Many people think of asbestos as a legacy issue confined to older buildings and past industrial practices. Yet public health authorities continue to treat it as a current concern. According to the World Health Organization, more than 200,000 deaths are estimated to be caused each year by occupational exposure to asbestos, representing more than 70% of all deaths from work-related cancers.
Sean Fitzgerald, geologist and founder of FACTS, Pllc., an environmental consulting firm and analytical laboratory specializing in asbestos, elongate mineral particles, geological investigations, and forensic scientific analysis, believes those figures underscore the need for greater public understanding of what asbestos is, how it occurs, how exposure happens, and why scientific education remains an essential part of protecting public health.
“Our understanding of asbestos has improved enormously over the years, but public awareness has not always kept pace,” Fitzgerald says. “People cannot make informed decisions about risks they do not fully understand, and that is why education continues to matter.”
Fitzgerald explains that one reason misconceptions persist is that even defining asbestos can be more complex than many people realize. Although it is commonly discussed as though it were a single substance, federal health agencies explain asbestos as a commercial and legal term for a group of naturally occurring fibrous silicate minerals. Fitzgerald says that distinction is often lost outside scientific circles, making it easier for misconceptions to take hold.
“When people don’t fully understand what asbestos is, it becomes much harder to explain where it occurs, how exposure happens, and why those conversations still matter today,” he says. From his perspective, improving scientific literacy helps replace outdated assumptions with a clearer understanding of both the science and the continuing public health relevance of asbestos.
Throughout his career, Fitzgerald has investigated asbestos in numerous environments while contributing expert geological analysis in complex legal, regulatory, and environmental matters. Through FACTS, Fitzgerald provides independent scientific expertise that combines geology, microscopy, mineralogy, and environmental investigation to help organizations understand mineral-related questions through evidence-based analysis rather than speculation.
“Science gives people the ability to separate facts from assumptions,” Fitzgerald explains. “The more accurately we understand how these minerals occur and how exposure can happen, the better prepared we are to make thoughtful decisions that protect both workers and communities.”
Another factor Fitzgerald believes deserves greater attention is the long period that can exist between exposure and disease, known in the industry as the latency period of the dose-response relationship. Because health effects may not appear for decades, he explains that many people assume the issue has largely disappeared when, in reality, researchers continue studying its long-term impact. According to the World Health Organization, eliminating asbestos-related diseases requires preventing exposure, improving surveillance, and strengthening awareness alongside occupational safety measures. From Fitzgerald’s perspective, those objectives depend as much on education as on regulation.
He also believes that improving public understanding begins with explaining complex science in language people can easily grasp. He notes that because asbestos-related diseases often develop decades after exposure, many people assume the issue has largely disappeared, making public awareness more difficult despite continuing scientific research and monitoring.
“Scientific information should never stay inside laboratories,” Fitzgerald says. “When research is communicated clearly, people become better equipped to ask informed questions, understand environmental risks, and support decisions grounded in evidence.”
The need for that understanding extends beyond occupational settings. Research continues to recognize all forms of asbestos as carcinogenic to humans, reinforcing the importance of minimizing exposure wherever it may occur. Fitzgerald explains that ongoing scientific investigation, improved analytical techniques, and greater collaboration between geologists, environmental professionals, policymakers, and public health experts are all necessary for a more complete understanding of asbestos and other elongate mineral particles.
That same collaborative philosophy is reflected in the work of FACTS. The firm provides geological consulting, asbestos identification, mineral characterization, expert witness services, forensic investigations, and scientific education for clients navigating technically complex environmental and regulatory questions. He believes independent scientific analysis helps organizations make informed decisions supported by established geological methods and transparent evaluation.
Looking ahead, Fitzgerald hopes conversations about asbestos continue evolving alongside advances in science rather than remaining shaped by outdated perceptions. He believes public awareness, scientific literacy, and evidence-based discussion all play meaningful roles in helping communities better understand environmental health issues.
“Every generation inherits the responsibility to understand the world a little better than the last,” Fitzgerald says. “When science is communicated openly and responsibly, people gain the knowledge they need to make informed choices, and that is how meaningful progress is achieved.”
