global science at one point declared asbestos a wonder product that had near unlimited applications, except it wasn't and is just too expensive to remove in many cases, so it just sits there and does its thing
http://www.asbestos.com/asbestos/
Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer – diagnosed in an estimated 3,000 Americans annually – caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure. It involves the thin lining that surrounds organs in the chest and abdomen and kills an American every 3.4 hours.
/shrug