Short answers, pulled from the story.
Asbestos exposure causes asbestosis (scarring of the lungs), mesothelioma (an aggressive cancer), and lung cancer. Mesothelioma typically carries a life expectancy of less than 12 months after diagnosis, and the latency period from first exposure to diagnosis is typically 20 years.
The first official note of asbestos's harmful health effects appeared in the 1898 Annual Report of the Chief Inspector of Factories and Workshops in the United Kingdom, contributed by Lucy Deane Streatfeild. The first documented asbestos-related death was recorded in 1906, and the first formal UK parliamentary report linking asbestosis to prolonged dust inhalation was presented on the 24th of March 1930.
Around 255,000 people are estimated to die each year from diseases related to asbestos exposure. Deaths continue to accumulate because the health consequences can take decades to arise after initial exposure.
Chrysotile, the only serpentine asbestos fiber, accounts for about 95% of the asbestos found in buildings in the United States, according to the EPA's Asbestos Building Inspectors Manual. Its most common use was corrugated asbestos cement roofing, and it also appeared in joint compound, floor tiles, brake linings, and pipe insulation.
Russia is the world's largest asbestos producer, accounting for 53% of the 1.3 million tonnes mined globally in 2017, and producing an estimated 790,000 tonnes in 2020 alone. Kazakhstan, China, and Brazil are the next largest producers.
As of the most recent available data, 66 countries and territories have banned the use of asbestos, including all European Union members. The United States announced a ban on chrysotile asbestos in 2024, though compliance is required only by 2037. Many developing countries, including India, Indonesia, China, Russia, and Vietnam, continue to use asbestos.