The condition, which results in shortness of breath and persistent cough and is linked to a higher risk of cancer, is now considered the deadliest of all occupational respiratory conditions. CDC reviewed death certificates of some 125,000 people with lung conditions linked to inhaling dust or fibers.

Although asbestos use was curbed starting in the late 1970s, cases are surging now because asbestos-related illnesses can take up to 45 years from exposure to death. Because of its resistance to heat and its good insulation properties, asbestos was used in shipyards and construction sites. Use increased following World War II and peaked in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The Associated Press quotes Forest Horne, a lawyer representing asbestosis patients: "What you've got are folks in their 60s and 70s who might otherwise live longer, but because of the damage to their lung tissue, it leads to an early death. We're paying the price now for the use of this mineral in almost every construction insulation product used" from the 1930s through the 1970s. Asbestos is still present in some factories and buildings across the United States.