ASBESTOS TIME CAPSULE
A 1952 time capsule bumps heads with 2010 paranoia over asbestos

Asbestos fears delay Va. time capsule opening.

January 7, 2010 – In 1952, asbestos was the so-called “miracle mineral” and abundantly applied in hundreds of building-construction and interior home products.

But in 2010 asbestos is condemned as a toxic killer responsible for the deaths of more than 90,000 people worldwide every year, says the World Health Organization.

Asbestos time capsule

Health concerns over asbestos exposure have delayed the unveiling of a 1952 time capsule at the former Roanoke (Va.) City Health Department office, the Associated Press reports today.

Today’s unveiling was indefinitely postponed after officials discovered the capsule was surrounded by floor tiles that may contain asbestos, said a Virginia Department of Health spokesman who explained it's common for materials from that era to contain asbestos.

The unveiling will be rescheduled after the situation is more thoroughly evaluated and safely resolved. The time capsule contains historical items that city and health officials contributed 58 years ago.

Asbestos, a health threat for the ages

Ancient Romans wove table cloths out of asbestos and after a banquet threw the dirty cloths in the fire to make them clean and white. Not until modern times did the public recognize asbestos as the carcinogen that it is.

Asbestos exposure can lead to the development of several fatal illnesses, including mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is the signature asbestos-related cancer. An occupational disease, mesothelioma is most often caused by regular inhalation of airborne asbestos fibers by workers whose employers remained silent about its hazards.

Mesothelioma can take up to 50 years to develop, making diagnosis and treatment difficult. On average, a patient diagnosed with mesothelioma dies within 18 months. There is no known cure for mesothelioma cancer.

Time to seek justice

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and seek a free case review, please notify us through the communication form on this page.

Weitz & Luxenberg has protected the legal rights of asbestos-injured workers since 1986. Since then, the firm's mesothelioma lawyers have won several billion dollars in verdicts and settlements for clients injured by asbestos exposure.

Please know, the firm works on a contingency basis so there is no cost to you until we obtain a verdict or reach a settlement in your favor.