Asbestos in acoustics may be a serious problem for homeowners, school districts, office building or workplace management, and communities with libraries, theaters, and retail spaces. These structures, if built before the asbestos ban in 1978, may have acoustic plaster or acoustic finishes that contain asbestos, a toxic mineral that has caused thousands of cases of lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis.

Acoustic Plaster, Acoustic Finishes

Asbestos was used as a binding material in hundreds of construction materials until the 1978 ban, but the existing stocks of asbestos-containing materials, including acoustic plaster and acoustic finishes, were exempt from the ban. Thus, even if your home or school was built after 1978, it may contain many materials that have asbestos as a component. For example, ceilings with asbestos as part of an acoustic finish were still being installed in the 1980s.

"Popcorn" Ceilings

One of the most common uses of asbestos in acoustics is the "popcorn" ceilings installed in the late 1950s and beyond. These cottage cheese-looking "acoustic" finishes were a cheap, easy-to-install option that covered defects and poor workmanship in a ceiling. Most homeowners and potential homebuyers feel that these popcorn ceilings and acoustic finishes give a very dated, unappealing look, and many people have had them removed.

Installation and Removal of Asbestos Products

However, the removal of a construction material such as acoustic plaster or a popcorn ceiling that contains asbestos is a dangerous activity, because when asbestos is disturbed, the tiny fibers of asbestos are released into the air where they may be inhaled by humans and pets. The fibers lodge themselves inside the body, initiating a disease process that can result in mesothelioma (a fatal cancer), asbestosis, lung cancer, and other serious maladies.

This same asbestos inhalation was a significant risk for the individuals who installed or applied the asbestos-containing acoustic plaster or acoustic finishes and those working in the area — drywall installers, painters, laborers, and construction specialists. Many of these workers have developed mesothelioma or other asbestos-caused diseases after spending years or even decades being around asbestos products, unaware of the serious hazard.

Learn More about Asbestos in Acoustic Products

If you have lung cancer, mesothelioma, or another disease due to your work with acoustic plaster or acoustic finishes that contained asbestos, contact us today to discuss your financial and legal options.