma in humans.”
Mesothelioma, a type of cancer that is only caused by asbestos, attacks the lining that surrounds the lungs, stomach and other organs. Those diagnosed with the disease usually die within months.
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EWG Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that is a separate sister organization of the Environmental Working Group. The mission of EWG Action Fund is to protect health and the environment by educating the public and lobbying on a wide range of environmental issues. Donations to EWG Action Fund are not tax-deductible.