California State Rock May Lose Designation Due to Asbestos Content

By Jim Greene

Published on July 21, 2010

The California State Legislature may strip serpentinite of its status as the state rock because it contains asbestos, some forms of which are known to cause deadly mesothelioma cancer. The action is being promoted by the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization and opposed by geologists, historians, and some who see it as opening up a new field of potential litigation.

The designation of serpentinite as the state rock in 1965 was seen by some as a small way to promote what was then a growing asbestos industry in California. There was also historical significance, since the shiny greenish stone was commonly found in soil that yielded the gold that changed the state's history a century earlier.

EPA Banned Most Asbestos Uses in 1989

Asbestos was banned for most uses in 1989 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in the face of mounting evidence that it posed health risks, especially mesothelioma, an incurable cancer that attacks the outer lining of the lungs, heart, and other internal organs, as well as the inner lining of the chest and abdomen.

Some geologists suggest that serpentinite, just one among many minerals once mined for asbestos, may not be responsible for the thousands of cases of mesothelioma documented in California. They say the rock contains a form of asbestos thought unlikely to become lodged in the lungs.

Historians Say Rock's Significance Unchanged by Health Risk

Historians who object to the action against serpentinite say that its significance in state history cannot be undone by the fact that it may have posed a health risk in the past. The EPA says that the rock, which is no longer mined, poses no risk if left undisturbed.

Tort reform advocates fear that removing the state rock designation from serpentinite will fuel civil litigation attempting to prove asbestos damage from naturally occurring sources. Nearly all legal action to date has been based on industrial asbestos exposure, which many courts have agreed has been well documented as causing mesothelioma.

While the debate over serpentinite continues, the evidence against processed asbestos is strong. If you are one of the thousands of Americans who suffer from mesothelioma or have lost a loved one to this unstoppable cancer, contact an experienced personal injury attorney. You may be eligible for financial compensation to help you deal with your illness or with your loss.

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