Asbestos joint compound was a pre-mixed material or white powder that could be mixed with water to form a plaster-like substance. This was used as a sealing compound with asbestos wall board. It is now realized, that its use in this manner, could have led to an increased risk of Mesothelioma.

How Asbestos Joint Compound Was Used

Joint compound is used by drywall tapers to cover panels, boards, imperfections, finishing joints, or nail and screw depressions, so as to prepare the wall for painting and to finish it. The asbestos joint compound is then sanded down to provide a smooth finish, either for another layer of material, or to finish the wall off in order for it to be painted.

How Does Asbestos Joint Compound Cause Mesothelioma?

When asbestos joint compound is dumped into water, or when it is sanded down after being applied, some of the asbestos it contains may become airborne. This asbestos consists of very fine particles that may be breathed in and thus enter the lungs. If this happens, it could cause Mesothelioma, which is a type of lung cancer specifically related to asbestos poisoning.

Other Asbestos Products Used in the Drywall Industry

Apart from asbestos joint compound, there were also a number of other drywall materials that often contained asbestos such as the drywall tape, plaster, and certain other compounds. Thus, drywall installers and tapers were at a very high risk of contracting Mesothelioma.

Asbestos joint compound is one of the materials that were used for many years in installing drywall partitions in buildings. This was used to smooth off the drywall boards so that they were ready for another layer of material or for finishing. Unfortunately, the installers and tapers who were exposed to asbestos joint compound, as well as various other drywall products containing asbestos, were therefore in real danger of contracting Mesothelioma through airborne asbestos.