Power Plant Mesothelioma Case May Be Just the Start for Mongolia
Mongolia has recorded its first-ever case of mesothelioma, but researchers say it is not likely to be the last. An article in the International ournal of Occupational and Environmental Health details the case of a 47-year old woman who developed mesothelioma after working for 28 years in a coal-burning thermal power plant. As in other parts of the world, asbestos has been widely used in Mongolian thermal power plants as an insulating material. Based on the prevalence of asbestos at these power plants, and the fact that more than 80 percent of mesothelioma cases worldwide have a history of asbestos exposure, the researchers recommend that Mongolia prepare for a significant rise in the disease. “We expect additional cases of mesothelioma,…