Miami, FL — Asbestos Contamination Sparks Baby Powder Recall in Florida
31OctMiami, FL (October 31st, 2024) – A recent Dynacare baby powder recall has expanded to include Florida.
Routine sampling by the FDA revealed that various baby powder products contained asbestos, sparking a recall in 12 states in September. The recall has since expanded to include products in 35 states – including Florida. All lots of products that used the same bulk talc material were recalled by the manufacturer. The lots of asbestos-contaminated baby powder were sold on or after January 18th, 2024, in Florida and through Amazon.
Product recalls are issued by manufacturers or regulatory agencies when products are found to pose excessive safety risks or to be defective. They’re aimed at protecting consumers from harm, and to ensure product safety.
Table of Contents
What Is Asbestos?
Asbestos, a known carcinogen, is a group of naturally occurring mineral fibers. There are six types of asbestos that are resistant to heat, chemicals, and corrosives.
Asbestos was once wildly used in varying industries because of its strength, heat resistance, and fireproofing properties. Due to its use in shipbuilding, construction, and manufacturing, many older homes, workplaces, and buildings may still contain asbestos.
How Does Asbestos Get Into New Products?
New products today don’t have asbestos intentionally added. However, as was the case with the Dynacare baby powder lots, it can still find its way into products. There are several ways this can occur, including contamination, recycling, and importation.
Contamination
Naturally occurring, asbestos can sometimes be a contaminant in raw materials used for manufacturing. Materials such as talc, which is used in the manufacture of baby powder, and vermiculite can naturally contain asbestos.
Recycling
Some recycled products may contain asbestos. If the products they were derived from contained these dangerous fibers, trace amounts of asbestos may make its way into recycled paper, rubber, and other such materials.
Importation
Not all countries have the same level of restrictions on asbestos as the U.S. Consequently, products imported from such countries may contain asbestos, which can lead to dangerous exposure.
The Dangers of Asbestos Exposure
When inhaled, microscopic asbestos fibers can become lodged deep in the lungs. Over time, this may cause inflammation and scarring, and can lead to a range of serious respiratory diseases.
Some of the most common respiratory conditions to develop from exposure to asbestos include:
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a rare but aggressive type of cancer. It primarily affects the lining of the lungs, heart, or abdomen, and is almost exclusively caused by exposure to asbestos.
Those with mesothelioma may experience various symptoms, including chest pain, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Due to their symptoms, those with mesothelioma may struggle to work and perform daily tasks.
Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease that results due to the inhalation of asbestos fibers. It’s characterized by scarring of the lung tissue. Particularly during physical exertion, this may cause shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and coughing.
On its own, asbestosis is not typically fatal. It can, however, significantly reduce lung function and quality of life. In severe cases, it may lead to respiratory failure.
Lung Cancer
Exposure to asbestos can increase the risk for lung cancer, particularly when combined with smoking. Treatment of this disease, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy, can cause fatigue and other side effects. Combined with symptoms, such as a persistent cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, and fatigue, lung cancer and its treatment can impair people’s ability to perform everyday tasks and job duties.
A significant challenge of asbestos-related diseases is their long latency period. Symptoms can take decades after exposure to appear. Often difficult to directly link the disease to a specific exposure event, the latency period of asbestos-related diseases can complicate their diagnosis, and delay treatment. In the event legal action is needed, a Clearwater personal injury lawyer may help asbestos-illnesses sufferers determine when and where their exposures might have occurred.
What Are the Risk Factors for Developing Asbestos-Related Illnesses?
Several factors can influence people’s risk of developing asbestos-related illnesses. Generally, the longer a person is exposed to asbestos, the higher their risk of suffering from an asbestos-related illness. Additionally, higher concentrations of asbestos fibers in the air also play a role in people’s risk factors.
The type of asbestos fibers that people are exposed to can also affect whether they develop an illness, such as asbestosis, mesothelioma, or lung cancer. Of the six types of fibers making up the asbestos group, blue asbestos is considered the most dangerous.
Individual susceptibility also affects the risk factors for developing asbestos-related illnesses. Genetic predisposition may influence risk, and so too smoking may add to the danger. Pre-existing lung conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, may increase the chance of complications resulting from asbestos exposure.
What Are Your Rights If You Were Exposed to Asbestos?
If you have developed an asbestos-related illness, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against the parties responsible for your exposure. Those who may be liable for such exposures may include property owners, manufacturers, or employers.
Filing a Dangerous Product Lawsuit in Florida
In the event you develop an asbestos-related illness due to using a dangerous product, such as the recently recalled baby powder, you may pursue compensation through a product liability lawsuit. Such claims allow consumers who have suffered harm to seek to hold the companies that produced or sold dangerous products financially responsible.
To successfully pursue a product liability claim, you will need to establish that the product was defective, the product defect directly caused your injuries, and you suffered actual damages as a result. Product defects may be the result of design flaws, manufacturing defects, or failures to warn about dangers.
Injuries caused by dangerous products can leave people with physical, emotional, and financial struggles. Our attorney at Magazine & Light Law Group, Jim Magazine, is board-certified in injury law and has more than 30 years of experience pursuing the maximum compensation on behalf of injury victims and their families. If you believe you developed a serious illness or were injured due to a dangerous product in Florida, contact us today to discuss your options. 727-499-9900.