US tunnel workers face mesothelioma risk

Washington: Workers who work in the Capitol, the seat of US Congress in Washington, tunnels say they risk a slow death from asbestos-related disease.
Asbestos is a known carcinogen, linked to lung cancer and to mesothelioma, a cancer caused only by asbestos exposure. It causes other health problems, including asbestosis.
According to the workers the tunnels covered with thick asbestos dust, punishing heat and locked emergency exits.
The Hill, a newsletter that covers Congress, reports that it obtained a copy of a letter sent to legislators by 10 employees of the Office of the Architect of the Capitol, which is responsible for maintaining the complex.
The workers said that the tunnels that connect the power plant to the House and Senate office buildings and the Capitol are so dangerous that Capitol Police do not patrol them. This has also raised security risk.
In their letter, the workers said the air in the tunnels is not surveyed for asbestos.
"The one thing we can tell you is we have breathed in an awful lot because it is everywhere and you can see it and physically pick it up," workers said.