By Marty S. Kanarek
The tailings of the Lowell asbestos mine remain onsite, with minimal regulation and less then adequate safety measures being taken to protect from the potential harms of the mineral. There are a variety of types of asbestos; the negative health consequences of some are better understood than others. Chrysotile asbestos, the type of asbestos that stayed behind as a firm legacy when the mining companies moved out, still inspires medical controversy concerning its human health impacts. This primary source compilies evidence supporting the hypothesis that chrysotile asbestos can lead to mesothelioma. It also mentions numerous other cancers that chrysotile asbestos has been connected to. Due to overwhelming support for a strong causal relationship between chrysotile asbestos and cancers like mesothelioma, the author, Marty S. Kanarek, advocates for an international ban on all types of asbestos. The old Lowell mine site is coated in chrysotile asbestos. Citizens who live nearby, or individuals who visit the site for curiousity or recreation, are potentially in danger because of the powerful, crippling properties of asbestos. If looked at in the context of the Lowell asbestos mine, and the nearby public, this article is an urgent call to action. Clean up is imperative, and time is not going to be generous with chrysotile asbestos.
Article found at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1047279711001803
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