Peak Oil And Mesothelioma  

PeakOil.com has a report from the Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center pointing out that one symptom of oil dependence if the risk of contracting mesothelioma in aging oil refineries - Peak Oil & mesothelioma - how to ease two problems at once (PDF).

The use of oil also has other aspects, for instance as a cause of environmental problems and hazards. Among them a medical condition known as mesothelioma, a fatal form of cancer that can affect oil refinery workers.

In order to create gasoline, diesel fuels and other products from crude oil it must first be refined at an oil refinery. There have always been concerns surrounding the safety of oil refinery workers. High heat and flammable materials may lead to fire or explosions, putting workers at risk for bodily injury or even death.

There is another health and safety issue that one may not consider, however, and that is the presence of asbestos. Asbestos is the only conclusive cause of pleural mesothelioma, a fatal cancer that attacks the lungs and presently has no cure. Asbestos was widely used due to its superb insulating capabilities and may be found in oil refineries within piping, tanks, boilers, reactors, furnaces, and pumps in the form of insulation. Additionally, asbestos may also be found in roofing tiles, floor or ceiling tiles, drywall, plaster, and even duct tape.

If inhaled, the claw-like composition of asbestos fibers allow them to cling to the pleural lining of the lungs for up to fifty years before an individual may experience the symptoms commonly associated with mesothelioma, including breathing troubles and chronic cough. Due to the extremely lengthy latent period of mesothelioma, an individual may not be diagnosed for decades after their initial asbestos exposure. Once diagnosed, the majority of mesothelioma sufferers will succumb to this aggressive form of cancer in less than two years. The survival rate associated with mesothelioma cancer is less than one percent. ...

We can no longer afford to rely on oil refining processes that endanger our lives and decrease our quality of life. There is no better time than now to consider alternative energy sources, including the implementation of clean, natural solar energy and alternative fuel for our vehicles. Not only does a reduction of the oil dependence help mitigate the problems imposed by peak oil, as it also will be leading to better health and reducing causes of mesothelioma.