For immediate release: November 12, 2015

Washington, D.C. – Roughly 1,500 residents of Middlesex County have died from asbestos-triggered disease since 1999, according to a recent report by Environmental Working Group Action Fund.

“Many residents of Middlesex County may think asbestos and the deadly diseases it can cause is something of the past and no longer a concern, but that assumption is absolutely false,” said Alex Formuzis, VP for Strategic Campaigns at EWG Action Fund. “Not only is asbestos still legal, it is still used in some products and any homes, schools and other buildings built before the early 1980’s almost certainly contain the deadly dust.”

The nationwide average for asbestos deaths per year is 4.9 per every 100,000. However, the rate for Middlesex County is substantially higher at 6.5.

Other counties in the state with significantly higher than average annual mortality rates from asbestos disease include:

 Barnstable County (10.0)

Norfolk County (9.9)

Plymouth County (9.5)

Ten of the state’s 14 counties have annual rates that exceed the national average. Researchers with EWG Action Fund estimate more than 6,300 residents of Massachusetts have died from asbestos-caused disease between 1999 and 2013.

The analysis combines federal records of deaths from mesothelioma and asbestosis, and a formula developed by international cancer researchers with the World Health Organization for estimating lung cancer deaths from asbestos. Up to 15,000 Americans die each year from asbestos-related disease, according to the group’s report.

It is difficult to determine what the main sources of exposure to the deadly fiber are for residents of Middlesex County.  However, asbestos was commonly used for decades in the manufacturing industry, including construction, auto repair and shipbuilding, among others.

While the use of asbestos has diminished since the early 1980s after its health risks became apparent, it remains legal and continues to be used in some products.

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.

Researchers with the federal National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimate both firefighters and elementary school teachers are twice as likely to die from mesothelioma than the general population. Veterans are also disproportionately impacted by asbestos, making up 30 percent of all mesothelioma patients even though they represent only 8 percent of the overall population.

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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.