Asbestos News

A heating and plumbing parts supplier based in the UK recently acknowledged that some plumbing seals they sold contain asbestos.

Wolseley said that at least four customers received products in North America that contained more than 1 percent asbestos, which is the level at which products must be labeled, according to The Financial Times. The news provider reports that this is expected to lead to asbestos lawsuits.

The supplier had been reportedly investigating the allegations for nearly two years, from the time the first claim emerged.

Wolseley claims that the issue lay with a Canadian supplier that bought more than 1 million gaskets from it but mislabeled them as non-asbestos products. Wolseley reportedly plans to sue the Canadian firm.

Asbestos was once commonly found in such products due to its flame retardant properties and resistance to fire. However, it was proven by the middle of the 1960s that exposure to the naturally occurring substance was not only responsible for the development of malignant mesothelioma and asbestosis, but caused lung cancer as well.

Ian Meakins, Wolseley's chief executive officer, said that he expects several customers to file asbestos lawsuits against the company.