Although asbestos is now closely regulated, it was used broadly in the United States in the 1900s, peaking in the 1970s. It was used in numerous industries in hundreds of different types of products, from insulation to automotive parts.

Asbestos miners and those who worked producing products that contained asbestos were at the highest risk of suffering the ill-effects of exposure. Veterans, asbestos workers, and their families are now being diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, and other serious conditions that may be linked to their exposure to asbestos decades ago.