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Asbestos can be found nearly everywhere. Buildings that were constructed before the 1980s are nearly guaranteed to contain asbestos somewhere, and throughout the United States asbestos grows naturally in the ground and in rock formations. Asbestos is a class of minerals that comes from the Earth, and in the United States asbestos mining was a bustling industry for a significant portion of the last two centuries.
One prominent area for asbestos mining is the Appalachian mountain chain, which extends up and down the east coast. Mining was, and still is, a prominent industry in Pennsylvania, and one borough outside of Philadelphia is known for its legacy of asbestos production. Ambler, Pennsylvania—a small borough of 6,000—was once known as “The Asbestos Manufacturing Capital of the World” for decades. Philadelphia asbestos lawyers report that even though production has stopped, Ambler residents still suffer from asbestos-related diseases at an alarming rate.
Ambler’s history as an asbestos-producing town began in 1896, when Richard Mattison opened the first asbestos textile plant in the United States in Ambler. The location was ideal: it had a consistent supply of spring water and quick access to a railroad, where raw asbestos could be carted in from nearby mines. As time progressed, more factories servicing the asbestos industry opened. Illness and premature death for the town’s residents followed. The 1.5 million cubic yards of asbestos-contaminated waste product from the factories became known as the “White Mountains of Ambler,” with one “mountain” reaching a height of 100 feet.
Today, Montgomery County, where Ambler is located, has one of the highest rates of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases in the United States. Pieces of asbestos-covered concrete and waste can still be found around the closed factories in the town, and even in the factory properties deemed to be “clean.” These lingering pieces of asbestos continue to pose a health hazard to any individuals who come into contact with them or inhale the particles that blow from them in the wind.
Mesothelioma can have a serious impact on your health and is usually fatal. If you find yourself suffering from any of the symptoms associated with mesothelioma, such as tightness of the chest, fatigue, difficulty breathing, and nausea, seek medical attention. With mesothelioma and other cancers, early detection is linked to better outcomes.
If you are suffering from mesothelioma after prolonged exposure to asbestos, consider filing an asbestos exposure claim with help from our team of Philadelphia mesothelioma lawyers at Brookman, Rosenberg, Brown & Sandler. Complete our online contact form or call our Philadelphia offices today at 1-215-569-4000 or toll-free at 1-800-369-0899 to set up your initial consultation with us. We proudly serve clients in Delaware County, Chester County, Philadelphia County and South Jersey.