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Cement Siding

Cement is a wonderful material. It’s strong and durable and can be used for many different applications. Today, cement is certainly safe but, decades ago, cement was often mixed with asbestos to promote fire resistance and a longer life. These asbestos-containing cement products could be found throughout homes and commercial buildings and were widely used from about the 1930s until asbestos warnings were issued in the late 1970s.

Fiber cement siding was just one popular product that contained asbestos fibers. (Cement siding is still widely used, but no longer contains asbestos.) Marketers of this asbestos-containing cement siding promoted the product as durable and long-lasting, and because it contained asbestos, it was also highly heat- and fire-resistant. That meant those inside would be kept safe. It would also resist cracking, rotting, and termites – all of which were concerns with traditional wood shingles.

Cement siding came in large sheets and was cut to fit the job, just like most siding. However, when asbestos-containing cement siding was sawed or cut, it released dangerous airborne asbestos fibers, which were inhaled by those working with the material. Years later, many of those siding installers developed asbestos-related diseases because of their exposure to this dangerous mineral. Furthermore, when cement siding began to get old and crumbly, asbestos fibers could again be released and may have affected the health of homeowners who performed do-it-yourself jobs around the house. Anyone who repaired or removed old cement siding could have been affected as well.

Exposure to asbestos is a serious occurrence. Though not everyone who inhales asbestos gets sick, at least 2,000 – 3,000 U.S. citizens per year develop mesothelioma and die from the disease. In some countries, where asbestos cement siding and other such products were used long after warnings were issued in the U.S., disease rates are even worse.

The most alarming fact about asbestos cancer is that many of them could have been avoided. Ongoing investigations indicate that many manufacturers of asbestos products, including companies that made cement siding, may have known about the dangers of inhaling asbestos but continued to make their products. In some cases, medical doctors told owners that their employees were dying from asbestos exposure but nothing was done to combat the problem. Asbestos should have been banned, but most manufacturing continued until almost 1980, when the U.S. government finally issued stern warnings about its use.

If you worked with asbestos-containing cement siding, you may have already developed mesothelioma or you may be prone to developing the disease in the future, perhaps due to the cover-up that left hundreds of unsuspecting tradesmen and their families to deal with a sure death sentence caused by this toxic mineral. Mesothelioma sufferers often die within a year of their diagnosis and death is painful, with symptoms including difficulty breathing, severe coughing, and serious chest pain. Chemotherapy and radiation help ease some symptoms but do not offer a cure.

If you have mesothelioma due to exposure to cement siding, it’s time to investigate your legal rights. You may be entitled to monetary compensation for your disease. For more information, order our free mesothelioma information kit today.

Last modified: October 15 2008.